The Nation: Anti-War Tide Surging Nationwide

[marmar]

BLOG | Posted 01/12/2007 @ 3:06pm
Antiwar Tide Surging Nationwide
Helena Cobban


The bottom really does seem to be falling out of US public support for the Bush War in Iraq. Today's papers, as expertly digested by Dan Froomkin here , show the degree to which a deep and increasing popular anger with the war has been welling up among the citizenry and that is now-- finally-- starting to drive events in Congress. Note, for example, this report in today's NYT about increasing antiwar sentiment in a conservative part of Pennsylvania... or this report about the tepid response the Prez himself got from soldiers in Fort Benning, Georgia... or this report about the disillusionment of US soldiers on the fonrt-line in Baghdad...

I travel a lot around the US and the world. But my home-town is Charlottesville, Virginia, a tiny speck of "blue" in what used to be a pretty red state until George Allen's macaca moment came along last summer. (We showed him, eh!)

Every Thursday when I'm back home in C'ville I take part in our town's weekly antiwar vigil/demonstration . On some occasions over the past three years there have been just three or four of us gathered on the windy street corner outside the federal courthouse building, valiantly holding up our signs that urge the many passing motorists to "Honk 4 Peace".

Throughout 2006, we saw a steady increase in the numbers of motorists responding. But still, for the most part, there were just between three and seven of us standing there for that one hour per week. (On occcasion I have stood alone, at least for a short time; and several times just two of us have been standing there for 15 minutes or so till someone else came to join us.)

On Thursday last week, there were about 15 people.

Then yesterday, as my doughty co-demonstrator Jane Foster, age 82, and I approached the corner at 4:30 p.m. with our bundle of signs, we were surprised to see people waiting around there for us to come. People whom, for the most part, we didn't know. "What the-- ?" I wondered as I rushed over to them with the signs. People grabbed them from the pile. Soon, we ran out of signs. People kept coming... Mothers with kids in strollers. Middle-aged couples coming in from out of town. A bunch of people from our Quaker meeting... My dear friend Catherine Peaslee, age 84. (She and Jane have both been stalwart demonstrators over the past year. What incredible role models!) I saw people there I hadn't seen at demonstrations since the big ones we held before the invasion of Iraq-- and, as I said, lots of folks I'd never seen before.

The "front" side of our demonstration stretched out, facing the traffic, along that one curb outside the courthouse and stretching a long way down the sidewalks both ways.

The honking was incredible. Definitely the most ever. We've been working hard to "train" the drivers on this for more than three years now. I was so proud of their response yesterday! Everyone who was anywhere near our busy intersection during that hour would have gotten a very strong antiwar message... and that includes the occupants of some 5,000 or 7,000 vehicles driving through. As usual, we got a particularly strong response from African-American drivers, and women. But all sorts of demographics were honking yesterday, including the (white, male) drivers of some enormous trucks, people in expensive cars, drivers of old jalopies crammed with a bunch of co-workers going home after a long shift, etc, etc. .....(more)

The rest of the article is at: http://www.thenation.com/blogs/notion?bid=15

[oldtime dfl_er]

1. I keep wondering what it will take

for average Americans to start turning out in droves to anti war rallies. The one in Seattle was pitifully small. So it's good to read this!

http://www.cafepress.com/scarebaby/2321944

[marmar]

3. Yeah, I don't get it either. The United States of Indifference. Sad.

But we're doing our part, right? :patriot:

[LonelyLRLiberal]

5. Maybe it is the realization that this administration doesn't give a damn.

Public opinion means nothing to this evil gang. There is a feeling of hopelessness about protesting among lots of people. At least during the Vietnam War, people felt that the protests might have an effect on decisions.

(not to mention that there was a draft during Vietnam)

[zanne]

2. Great article.

It's almost as though people had to be given permission to speak up, finally. Once a certain percentage of the public approves or disapproves of something, everybody feels free to say what they feel. I think the combination of the elections and Bush's "surge" is giving people the courage to voice their opinions.

[Skittles]

7. I believe that is the SHEEP mentality, zanne

I'll take it although I am hard-pressed to respect people jumping on the bandwagon at this cost

[Parisle]

4. There is more than just "anti-war" sentiment being expressed

--- Not everyone takes the detailed nuts & bolts approach to political issues, but they sure as hell have profound reactions to the realization that they have been lied to,.. played as fools. No one cares for that feeling, and that is very present in the wall of negativity that is greeting Bush's dismal performance these days.

[beyurslf]

6. I am actually wondering if Bush's announced escalation of the war isn't the

tipping point against it. I know a few people at work were commenting about how they don't see why we are going to send more people over there. These were not people I had seen talking about the war before.

[reprobate]

8. It's called "Critical Mass" in nuclear science. I guess you could call it the same

in sociology. The point at which those who have an opinion they consider counter to what has been disseminated realize that they are no longer alone, but actually in the majority.

It's very empowering.