Tom said...
"Kevin, I just read your essay that you wrote
for Truthdig.com and I had to comment...I was really
impressed by the way you expressed your feelings about
the situation in Iraq. You really nailed it like nobody
I've ever heard before.
What's going on with our government is unbelievable, and
I've grown cynical and fatalistic.
I don't know what I can do anymore/
Thanks for speaking out.
Tom Lawless"
Although I would love to take credit for such an eloquent piece of writing, I must give credit where it is due.
Though the article was written by a Kevin Tillman, it was not by me, but the brother of Pat Tillman, the Army soldier killed two years ago in a "Friendly fire" incident.
Please take some time out to read this article and the reponses posted there.
It is quite the enlightening read.
There is something we can do!
PRAY.
Pray for peace
Pray for God's wisdom
Pray for God's will on Earth.
Jesus gave us the commandment that we should love. Love God with all our heart, body and soul; Love each other as he loved us; love our neighbors as ourselves.
He warned us against trying to serve two masters - God is the only, not the first, but the only Master we should serve. I will let you draw your own conclusions regarding this concept.
What terrible things have been wrought for greed, lust for power and taking nationalism to the extent of idol worship?
What happens when we worship anything like we should worhip and honor God - that we think it is infallible, that it can comfort us, protect us and save us from evil? What happens when we try to fit God into our lives instead of God fitting us into His plan. We go on about our busy lives, maybe go to church on Sunday and give to various charities, we "fit" the teachings of Christ into our lives.
What would happen if our lives were the teachings of Christ?
What if we lived in the model he made for us?
To live as servants to one another, not the master?
To live to uplift each other instead of trying to get the leg up over everybody else?
To feed the hungry and visit the prisoner and uplift the widow, each of us as we are able?
To be the instruments of peace that St. Francis speaks of?
Imagine....
Just one day, one day,
walk away from the life we normally live
and for that one day, just one day,
act like we really believe what He taught us
act like Love is the one and only commandment
act like when we do unto the "least of these" we do unto Him
act like we understand that when we cherish God He will give
us our heart's desire - for we will desire God.
just one simple day, say no to the way the World thinks
and remember that He is God, and there is no other
AMEN
Friday, October 20, 2006
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Bard, Poets and Singers UNITE!
One of the greatest thing that we as artists, poets, songwriters, etc. are called to is the role of voice of the people.
In the early days - and I mean "in the beginning of music" song writers and musicians played a major role in the spiritual community. As time went on, bards and minstrels took on the social concerns of their day - as well as writing and singing love songs and carrying on the oral history through music.
Musicians became the "free speakers" of their time. Quite often able to speak up about injustice and other social issues. Many times they got away with it by making light of the escapades of those in power - in reality, they were really tearing away at the powers that be by informing their fellow citizens about the goings on in their world.
That was a very different time, but I am proud to say that the tradition lives on. A friend of mine emailed me a link to an mp3 file and it took me a few minutes fo figure out who the artist was.
It is a song called "Dear Mr. President" by Pink - featuring the Indigo Girls.
I will let the song speak for itself and Pink's Story about the song to speak for themselves.
In the early days - and I mean "in the beginning of music" song writers and musicians played a major role in the spiritual community. As time went on, bards and minstrels took on the social concerns of their day - as well as writing and singing love songs and carrying on the oral history through music.
Musicians became the "free speakers" of their time. Quite often able to speak up about injustice and other social issues. Many times they got away with it by making light of the escapades of those in power - in reality, they were really tearing away at the powers that be by informing their fellow citizens about the goings on in their world.
That was a very different time, but I am proud to say that the tradition lives on. A friend of mine emailed me a link to an mp3 file and it took me a few minutes fo figure out who the artist was.
It is a song called "Dear Mr. President" by Pink - featuring the Indigo Girls.
I will let the song speak for itself and Pink's Story about the song to speak for themselves.
What the Heck am I Up To???
I know I've left this site languishing for a long time, but I am finally back to setting priorities.
I have been overwhelmed with another project that I hope will be completed by the end of the month (YIPPEE!)
