A Blue Sky March Day

Wow what a day this has been.
I just loved it top to bottom.

I got up about 8AM to find it had rained as predicted, and was worried about our turn out at the Chicago Midwest March against the War called by United For Peace and Justice (UFPJ). I thought maybe things will be better by noon when I planned to leave for Union Park-Ashland and Lake in Chicago's West Side. We were to gather, hear speakers then march about 2 miles to Federal Plaza for another Rally. We of MFSO, VFP, VVAW, IVAW were going to be a contingent at the head of the march. The route was to take us down Ashland onto Jackson then downtown to the Plaza.

(The same plaza where 8th Day holds its weekly vigil since 9/18/01, the week after Sept 11. We knew we would go to war, we didn't know when. Sadly we were right and we are still there. We have given out over 200,000 fliers for peace and justice in the 6 years we have been there.)

We gathered and heard the Raging Grannies amongst others, they put anti war words to traditional songs. Linda a MFSO mom who hurt her back and couldn't come gave me about a 1000 post cards to hand out. "Funding the war is killing our troops." on the front side. I am so used to handing out flyers from the peace vigil I knew these would be an easy, easy sell. I told everyone "take three, one for each senator and your Federal representative. Take more for friends and family-have a sign and mail party!" Had a number of takers and some came back for more, once they understood what I was asking. Not many folks refused, of course, the cordon of police did. Police were few at the park but when we began to enter the loop the police lined each side of the street and walked with us. Only wore flak jackets, standard for everyday in Chicago so I thought that they were not "overdressed." But when we got to the loop, "Private" Security stood in front of stores and offices. Dressed in off green with a star on their chests they wielded billy clubs. I thought "Blackwater!" Oh, give us a break all ready!

I met folks from Wisconsin, Iowa "Women for Peace," Michigan MFSO, All kinds of union folks and the my favorites Sgt Cherry who went AWOL with PTSD, went public and the Army discharged him with honorable with benefits after 18 months, a GoldStar father Juan Torres, his son was found shot in a shower in Afghanistan after he wrote home about the drug trafficking on
base. A mom whose son attempted suicide two weeks ago was there. Another mother who has been on sabbatical for a year is now coming back to activism. The work is so gruelling emotionally I don't know how any of us do it-the passion for life, the knowledge of the destruction of war to hearts and minds and bodies, the love for our family members keeps us energized beyond burn out.

I was handing out my postcards and a young man on the side walk refused it, "I'm in the military mam." I said, "My son lost his eye and arm in Iraq." I took his hand and shook it tight, looked into his eyes and began to cry, "You keep safe and come back whole." He said, "Thank
you mam. Thank your son for his service." I cry as I type this, such handsome young men another generation to be ground up by the horrors of war. Everyone of our soldiers IS my son and daughter. Maybe their own mothers cannot express the fear as I do, it is my role to love them into being here not there. I told everyone "I am marching for my grandchildren, I do not want one of them to think that the military is an option! It is not as long as I breathe."

Our contingent of MFSO included March, Ridgley, and myself from IL, Stacy and Renai from MO, Bob and Deb from Michigan. Deb has been to jail a number of times, some for SOA watch at Ft. Benning. She is not going this year, my first.

As we were in the park, the clouds parted and the sun came out. Not long into the march, the sky was a beautiful clear blue! and that followed us all the way into the Plaza. We were met by anti-protesters who later I learned had their bull horns taken away by the Chicago police because they did not have a permit. They were across the street and looked pretty tired as we passed by. The media interviewed a number of the vets and our main MFSO speaker Stacy from MO whose husband is in meltdown with PTSD. She said, "I do not want my family to become victims of this war." They already are as each of us is. I will try to get her speech and post it.

It was so great to see the Iraq Veterans Against the War, they too had a speaker. Everyone clapped for us as we all gathered on the stage together and when we left. I introduced Cherry to a group of students who want a speaker for their school. Hope they can get together. If you want a speaker contact your local veterans. I love being with them, I feel as if I am with my brothers and sisters. We walk on common ground and it IS sacred ground of saying "NO to war." We have arrived at this place on different paths but now we ARE on common ground. I feel emotionally at home when I am with them. At a planning meeting for the march I met a Air Force Veteran-Vietnam, visiting his brother. I saw him in the audience, I invited him to join us! I was so happy. He later told me, "Didn't know you had such power." He is from AK I said, "You need to get a medal for being a volunteer from the farthest point away!"

My camera fell and I lost my battery, darn it. So I didn't get photos of us as the MFSO had a joint dinner before we all headed back to our homes. We ate at the DePaul Student Center "My Thai" restaurant, everyone appreciated the food after 6 hours on our feet and out in the sun and now much colder weather! We had taken one of the regular 8th Day Center Peace vigilers her for her 90th birthday. Yes, protest war and you have a vocation for life!

Should have a frost here in Chicago tonight, the first one of the season, about right on schedule actually. But the day was perfect, one of the marchers and I were saying, "In DC the weather was as hot as Hades a month ago." She liked the heat I said, "I would take today." Just watched the news, they reported only 5,000 protesters; our folks said "30,000." Somewhat of a disparity I would say. I would like to know how many folks came out over the 11 sites today. the goal was 2 million.

Feedback for the march:
1. Be sure everyone is non-violent. A young man with a bullhorn was harassing the police. I felt his language was violent and for what ends.
2. The marshalls had a problem with the number of veterans/families prepared to go to the stage. The stage was huge and could have held triple our number. Don't know what the problem was-poor communication definitely.
3. Don't invite Federal representatives. It is a divider for the peace groups because they keep funding this horrendous war. MFSO would not endorse because of it. Of course, they didn't show up-Durbin and Obama.

Overall, I was pleased with the march and the day.
I would definitely do it again, sad to say that we probably will have to do it.
CCAWR were giving out planning dates for the 5th anniversary March 2008.

Blessings I need to sleep now if I can come down enough from the high of marching for peace.