I had a long piece I was going to post about the war that I had started writing before the first missles launched yesterday. I’ve decided to table that for a little bit and share some of the things I saw today.
I was driving to a meeting in Bedford today and saw a window in a high rise on Berkeley St and Comm Ave had NO WAR pasted in their window. Simple statement, very visible spot.
Anne (a middle school teacher) sent me this today: “As the night wore on I started to feel a stronger sense of responsibility to handle a discussion of this invasion the ‘right way’ in my classroom today. I just wish I knew what the right way was.” All I had to do today was go to work and read the news in between “real” work.
I went to the protest tonight at Copley Sq. for about 10 minutes or so. They had Dartmouth and Stuart St. blocked with people joining the protest. There were a LOT of people, even though it was freezing and raining off and on.
The protest leaders had a UN flag and a Palestinian flag, but no Israeli flag. I found that odd, but could imagine the explanation. It turned me off a bit, though, because dissent should not include implicitly choosing sides… neither side has been admirable in that strife.
I watched a young family, father, mother, and their 6 or 7 year old daughter. I stopped and just stared at them for a while… I hope one day this little girl remembers where she was and this moment she was able to experience with her parents. All those people there singing and acting for something they believe in.
Some amusing signs:
- “Make French Fries, not war!”
- “Impeach the bastard”
- “Worst War EVER!” Obligatory Simpsons reference!! this is FatMixx, after all
- Fear Bush Not Iraq
As I was leaving, I walked by about 20 Boston Police motorcycles. The offices were fashioning handcuffs out of plastic ties. It was just odd, since the protest was amazingly peaceful and relaxed (though it was loud).
Coming home, I saw all the signs and banners up welcoming everyone to town for the NCAA basketball tournament. Life has to go on, I guess.
March 31st, 2003 at 2:56 PM
Hi
We are an, independent, UK based, student run
organisation http://www.smokebush.co.uk that have set
up in order to help stop the war and raise charitable funds
for peace with the sale of a pro-peace/anti-bush T-shirt
Having been banned by the UK based online payment
system Worldpay for being too controversial,
and almost being shut down by a number of hack
attempts and attacks from an address traced to
Washington DC. The controversial T-Shirt bearing the
slogan “Smoke Bush Not Iraq” is back online.
There are several things than make this a significant piece
of merchandise.
* Unlike all the other pro peace/anti Bush T-shirts, the
controversial ‘tokin gasmask’ design is cool! - not
just for wearing at marches, it is helping to spread the
anti-war/anti-bush message into the mainstream.
* For every T-shirt sold, smokebush.co.uk donate $3 to
Gulf War Veterans and their families. Even more important
now that the war has started and the number of casualties
is rising.
See what all the fuss is about:
http://www.smokebush.co.uk
————————————————————
** Got a website or mailing list? **
————————————————————
Join our Independent Fundraising Program
* For every T-shirt sold through your own unique fundraising
link. Smokebush.co.uk donate an additional $4 to your own
campaign funds or a charitable cause of your choice.
So far, in the 5 weeks that the T-shirt has been on sale in the
UK, smokebush.co.uk have successfully raised over $700 for
the Gulf War Veterans Association & almost $1000 for
Independent Fundraisers.
To Sign up click here:
http://www.smokebush.co.uk/fundraiser
After that, raising funds for good causes is as easy as sending an
email to your list or putting a link on your website
Kind Regards
J [fellow armchair activist]
Please let me know if you need any help
http://www.smokebush.co.uk