After getting the encouragement from Dwayen H. Phillip M. And Tim S., I feel re-energized and ready to start focusing on completing some snogs that have remained unfinished and arrange songs that are more or less ready for arrangement.
I really am looking foward to getting back to writing.
I have some minor recording projects from other groups that I need to focus on as well. All of these projects have been captured from the video and two I think have been saved in Digital Performer to mix down the audio. There really isn't much left to do on these except mix down the audio and complete editing and marking the video projects. The audio projects will need to be seperated into tracks.
After I get these out of the way then I can get back to writing. I will very likely write while render files or output files are being created.
I really feel blessed! I have people around me who are supportive and caring. They won't hesitate to help correct me if I stray. They are willing to provide constructive criticism where it is needed. Far too often, people, esp. those close to you, will tell you what they think you want to hear. People around me have varying degrees of differing oppinions, though not radically so.
I finally posted to posts that have been sitting on my Palm Pilot for months (the previous 2) - I'm glad to get them out!
Well, I have my work cut out for me. However, I have no doubt that with God's help, I will be successfull in all of these.
I have been overwhelmed with another project that I hope will be completed by the end of the month (YIPPEE!)
After getting the encouragement from Dwayen H. Phillip M. And Tim S., I feel re-energized and ready to start focusing on completing some snogs that have remained unfinished and arrange songs that are more or less ready for arrangement.
I really am looking foward to getting back to writing.
I have some minor recording projects from other groups that I need to focus on as well. All of these projects have been captured from the video and two I think have been saved in Digital Performer to mix down the audio. There really isn't much left to do on these except mix down the audio and complete editing and marking the video projects. The audio projects will need to be seperated into tracks.
After I get these out of the way then I can get back to writing. I will very likely write while render files or output files are being created.
I really feel blessed! I have people around me who are supportive and caring. They won't hesitate to help correct me if I stray. They are willing to provide constructive criticism where it is needed. Far too often, people, esp. those close to you, will tell you what they think you want to hear. People around me have varying degrees of differing oppinions, though not radically so.
I finally posted to posts that have been sitting on my Palm Pilot for months (the previous 2) - I'm glad to get them out!
Well, I have my work cut out for me. However, I have no doubt that with God's help, I will be successfull in all of these.
The Beauty and Purpose of Death
I have made a commitment to spread beauty. There is way too much hatred and ugliness in the world - I don't think there is any need to spread more.
The one thing I think some people get uncomfortable about is death. According to many of them, death is to be feared and it is an an awful thing. We as Westerners spend way too much time trying to buy immortality.
For many of us, who see death as something that should be reserved for the old, will say that people died before their time.
But in reality, we all die at the appropriate time and the appropriate season.
If we are to truly embrace God and trust in God's will in the world, we should also begin to respect the circle of life. We will not die until it is our time. The purposes and reasons of death are far too many to count.
For any Of the myriad of negative and horrible reasons we can find for death, there are just as many good and beautiful reasons. In the end it is a matter of perception.
I am in no way saying that there is not room for sorrow and grief, this is normal and good. But I would suggest that in some place during our grief, there must be room to celebrate life. In personal loss, how many wonderful things did our lost loved ones bring to our lives? How do we count the ways?
In mass death and destruction, to face the reality of it is to question why. I believe that we would be severely derelict in our responsibility to humanity to ignore such occurances. In my view, and this is only a simple observation - I could go on for days about this, but I will save that for a future post - In events of man-made destruction and death, like war, we are called to see the insanity and injustice of such actions. Jesus told us to love our enemies, not blow them into oblivion. And what about the innocents caught in the "crossfire?" Doesn't the recognition that innocent blood is spilled underscore the incompatibility of war with Christian teaching? Ignoring the obvious "Turn the other cheek" and "Love your enemies" the pain and destruction of human life and of God's creation is just completely "un-Christ-like"
In natural disasters, esp. The ones of the previous twelve months, how often have we been reminded of the Lord's commandment to do unto the least of these? How often have we been shown the complete disinterest of certain government officials to take responsibility for their failings; both in dealing with our own domestic watersides and in our failing to live up to our commitment to provide monetary aid to those suffering abroad because of earthquakes or tsunamis?
