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Public Employee Press
Members rally against Iraq war
Days
before the U.S. Congress would debate resolutions against Bushs troop escalation,
more than 100,000 demonstrators spoke out against the war in Iraq by descending
on the National Mall in Washington and marching for hours past the Capitol.
DC 37 and SSEU Local 371 sent six busloads of members and retirees to the
Jan. 27 protest. Clarinda Robinson, 85, a Brooklyn Library retiree, had
to start at 3 a.m., walk seven blocks and take two trains to get to her bus on
time. Ending this war is very important. I have a nephew in Iraq, and I
worry about him every day, she said. Chris Butler, a member of
Municipal Hospital Employees Union Local 420, arrived early and heard the speeches
on the Mall. I am proud to be here, building the grassroots pressure that
Congress needs to end this war, he said. The DC 37 Executive Board
endorsed the protest. Bush is bringing the war home to us in the form of
terrible budget cuts aimed at our hospitals, Medicaid, Medicare, Childrens
Health Insurance, food stamps, child care and other vital services, said
DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts. Bushs escalation will send
more young working class men and women home in body bags. Locals
of DC 37s national union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal
Employees, bused in from East Coast cities. Gary Kapanowski from DC 47 in Pennsylvania
came to protest this immoral and unjust war. In Iraq, soldiers are dying
and corporations are making money. Marchers carried
signs such as Pray for Peace, Impeach Bush, and Honor
the warriors, not the war. One home-made poster, Congress: Stand up
to Bush! urged lawmakers to stiffen their opposition to the 21,500-troop
surge. Two weeks later, the U.S. House of Representatives
voted 246 to 182 to repudiate the presidents disastrous plan. In
the U.S. Senate, an anti-war resolution seemed capable of passing, but the Republican
minority was blocking a vote. With the administration seeking a record $622 billion
military budget for 2008, many political observers believe the next big fight
in Congress will be over Bushs request for another $93 billion for the war.
Addressing the rally, Michigan Rep. John Conyers, Jr., threatened to cut
off funds for the unpopular war: The founders of our country gave Congress
the power of the purse because they envisioneda scenario just like today, with
the president defying the will of the people, he explained. Other
speakers included the Rev. Jesse Jackson and actors Susan Sarandon Defund
the war and fund the vets. and her husband Tim Robbins Now
21,500 more will risk their lives for this misguided war. Is impeachment still
off the table? The rally and the massive march past the Capitol
were planned by United for Peace and Justice, acoalition of 1,400 peace, religious,
student, ethnic and labor groups. Varied in ages, races, and political views,
the marchers included Catholic nuns side-by-side with saffron-robed Buddhists,
socialists alongside active duty soldiers (banned from wearing their uniforms),
and Vietnam veterans together with studentswho werent yet born when
massive opposition bythe U.S. people forced an end to that war. At the
time of the demonstration, 3,065 U.S. troops had been killed and 22,834 wounded
since the war began in March 2003, and more than 100,000 Iraqis were dead.
Caseworker Carline Beliard of SSEU Local 371 told PEP, We should plan
for an exit. Too many are dying. Many marchers seemed exhilarated
at the possibility of ending the war. Were going to keep protesting,
because the money for this war could keep people employed and improve health care
and education at home, said Local 372 Executive Vice President Santos Crespo.
Bill Schleicher | |