131 people were arrested at the White House yesterday in an action to End The Wars, including the board executive committee of Veterans for Peace. It is estimated that 2/3rds of those arrested were veterans. Of those arrested a number of women from Code Pink were also arrested. Approximately 500 folks attended the rally. There were dozen of speakers including Daniel Ellsberg and Ray McGovern who were also arrested.
Thanks to all who supported or participated in this inspiring event and all who have provided footage of the peaceful rally to us, including Bill Hughes, David Swanson and Ellen Davidson
-thanks to ebecker2000 and Veterans For Peace
View Bill Hughes' Slideshow of 33 Photos from the Rally at the White House on Dec. 16, 2010
I was unable to make it to DC for the 5pm meeting scheduled for Wednesday. I had a commitment and was needed someplace else earlier in the day. I headed out late in the afternoon and arrived at St Stephan’s at 2am. It was cold outside and cold inside. I made it to the room with cacoons scattered about the floor. Everyone was asleep in their sleeping bags. I found a spot in the room, took off my boots and socks, wiggled into my blanket and closed my eyes. I woke about 7 or 8 in the morning and observed the hatching of these beautiful peacemakers.
What a peaceful feeling. The warmth from these strong but gentle creatures was worth the trip alone. These were the women and men who would be among those who would risk arrest later in the day. It broke my heart to know that I wouldn’t be standing with them as I wasn’t able to be arrested that day. If there was a cause, a place and a group of people to act with, surely this was all of that.
As the day went on, meeting old friends, listening to the speakers and watching it unfold, it was a struggle to not hop the barrier, climb up on the fence or lay down in the snow to be dragged away and booked with my friends. Hopefully today's action will serve as an invigoration of the peace movement with actions and opportunities springing up across the empire. We know that we won’t end the current wars and occupations or avoid future ones if we just count on the legislators or elected and appointed officials. It isn’t going to happen since most of them are members of the wealthy class and are tied and committed to our adversaries - the warmakers.
Just as we need to look to our GI resisters and provide assistance to them and their families when they resist the repressive policies of the military/corporate/legislative machine, we also need to act and resist when and where we can.
We need to organize in our schools and communities to keep our children out of the reach of the predator military recruiters. They are trained psycho-hackers there to install a kill worm in our kids developing brains. Later the military will use them to torment, mutilate and kill other innocent people around the world -- eventually sacrificing their own bodies and minds to these perverted organizations.
We need to stop the development, construction and deployment of the drones, like the predator and the reaper, the intruments of illegal assassinations directed by our president, the military and the CIA. We need to find out where these exist in our communities and force them to end research and production or shut them down.
Lots of work!
Lots of opportunities!
Many more of us.
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