In the same week that the American military death toll reached 2,000 in Iraq, approximately 2,000 war protesters – undeterred by snow – flocked from all over the Northeast to Boston Common on Saturday, calling for an immediate pullout of soldiers from Iraq.
Speakers included Councilor-At-Large Felix Arroyo and 2005 Nobel Peace Prize nominee Klarex Allen, but the biggest ovation of the day was reserved for keynote speaker Cindy Sheehan. The mother of a soldier killed in Iraq, Sheehan became the symbol of the anti-war movement this past summer when she led a month-long vigil outside of President Bush’s ranch in Crawford, Texas.
Sheehan said she remained positive, encouraged by Friday’s indictment of I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, one of Vice President Dick Cheney’s top aides, for allegedly lying to a grand jury.
“We were pleased that one of the liars in the Bush administration was finally exposed,” Sheehan said. “We have to keep pushing to have all the liars held accountable.”
This week’s death of the 2,000th soldier in Iraq seemed to bring more attention to the rally and was a recurring point in many speeches. Some protesters held signs with the pictures of the 2,000 slain soldiers that were printed in The New York Times.
After Sheehan’s mobilizing speech, the protesters, many carrying anti-war and anti-Bush posters, marched up Park Street through the snow past the State House chanting “Troops out now” and “No more war.”
The rally, sponsored by more than 60 local and national organizations, featured a diverse audience – ranging from college students to senior citizens – and a long list of performers and speakers, including Iraq War veterans and their families, social activists and religious groups.
In a telephone interview, Jason Pramas, networking director of Massachusetts Global Action and the event’s main organizer, praised the rally’s diversity.
“All the speakers brought a unique perspective with their own opinions about the war, but they all want the troops back home,” Pramas said.
According to Pramas, rally speakers were pleased with the turnout, particularly the representation of the younger crowd.
“We know we’re succeeding because young people are coming out here,” he said at the rally.
Some of the speakers brought up issues besides the war, including poverty, gay rights and women’s rights. They contributed to the underlying theme of the rally, which Arroyo termed a “struggle to change the values of this society.”
Chris Bustamante, 27, who came to the rally from the New York City chapter of Iraq Veterans Against the War, said the government’s incessant focus on the war has deflected attention away from important domestic issues.
“It never made sense to get into this war and cause so many problems [in Iraq] when so many people here in our own backyard are struggling to handle their own problems,” he said.
While some of the more radical speakers said a significant change in our government system was the only way to withdraw from the Iraq War, even more moderate speakers blamed President Bush for the country’s problems.
Providence resident Alden Eagle, 24, said there was no justification for the War in Iraq.
“Every reason the Bush administration had for the war has been discredited,” he said. “People who support the war – their arguments have been reduced to flag-waving and other patriotic symbols.”
A visible presence of police wearing bright yellow jackets, protective sunglasses and bicycle helmets formed a barrier between the protesters and a faction of about a dozen war supporters that held signs reading “We support our troops.”
New Hampshire resident, Elizabeth Johnson, 22, said the president is doing his best to defend the country.
“We’re here because we think you should support America, even if you’re against the war,” Johnson said.
Although there were few war supporters, speakers acknowledged their presence during the peaceful rally.
“If they really want to support our troops, they should march to Washington and tell them to bring our soldiers home,” Sheehan said. Speakers urged the audience to use what they heard during the rally as motivation to take action.
“It’s time to invest everything we have in peace,” Sheehan said. “Change never comes from the top down. It must come from the bottom up.”
Arroyo also highlighted the importance of grassroots movements.
“The rally today – that is the feel-good part,” he said. “But it’s not enough. When we’re finished here, you should feel energized for action.”
This is an account occasionally used by the Daily Free Press editors to post archived posts from previous iterations of the site or otherwise for special circumstance publications. See authorship info on the byline at the top of the page.
