As the bill makes it way up the chain of lawmakers, caretakers and governance for the inevitable conclusion of one man's smirky smile and bully-like saunter entering a stage and signing away lives on the top of a mahogony desk with onlookers donning an approving smile, I can conclude only one thing: WE are the anti-war movement. This is what our elected officials have told us.
Just like a bunch of 10 year old children at a birthday party where the braggart bully really does punch a hole in the pinata, we are left with our arms hanging down and our hands at our sides.
We're shocked (betrayed really) that fate has not given us what we know in our hearts to be true. So, we speak out and point, only to be confronted with reality. He may have cheated, he didn't deserve the booty, and no one is going to do anything about it. No one. Except us.
I grew up in downtown Madison in the 1960's and quite literally was surrounded by anti-war protesters. I watched the riots from my schoolyard, just off the square. We were sent home more than once from our school day because of the tear gas. I grew up living and breathing anti-war. I watched a nervous mother gaze over her son's shoulder to see what his number was. I saw students protest and I saw citizens protest. I saw family members scream at one another at the top of their lungs. I saw the mailman yelling at my draft-age, anti-war brother and become so red in the face I feared he would hurt us. I saw.
That was Vietnam. A different war. We could talk forever about the differences of "why" it is not so today. It matters, of course This is our history. However, we are well beyond that, now. What matters is I saw my country could stop a war. I saw it, grew up believing it and still believe it.
WE are it. Swallow that once and for all, as will I. With the majority of Americans registering disapproval of the war I will tell you that I am not seeing, nor breathing nor witnessing an anti-war movement, yet.
I saw Jimmy Carter speaking recently and was moved deeply by his poignant observation that the division sown in our elections, where once we regarded our opponents as our "esteemed opponents", is now so deep that it carries to the White House and all lawmaking after that. I offer you that the anti-war movement may very well be our first unifying force in a very long time. At nearly 80% disapproval, how can it be otherwise?
Allow this decision on the part of our lawmakers to sink deep into your consciousness: You are the anti-war movement. If you are afraid to put the bumper sticker on your car, put it on. If you are afraid you will break into a sweat by gently expressing to a co-worker that you are anti-war, wear a t-shirt. Go to the rallies, organize the rallies. You know what to do.
I know many of you are active, but most people in this country are still watching from afar. We need to wake up each and every day and ask ourselves "What will I do for the anti-war movement today?"
When I saw the politics play out, as it will, in these last few days all I saw was lack. Lack of movement, lack of commitment, lack of numbers on our part, though the national sentiment says otherwise. However big, however small you have to start each day asking "How will I stop this war?" Any chance (keep your eyes open) to wedge, declare and set your deepest intentions toward ending this war really, really does make a difference. You know this already: September is a long, long ways away for our soldiers and the victims of our occupation. You do not want this, nor do I.
PEACE