The revelation of how cruel, insensitive and hateful certain individuals and groups can be in both cases of man-made and natural disasters is one of the many gifts we receive from such horrible events.
Another is the mirror of the above revaluation. What is also brought to light in such events is just how good and caring people can be. The fact that there is still good in the world - a reminder that we need way too often in our day-to-day lives.
In the end, large scale disasters provide yet another opportunity for us to live in to the teachings of Christ, as well as hold people accountable for their failings which are brought to light during these times.
In between, I pray that we don't forget the lessons we learned at such an exorbitant price.
The one thing I think some people get uncomfortable about is death. According to many of them, death is to be feared and it is an an awful thing. We as Westerners spend way too much time trying to buy immortality.
For many of us, who see death as something that should be reserved for the old, will say that people died before their time.
But in reality, we all die at the appropriate time and the appropriate season.
If we are to truly embrace God and trust in God's will in the world, we should also begin to respect the circle of life. We will not die until it is our time. The purposes and reasons of death are far too many to count.
For any Of the myriad of negative and horrible reasons we can find for death, there are just as many good and beautiful reasons. In the end it is a matter of perception.
I am in no way saying that there is not room for sorrow and grief, this is normal and good. But I would suggest that in some place during our grief, there must be room to celebrate life. In personal loss, how many wonderful things did our lost loved ones bring to our lives? How do we count the ways?
In mass death and destruction, to face the reality of it is to question why. I believe that we would be severely derelict in our responsibility to humanity to ignore such occurances. In my view, and this is only a simple observation - I could go on for days about this, but I will save that for a future post - In events of man-made destruction and death, like war, we are called to see the insanity and injustice of such actions. Jesus told us to love our enemies, not blow them into oblivion. And what about the innocents caught in the "crossfire?" Doesn't the recognition that innocent blood is spilled underscore the incompatibility of war with Christian teaching? Ignoring the obvious "Turn the other cheek" and "Love your enemies" the pain and destruction of human life and of God's creation is just completely "un-Christ-like"
In natural disasters, esp. The ones of the previous twelve months, how often have we been reminded of the Lord's commandment to do unto the least of these? How often have we been shown the complete disinterest of certain government officials to take responsibility for their failings; both in dealing with our own domestic watersides and in our failing to live up to our commitment to provide monetary aid to those suffering abroad because of earthquakes or tsunamis?
The revelation of how cruel, insensitive and hateful certain individuals and groups can be in both cases of man-made and natural disasters is one of the many gifts we receive from such horrible events.
Another is the mirror of the above revaluation. What is also brought to light in such events is just how good and caring people can be. The fact that there is still good in the world - a reminder that we need way too often in our day-to-day lives.
In the end, large scale disasters provide yet another opportunity for us to live in to the teachings of Christ, as well as hold people accountable for their failings which are brought to light during these times.
In between, I pray that we don't forget the lessons we learned at such an exorbitant price.
Make Me an Instrument....
In the long journey from the moment I lost the gift of my partner to AIDS to th present, I have come to the realization of the gift of his life and his death.
In the least, for me, I have to say it simply, "I haved loved." Nothing has illustrated this as succinctly as a cycle of music titled "When We No Longer Touch."
If you read the background about this music you may begin to realize what I have learned. What I learned from him and others like him is this: we can make of our lives to others a gift from our hearts - we have that choice.
The composer was facing his own death because of AIDS. What he decided to do was write his own requiem and in the process, he wrote something that has touched thousands of lives.
The lyrics are based on the six phases of grief:
Denial
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance
Hope
and then the composer included the text from the Latin requiem mass.
For me, along with helping me re-visit how I went through those phases after losing my partner, the composer also creates a thing of sheer beauty.
After starting on a journey of self exploration that has come to my current point of striving for personal authenticity, I am in this place of being weary of being angry, hateful, and sometimes scared when I look at the world around me.
I realized three basic things:
I believe I have finally come to a personal assurance of that task. I believe that in this crazy world, there need to be oases of calm and peace. There need to be places to take refuge from the storm. That rest is found in the Lord. I feel that with the help of the Spirit to guide me, I will try to provide some refuge.
