PEP, June 2006: Peace march

By DIANE S. WILLIAMS

DC 37 members proudly marched down Broadway as part of labor’s largest antiwar contingent ever in the April 29 March for Peace, Justice and Democracy. The demonstration included more than 300,000 people united in the call to end the Iraq War, bring the troops home and stop plans to invade Iran.

“I want to see the U.S. out of Iraq,” said Local 371 member Marilyn Campbell, whose son recently returned from combat there. “I do not want to see any more lives lost there.”

As thousands of troops remain in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Iraq teeters on the brink of civil war, Americans are increasingly showing their disapproval of U.S. involvement. In the Saturday march, protesters from all parts of the country exercised their right to freely express complex feelings — for the troops and against the war. Many said they plan to follow up at the ballot box in November.

“Bush lied. There is no reason for us to be there,” said Robert Ajaye, a Local 2627 member and Vietnam War veteran. “We are being lied to about everything, about the wounded and the dead. Iraq did not attack us.”

Activists Susan Sarandon, Cindy Sheehan, whose Army son Casey was killed in Sadr City near Baghdad, and civil rights leaders Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Al Sharpton led a rainbow coalition of clergy, veterans, working people and students in the march. Shouting chants for withdrawal of U.S. of troops from Iraq, Taylor Law revisions, justice for Katrina victims and immigrants, and even impeachment of President George W. Bush, demonstrators denounced the Iraq War as “an immoral war ofaggression and greed.”

“We are paying for this war with cuts in services,” said Local 1549 member Brenda Walker, who worries that federal funds that should be used for pay raises for public employees and help for Katrina victims, seniors and the poor are instead being siphoned off to gun makers and no-bid military contractors. “This war is for corporate greed and oil,” she said. “It’s time to stop killing American troops and Iraqis.”

“I came out today to save lives,” said Local 375 member Behrouz Fathi, whose two sons are in college. “I don’t want to see young people dying for oil. I don’t want the draft reinstated.”

As the peaceful protesters streamed down sun-drenched Broadway, Steve Cooper, a DC 37 member said, “We support the troops and when they see us on TV, they’ll know we want them home.”