Creative signs were everywhere, and in a thousand different ways spoke up and out for Peace.
What was accomplished? Each of those who attended will have to answer that for themselves. A thousand reasons for resisting oppression, all arising from one love of freedom, one compassion for all Human Beings, one faith in the general resilience of the Human Spirit.
This was an enormous event, both physically and emotionally. While standing at Broadway and Morrison, with the orange clad and black masked "detainees," the march stretched out away out of sight in both directions, north and south, while eastward I could see the vanguard of the March working its way north up 4th Avenue. Easily 30 blocks in length, probably more.
We take so much for granted in this country. It's good to get out into the streets and demonstrate the fact that we appreciate our Civil Liberties, and when Bush comes to shove, we will stand up for them and resist their gradual disappearance. It's necessary to respond as a Community to any assaualt upon the sovereignty of the people, upon their institutions, upon their capacity to trust one another.
Only by demonstrating our solidarity with the rest of the world wlll we in any way deflect the ill will earned by our elected leaders. And too, only by walking together will we understand that we are not alone and that a growing number of people are slowly realizing the true character of our current administration.
Roots are now being set which will slowly stem this repugnant tide of Empire; which will leave behind the values which justify the death of innocents, which will eventaully flower a steady Peace.
Included in this report is a 25 minute audio file of speakers from the Rally before the march and one from the gathering immediately following. Speakers include:
Steven Deford, representing: Gold Star Families Speak Out
Military Families Speak Out
Veterans for Peace, Chapter 72
Northwest Veterans for Peace
Alfredo Cano, American Friends Service Committee youth speaker on counter recruiting;
Rev. Leroy Hayes, Sr. Pastor Allen Temple CME on Human Rights;
Ahmed Khamas, Iraqi journalist, translator and human rights activist who lives in Baghdad with husband and two daughters;
Ramon Rameriz, Leader of Nortwest Tree Planters and Farmworkers United
And after the March:
Steven Goldberg, former chairperson of the Nation Lawyers Guild International Committee, currently challenging the NSA wire tapping program.
This is a list of only those speakers I was able to tape, and are inlcuded in the audio file.
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M19_06, RealPlayer
M19_06, MP3