I hope to spread this art - my music and poetry - as far and wide as possible.
Where does one start? Well that is another story for another post.
In the least, for me, I have to say it simply, "I haved loved." Nothing has illustrated this as succinctly as a cycle of music titled "When We No Longer Touch."
If you read the background about this music you may begin to realize what I have learned. What I learned from him and others like him is this: we can make of our lives to others a gift from our hearts - we have that choice.
The composer was facing his own death because of AIDS. What he decided to do was write his own requiem and in the process, he wrote something that has touched thousands of lives.
The lyrics are based on the six phases of grief:
Denial
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance
Hope
and then the composer included the text from the Latin requiem mass.
For me, along with helping me re-visit how I went through those phases after losing my partner, the composer also creates a thing of sheer beauty.
After starting on a journey of self exploration that has come to my current point of striving for personal authenticity, I am in this place of being weary of being angry, hateful, and sometimes scared when I look at the world around me.
I realized three basic things:
- Others are surely feeling the way I do - I'm not unique in my anxiety and my anger when I see all the injustice in the world.
- There are people in the world who are much better prepared to deal with the injustices and teach the Gospel and spread the Good News; standing on the street corner and protesting those who proclaim God's word is "hatred" when necessary.
- God is ultimately in control and He has given me a specific task.
I believe I have finally come to a personal assurance of that task. I believe that in this crazy world, there need to be oases of calm and peace. There need to be places to take refuge from the storm. That rest is found in the Lord. I feel that with the help of the Spirit to guide me, I will try to provide some refuge.
I hope to spread this art - my music and poetry - as far and wide as possible.
Where does one start? Well that is another story for another post.
Friday, March 03, 2006
15 Arrested At White House Protesting U.S. Torture
Interesting piece. Most interesting is the reacion of the bystanders.
15 Arrested At White House Protesting U.S. Torture
By Mike Ferner
http://informationclearinghouse.info/article12149.htm
03/02/06 "ICH" -- -Washington – - Fifteen people were arrested yesterday in front of the White House after winding their way for two hours through the streets of the nation’s capital, demanding the U.S. stop torturing detainees in military prisons.
Members of Witness Against Torture began their protest at the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court, continuing to the Capitol and the Department of Justice, and ending at the White House where U.S. Park Police carried out the arrests. Speakers called on officials in each of the buildings to cease planning and executing policies that have injured and killed people in prisons such as Guantanamo Bay, Bagram in Afghanistan, and Abu Ghraib in Iraq.
Arrested were Art Laffin, of the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker House in Washington, Amanda and Matt Dalaisio, and Tania Theriault of theCatholic Worker’s Mary House in New York, Susan Crane from Jonah House in Baltimore, Matt Vogel, Mark Colville, Brian Kavanaugh, Carmen Trotta, Jacqueline Allen-Doucot, Alice Gerard, Bill Streit, Tom Feagley, Edith Tetaz and Jordan Manuel.
The march took place on Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, an annual period when Catholics pray and fast to repent for sins. Speakers included many Biblical references in their remarks.
At the Department of Justice, Bill Streit used passages from the Book of Isaiah to condemn the DOJ’s role in torturing prisoners. “Your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt; Your lips speak falsehood, and your tongue utters deceit…Right is repelled and justice stands far off; for truth stumbles in the public square. Honesty is lacking, and the man who turns from evil is despoiled.”
Following Streit, Kristine Huskey, an attorney just back from Guantanamo where she represents a detainee, described torture methods prisoners have reported to her and other attorneys.
The 38 year-old attorney from the firm of Shearman and Sterling explained that some 30 detainees had been on a hunger strike since late last summer to protest their treatment. Despite being roughly force-fed, several others joined the strike on Christmas Day. At that point, military officials at Guantanamo ordered even harsher methods.
“Soldiers would strap a prisoner to one of several specially-purchased metal chairs with six-point restraints, insert an oversized tube through his nose and purposely overfeed him, causing him to vomit, defecate and urinate all over himself, and then leave him strapped in the chair for hours like that,” Huskey stated.
