Anti-War Fair Draws 1,000 in Oklahoma City
The “Anti-War Fair” held at Memorial Park in Oklahoma City Saturday drew 1,000 supporters in a well-organized and powerful event that shows just how much Americans have turned against President George Bush’s immoral and senseless war in recent months.
Hundreds more honked their car horns in support as they drove past a long line of war protesters on Classen Avenue near NW 36th Street holding signs. Some of the signs read “Honk For Peace,” “Impeach W,” and “Bush Lied, Thousands Died.” The protesters represented a broad swath of society, from mothers and fathers with their children to grandfathers and grandmothers to young college students from the University of Oklahoma and the University of Central Oklahoma.
(See more Anti-War Fair photographs here.)
As children played in the Memorial Park fountain, speakers such Elizabeth Walters, the daughter of former Governor David Walter, urged the crowd to continue their efforts to pressure the Bush regime to bring the troops home. Walters, an OU student, read a statement written by her father and then received a thunderous ovation.
Booths lined the park with political activism information. Several bands provided music that lasted until 10 p.m. People roamed through the crowd with peace flags and signs that urged “Just Say No To Torture.” People could also visit Camp Casey, in honor of the son of the country’s most visible war protester, Cindy Sheehan, or walk past a line of soldier’s boots representing the human costs of Bush’s war.
One sign showed the names of all the some 1,900 American soldiers who have died so far in the war. (New reports over the weekend, however, told of several more American soldier and Iraqi civilian deaths.)
The local war protest was held in conjunction with a massive anti-war protest march in Washington, D.C. Saturday that organizers said attracted at least 100,000 people. Other protest marches and events were held throughout the county and world.
Polls show that a majority of Americans no longer support the war or approve of Bush’s handling of it. Most now accept the war has made the country less safe from terrorism. Writer Joe Conason recently pointed out how a new conservative-backed study shows “the precipitous, unjustified and destructive invasion of Iraq has further alienated the Muslim world and promoted Islamist fascism.” Past polls have also shown the American public believes Bush lied or misled the American public about the reasons for the war.
The Oklahoma City event shows how much the war protest movement continues to gain momentum and determination even in red states such as Oklahoma. It shows the government is now fighting a costly, immoral war that lacks support from citizens throughout the heartland.
Many of those American soldiers who have died for Bush come from lower-income groups in our culture who have been summarily dismissed from equal opportunity in the country by the Republicans’ continued war against the poor.
This is an email sent to me
This is an email sent to me by , let's just say someone I know....someone with whom I parted ways ...unfortunately this email is now making the 'forward' rounds so be forwarned!
"Are we fighting a war on terror or aren't we? Was it or was it not started by Islamic people who brought it to our shores on September 11,2001
Were people from all over the world, mostly Americans, not brutally murdered that day, in downtown Manhattan, across the Potomac from our nation's capitol and in a field in Pennsylvania? Did nearly three thousand men, women and children die a horrible, burning or crushing death that day, or didn't they?
And I'm supposed to care that a copy of the Koran was "desecrated" when an overworked American soldier kicked it or got it wet? Well, I don't. I don't care at all.
I'll start caring when Osama bin Laden turns himself in and repents for incinerating all those innocent people on 9/11.
I'll care about the Koran when the fanatics in the Middle East start caring about the Holy Bible, the mere possession of which is a crime in Saudi Arabia.
I'll care when Abu Musab al-Zarqawi tells the world he is sorry for hacking off Nick Berg's head while Berg screamed through his gurgling, slashed throat.
I'll care when the cowardly so-called "insurgents" in Iraq come out and fight like men instead of disrespecting their own religion by hiding in mosques.
I'll care when the mindless zealots who blow themselves up in search of nirvana care about the innocent children within range of their suicide bombs.
I'll care when the American media stops pretending that their First Amendment liberties are somehow derived from international law instead of the United States Constitution's Bill of Rights. In the meantime,
when I hear a story about a brave Marine roughing up an Iraqi terrorist to obtain information,
know this: I don't care.
When I see a fuzzy photo of a pile of naked Iraqi prisoners who have been humiliated in what amounts to a college hazing incident, rest assured that I don't care.
When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the head when he is told not to move because he might be booby-trapped, you can take it to the bank that I don't care.
When I hear that a prisoner, who was issued a Koran and a prayer mat, and fed "special" food that is paid for by my tax dollars, is complaining that his holy book is being "mishandled," you can absolutely believe in your heart of hearts that I don't care.
And oh, by the way, I've noticed that sometimes it's spelled "Koran" and other times "Quran." Well, Jimmy Crack Corn and ---- you got it, I DON'T CARE! Amen, God Bless America !!!
(my response to the above email:)
J: I guess I don't agree with her, I do care that we are a world at war, that our nation is divided, that we have fundamentalists everywhere (Christians, Moslems, Hindus etc) who don't know what peace and love is. I care that too many Americans don't care....maybe if more did, more would work to teach peace; more would work to make needed changes....I feel sorry for her, she is so angry and bitter
(her response)
"Well, I guess you and I don't agree. I am sick and tired of being considered the UGLY AMERICANS who have no compassion etc. I think that we have, in every war, lost many many good young men who have had more compassion for the enemy than they for us. I personally am tired of being the country that everyone comes crying to when someone else is beating up on them and then have them turn on us. I believe in my heart that I am one of those fundamentalist CHRISTIANs that you speak of and that I DO know what peace and love consists of. I am tired of all the people of the world coming to MY country and enjoying all the wonderful things this great country has to offer and then stand and cheer as peoples from all parts of this world are dying in the World Trade Center. The people of the middle eastern countries are much more bigoted and prejudiced than most of the rest of the world and they want to kill us in the name of jihad - and for what reason? Not because we have harmed them but just simply because. I am all for equality and justice for the whole world - but the whole world wants to see us fall on our faces. I love this country and I will support what I believe is right - because that is my right. I want you to be able to do the same - but I don't think people who are "just visiting" should be entitled to the same. They should earn that right. And I say to the lady who wrote the letter attached - "I couldn't have said it better myself". Maybe you should read it again and really think about it. DEFEND US we say - but don't hurt anyone while you are doing it - now how is that possible?
I believe that HUMAN RIGHTS and dignity are important to her - as they are to me. BUT I SAY PROTECT ME, DEFEND ME and continue to provide me the best country in the world to live in. BUT if we continue to not stand up for ourselves then we won't have a great nation to live in. I don't know about you but I don't want to live anywhere else. If you feel so much for those poor people who would just as soon kill you as look at you - then go over there and try to help them out. BUT quit criticizing all of the rest of the people who are losing loved ones DEFENDING YOU AND PROTECTING YOU so that we may have this country. I think when we stood a harder line against the people of the world who threatened our way of life this was a better place to live. "
I guess this is why we were friends...her nationlistic outlook is a tad scarey-Tina