Activism
This is what democracy looks like, Progressive Democrats of America and United
for Peace and Justice Style. PDA, UFPJ, and a host of progressive allies issued
a call to arms, and at least 800 citizen lobbyists from 40 states answered.
Activists - almost all still in DC from the mobilization on September 24th -
walked the corridors of power demanding their Representatives and Senators stand
up against the Occupation of Iraq, and in support of legislation against
permanent military bases and "sweetheart deals" the Administration has planned.
See PDA Talking Points: http://pdamerica.org/tools/events/9-26-2005/TalkingPointsOutofIraq.pdf
Celebrity progressives including Cindy Sheehan, Mimi Kennedy and Phil
Donahue also spoke out against the war, but the real stars were the 100s of
citizens, many who traveled 1000s of miles and dozens of hours from California,
Oregon, Florida and the State of Washington, lobbying for their first time, and
expressing enthusiasm and excitement.
A couple from Rep. Walter "Freedom
Fries" Jones' North Carolina district had already met with their Congressman's
staff by 10 A.M. These veteran activists glowed with satisfaction after taking
their case to the Capitol. A gentleman from Georgia explained that his
expression of Faith opened a constructive dialogue with his conservative
representative. Most carried "lobby kits" from office to office, meeting to
meeting, with growing confidence. See: PDA Lobby Kit: http://pdamerica.org/tools/events/9-26-2005/LobbyingGuide.pdf
Cindy Sheehan - accompanied by her sister - alternated hugs with
well-wishers and interviews with the media in the Hart Building before dashing
to the White House. There, Code Pink, the "Religious Left" and others joined the
Sheehan sisters demanding answers - until they and their supporters were
arrested by the hundreds according to eye witnesses.
Meanwhile, the
lobbying effort continued and grew as activists flooded House and Senate
offices. One new activist, Jaime Green of Studio City joined dozens of fellow
Californians including Latinos for Peace and PDA leaders Mimi Kennedy and
Michael Jay demanding leadership from Sen. Diane Feinstein. There were too many
Californians for two or even three meetings. Phil Donahue was there with a video
crew to capture the discussion between Feinstein's staff and a man whose son
died in Iraq.
An exasperated Donahue and a bewildered camera man
lamented the Feinstein staff's decision to stop their recording, but there were
few long faces in the huge crowd. This even though some reported a tense meeting
in which staffers challenged constituents to say the Senator lacked back bone
and some responded that was the case. Jay and others vowed to organize bus trips
to the Senator's Sacramento office to sustain the lobbying effort. Many new and
veteran activists from several states voiced that commitment. Green beamed as
she dragged her suitcase toward the DC Metro and a long flight home, dedicated
to keep up her efforts, and confident that she was a full participant in
democratic action.
Jeannie King, an engaging blonde traveled for more
than 26 hours from Brooksville Florida to take part. She left home 4:15 AM
Friday, and began demonstrating immediately upon her arrival 6:10 AM Saturday!
After "sitting home so frustrated" she vowed she'd have "walked to get [to DC]
if she had to." Making a difference is "the best feeling in the world," King
grinned. She was still going strong after a long day lobbying her
Representative's and Senators' offices. She smiled considering her impending
ride home by train, bus and automobile because she looked forward to continuing
her work alongside her daughter Jennifer Troxel. They'd been educating her "tiny
town full of Republicans" about the Occupation of Iraq, but this was her first
taste of DC lobbying. It will not be her last.
University of Indiana
Professor of Sociology Fabio Rojas - collecting reports from lobbyists - read
from "green sheets." He and a partner will tabulate and analyze the responses
and prepare a paper and database for academics and activists alike. Citizen
lobbyists from Oregon found mixed success with their Senators, and Massachusetts
activists reported a "confrontational" session with a Sen. Kerry staffer whom
they quoted as saying Kerry supported the war because he felt it was the ethical
thing to do. Some Californians took the same sense from meetings with
Feinstein's staff. Kerry saw carnage in Vietnam and Feinstein witnessed a brutal
assassination in San Francisco, but their memories seem blurred by time. These
"big name" Democrats have a lot to learn about ethics and war.
They
could learn from Phil Restino, an Army Infantry veteran who met Jeannie King
during these interviews, and offered to give her a lift at the end of their
marathon train trip back to Florida. He lavished praise on the lobby day
organizers including PDA, UFPJ, and allies like the After Downing Street
Coalition. He explained that his brother, a pro-war and pro-Bush Republican, was
currently stationed in Iraq. The lobbyists in the "boiler room" staffed by UFPJ
volunteers with PDA support agreed this was about saving lives, including
Restino's brother in the Marine Corps who wanted to be in Iraq, and Beverly
Wiskow's son-in-law who did not.
Wiskow, from Inverness Florida proudly
described the vigil held in her small town in support of her DC activism which
attracted 65 people. This on the heels of an event a week earlier with 35
anti-war protesters. At that event, a twenty-five year old marine approached
Wiskow to thank her. He was home from Iraq, his body laced with a previously
rare form of bone cancer as well as testicular cancer. He lifted his pant leg to
show her his lower legs covered with melanoma outbreaks. He explained that so
many current Iraqi and past Gulf War Vets suffer from these afflictions, the
Pentagon is studying these brave Americans betrayed by their country. This
particular Marine argued that he was not using chemical weapons against Iraqis,
but conceded he was stationed in places where the military has used Depleted
Uranium (DU) munitions, and he suspected this was the cause of his horrendous
cancers.
Wiskow lost her smile retelling this story, and cringed
discussing birth defects suffered by American and Iraqi babies genetically
poisoned by DU. After a spontaneous moment of silence, the activists resumed
sharing reports and planning their next moves. Soon, these new friends from
Florida and hundreds of other American Activists left their Nation's Capitol
with smiles, suitcases, satisfaction and determination to continue lobbying.
This movement took a huge step forward during this monumental weekend, and will
not end until this war and occupation end. Maybe - hopefully - not even then.
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