Describing what happened when the military “got serious about ending the hunger strike after Christmas, she said, “They stopped using lubricant to help the tubes go down, and began using tubes with metal tips.”
Despite the tortuous forced feedings, she reported, four prisoners remain on hunger strike at Guantanamo. Other speakers, citing reports from Amnesty International, corroborated Huskey’s statements and added that prisoners reported many instances of injuries, bleeding, and unconsciousness from the torture-feeding methods, plus numerous physical and mental injuries from torture techniques such as sensory deprivation, beatings, and burning with lighted cigarettes.
She told the protesters and a small knot of bystanders who stopped to listen, that “One of the most important things you can do is keep this issue alive and not let the world forget. I was just in Guantanamo and I can tell you that your actions provide a glimmer of hope to these prisoners – something they’ve not had before. They are aware of your actions and express their thanks.”
Escorting six fellow protesters dressed in bright orange jumpsuits, hands tied and hoods over their heads, the marchers proceeded along busy sidewalks to the White House, carrying signs that read, “You can deny it’s torture, but the world knows,” “Torture is killing a person without them dying,” and “Ban all torture – no exception for Bush.”
Asked for an opinion of the procession that had just passed her, one woman replied tersely, “I’m not interested.” A second, referring to a reporter’s notebook, said, “I don’t do that..” A block later, a third person claimed, “I didn’t even notice it.”
Several blocks further, an employee of the National Association of Manufacturers, standing in front of its headquarters, answered, “At first I thought it was against the death penalty and then I saw what it was about. Torture? Sure, I disapprove. This war is a lie. It’s a fake that’s costing people’s lives. It’s terrible what’s going on. I lost two brothers in Viet Nam. I know war is profitable, but it’s wrong.”
Arriving at the White House, the march was greeted by two patrol cars and a paddy wagon, quickly augmented by another wagon and dozens of uniformed and plainclothes U.S. Park Police and Secret Service agents.
Tourists stopped to watch and take pictures as the activists drew crosses made of ashes from the wood stove at Jonah House, on the White House sidewalk. Some of the tourists entered into conversation with the protesters, most stood quietly.
A 17 year-old student from California, asked what he thought about the event, said, “Torture is still bad, but it’s sometimes necessary to save other lives.” A passing youth slowed to inquire, “Are the people being tortured American citizens?” When answered, “No,” he replied, “then what’ve we got to do with it?” One young man was overheard telling a woman he was with, “stick around here, honey, and your face will wind up in a database.”
Francis Gabby, in Washington from Maryland’s Eastern Shore for his job, began his comments carefully. “They have every right to be here. I happen to agree with the majority of what they say. I don’t believe we should be torturing people.”
Asked to respond to the California student’s assertion that torture is bad but sometimes necessary, the 57-year old building management worker replied, “It’s like the death penalty where innocent people have been executed, and besides, it just doesn’t serve any purpose – in fact, it’s doing the opposite. It seems like we’re getting bad information anyway. I don’t have answers, but I don’t think this is the way.”
Anne Montgomery, 79, a participant in the march, said she had been to Iraq many times with Voices in the Wilderness and Christian Peacemaker Teams. She said, “The U.S. is exporting a tremendous escalation of violence, feeding more violence in the world. Actions like this are important so that people will know that not all Americans are behind the war. Every action that says we disapprove of what our government is doing helps.”
Referring to the four CPT members still held hostage in Iraq, Montgomery said yesterday’s demonstration and others like it may well be helping them stay alive and contribute to their release.
Finished drawing the ashen crosses, 15 people stood with banners and signs in the “no protest” zone along one section of the White House fence and waited to be arrested. In the hour it took the Park Police to begin that process, several of the soon-to-be-arrested spoke.
Her back to the fence, Theriault stated for all to hear, “Torture and indefinite detention do not represent us and do not make us secure.”
In a voice fit for a theatrical production, Trotta boomed, “I’m thinkin’ about lunch counter sit-ins – deliberate, deliberate breaking of the law. I’m thinkin’ about Martin Luther King, and the Catonsville 9. I’m even thinkin’ about the Boston Tea Party – that was deliberate law-breaking.”
