Sunday Special--The World Remebers


Yesterday was the first anniversary of the US Invasion of Iraq. Seems odd that in a year we've realized that much of the raison du guerre was a lie and that the promises of democracy in Iraq seem a bit false, as well as this invasion being an end to terror. Indeed it seems to have added fuel to the terrorists fires.

But we opponents of war and empire were willing to ask the tough questions and accept the answers. We gathered in places big and small; New York City, Pittsburgh, and even my Alma Mater got into the act.

I was at the rally in my hometown and things went well. I was supposed to hand out literature, but ended up helping the local Food Not Bombs serve the demonstrators, using my bike as a bell for a drum circle, and even reciting a poem.

The speakers covered a variety of topics. Obviously the Iraq war, but also Haiti, Israel, Globalization, a speaker who looked at the "evil twins" of "just war" and "justifiable slavery", there were musicians (one of which allowed me to recite my poem as a prelude to his performance.) and even someone from Howard Dean's new project was there.

I was impressed to see that there were no members of "AM-Radio" nation there to disrupt things.

I'm also amazed that in less that 18 months, we opponents of war and empire have gone from being portrayed as socialist dupes by the corporate media to a possible political force.



A Different Thought On Spain

Well, France at least is off the hook! Spain has now become the symbol of cowardice to the war party and AM-Radio nation. All this because their people decided to take their anger out at their government's refusal to listen to them and stay out of Iraq. Alas, they may have seen what the result of this invasion has actually been, more terror, not less.

It seems to me that the Spanish people may have actually done what the terrorists didn't want. Democracy seems to be one of the evils the terrorists rail against, along with secular government. Has anyone in AM-Radio nation given any thought to the idea that the terrorists may have been trying to scare the government into cancelling or suspending the elections, or the people into staying home. Of course, they're stuck in a world of "With us or against us".

What's worse is that there may be a few other countries who may soon be voting out war governments; Australia may be the next, Great Britian is a vote of confidence away, so said someone at the rally, and maybe even the US can succeed in slowing down its war machine.

Did the Spanish capitulate to terror? I say no, they instead exercised one of the rights that the terrorists so despise.



Peace Over War

This is the poem I recited at the rally. It's based on something my old sensei ended each Karate class with.
Right clenched fist.
Oil-fueled blood lust.
Poor men fighting for the rich.
A new empire beckons.

Left open hand,
stop, wait, think.
Question the knowledge.
Ask what you're being fed,
corporate processed
for the protection of the powerful.

I've chosen my path.
Closed hands hide things.
WMD's that can be debunked
with WMI's.

I choose to tread the path of peace.

Peace is pre-emptive.
Eliminate the fuel
and you quench the flame.

Stand like the heroes did.
Fear in their hearts,
fire in their bellies.
We're on a roll now
but need to keep on.