The police officers arrested each person, methodically tying their hands behind their back with plastic handcuffs. Three of the arrestees were sitting on the sidewalk in orange jumpsuits, hooded, with their hands tied in front of them. Officers removed the hoods and had to unwrap the electrical cord binding their hands before placing them in handcuffs.
With the arrestees in the wagons, the police drove them to a federal booking facility in Anacostia, charged them with demonstrating without a permit, cited them into court at a later date, and released them.
After the action was over, a safety officer wearing a haz-mat hood and gloves took samples of the wood ashes on the sidewalk. As people left the area, a motorized street sweeper cleaned the sidewalk of ash.
###
Note: Protest organizers said that four days prior to the demonstration they sent out approximately 1000 news releases, 100 to news media outlets in the D.C. area. Reuters was the only news media outlet seen covering any part of the actions yesterday.
Ferner is a freelance writer from Ohio
15 Arrested At White House Protesting U.S. Torture
By Mike Ferner
http://informationclearinghouse.info/article12149.htm
03/02/06 "ICH" -- -Washington – - Fifteen people were arrested yesterday in front of the White House after winding their way for two hours through the streets of the nation’s capital, demanding the U.S. stop torturing detainees in military prisons.
Members of Witness Against Torture began their protest at the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court, continuing to the Capitol and the Department of Justice, and ending at the White House where U.S. Park Police carried out the arrests. Speakers called on officials in each of the buildings to cease planning and executing policies that have injured and killed people in prisons such as Guantanamo Bay, Bagram in Afghanistan, and Abu Ghraib in Iraq.
Arrested were Art Laffin, of the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker House in Washington, Amanda and Matt Dalaisio, and Tania Theriault of theCatholic Worker’s Mary House in New York, Susan Crane from Jonah House in Baltimore, Matt Vogel, Mark Colville, Brian Kavanaugh, Carmen Trotta, Jacqueline Allen-Doucot, Alice Gerard, Bill Streit, Tom Feagley, Edith Tetaz and Jordan Manuel.
The march took place on Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, an annual period when Catholics pray and fast to repent for sins. Speakers included many Biblical references in their remarks.
At the Department of Justice, Bill Streit used passages from the Book of Isaiah to condemn the DOJ’s role in torturing prisoners. “Your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt; Your lips speak falsehood, and your tongue utters deceit…Right is repelled and justice stands far off; for truth stumbles in the public square. Honesty is lacking, and the man who turns from evil is despoiled.”
Following Streit, Kristine Huskey, an attorney just back from Guantanamo where she represents a detainee, described torture methods prisoners have reported to her and other attorneys.
The 38 year-old attorney from the firm of Shearman and Sterling explained that some 30 detainees had been on a hunger strike since late last summer to protest their treatment. Despite being roughly force-fed, several others joined the strike on Christmas Day. At that point, military officials at Guantanamo ordered even harsher methods.
“Soldiers would strap a prisoner to one of several specially-purchased metal chairs with six-point restraints, insert an oversized tube through his nose and purposely overfeed him, causing him to vomit, defecate and urinate all over himself, and then leave him strapped in the chair for hours like that,” Huskey stated.
Describing what happened when the military “got serious about ending the hunger strike after Christmas, she said, “They stopped using lubricant to help the tubes go down, and began using tubes with metal tips.”
Despite the tortuous forced feedings, she reported, four prisoners remain on hunger strike at Guantanamo. Other speakers, citing reports from Amnesty International, corroborated Huskey’s statements and added that prisoners reported many instances of injuries, bleeding, and unconsciousness from the torture-feeding methods, plus numerous physical and mental injuries from torture techniques such as sensory deprivation, beatings, and burning with lighted cigarettes.
She told the protesters and a small knot of bystanders who stopped to listen, that “One of the most important things you can do is keep this issue alive and not let the world forget. I was just in Guantanamo and I can tell you that your actions provide a glimmer of hope to these prisoners – something they’ve not had before. They are aware of your actions and express their thanks.”
Escorting six fellow protesters dressed in bright orange jumpsuits, hands tied and hoods over their heads, the marchers proceeded along busy sidewalks to the White House, carrying signs that read, “You can deny it’s torture, but the world knows,” “Torture is killing a person without them dying,” and “Ban all torture – no exception for Bush.”
Asked for an opinion of the procession that had just passed her, one woman replied tersely, “I’m not interested.” A second, referring to a reporter’s notebook, said, “I don’t do that..” A block later, a third person claimed, “I didn’t even notice it.”
Several blocks further, an employee of the National Association of Manufacturers, standing in front of its headquarters, answered, “At first I thought it was against the death penalty and then I saw what it was about. Torture? Sure, I disapprove. This war is a lie. It’s a fake that’s costing people’s lives. It’s terrible what’s going on. I lost two brothers in Viet Nam. I know war is profitable, but it’s wrong.”
Arriving at the White House, the march was greeted by two patrol cars and a paddy wagon, quickly augmented by another wagon and dozens of uniformed and plainclothes U.S. Park Police and Secret Service agents.
Tourists stopped to watch and take pictures as the activists drew crosses made of ashes from the wood stove at Jonah House, on the White House sidewalk. Some of the tourists entered into conversation with the protesters, most stood quietly.
A 17 year-old student from California, asked what he thought about the event, said, “Torture is still bad, but it’s sometimes necessary to save other lives.” A passing youth slowed to inquire, “Are the people being tortured American citizens?” When answered, “No,” he replied, “then what’ve we got to do with it?” One young man was overheard telling a woman he was with, “stick around here, honey, and your face will wind up in a database.”
Francis Gabby, in Washington from Maryland’s Eastern Shore for his job, began his comments carefully. “They have every right to be here. I happen to agree with the majority of what they say. I don’t believe we should be torturing people.”
Asked to respond to the California student’s assertion that torture is bad but sometimes necessary, the 57-year old building management worker replied, “It’s like the death penalty where innocent people have been executed, and besides, it just doesn’t serve any purpose – in fact, it’s doing the opposite. It seems like we’re getting bad information anyway. I don’t have answers, but I don’t think this is the way.”
Anne Montgomery, 79, a participant in the march, said she had been to Iraq many times with Voices in the Wilderness and Christian Peacemaker Teams. She said, “The U.S. is exporting a tremendous escalation of violence, feeding more violence in the world. Actions like this are important so that people will know that not all Americans are behind the war. Every action that says we disapprove of what our government is doing helps.”
Referring to the four CPT members still held hostage in Iraq, Montgomery said yesterday’s demonstration and others like it may well be helping them stay alive and contribute to their release.
Finished drawing the ashen crosses, 15 people stood with banners and signs in the “no protest” zone along one section of the White House fence and waited to be arrested. In the hour it took the Park Police to begin that process, several of the soon-to-be-arrested spoke.
Her back to the fence, Theriault stated for all to hear, “Torture and indefinite detention do not represent us and do not make us secure.”
In a voice fit for a theatrical production, Trotta boomed, “I’m thinkin’ about lunch counter sit-ins – deliberate, deliberate breaking of the law. I’m thinkin’ about Martin Luther King, and the Catonsville 9. I’m even thinkin’ about the Boston Tea Party – that was deliberate law-breaking.”
The police officers arrested each person, methodically tying their hands behind their back with plastic handcuffs. Three of the arrestees were sitting on the sidewalk in orange jumpsuits, hooded, with their hands tied in front of them. Officers removed the hoods and had to unwrap the electrical cord binding their hands before placing them in handcuffs.
With the arrestees in the wagons, the police drove them to a federal booking facility in Anacostia, charged them with demonstrating without a permit, cited them into court at a later date, and released them.
After the action was over, a safety officer wearing a haz-mat hood and gloves took samples of the wood ashes on the sidewalk. As people left the area, a motorized street sweeper cleaned the sidewalk of ash.
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Note: Protest organizers said that four days prior to the demonstration they sent out approximately 1000 news releases, 100 to news media outlets in the D.C. area. Reuters was the only news media outlet seen covering any part of the actions yesterday.
Ferner is a freelance writer from Ohio
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