As I first diaried here, there's a group of people who protest the war every Sunday afternoon, at the Art Institute of Chicago. I told them that I'd join them one day.
Last Sunday was the day. More over the jump.
It was a long (long) day. I started out before 6 am (on a Sunday!) and travelled first to South Chicago, where I left a small tribute to the strikers murdered in the Memorial Day Massacre. (I'd like to thank Nimbus one more time for the diary that taught me about that horrible time in Chicago history.)
Next, I travelled back to the heart of the city, and visited Eyes Wide Open, on the weekend when it was last being presented as one exhibit. It was heartbreaking, infuriating, and amazing.
My last stop (before dinner) was at the Art Institute, to protest. I'd come prepared. I had small signs stored in my backpack. I wasn't so crazy about the first two:
and
And even the flip side of my favorite sign was kind of dumb
But this is the one I carried for about 3 hours (I tried to get the North Lion to carry it for a few minutes):
I wasn't alone. And there were some people I'd seen before...
This lady handed out buttons (and took donations to get more, if people were so inclined)
Me, with people whose names I should remember, but to do that, they would have had to have said their name every time we passed one another.
This guy spent a lot of time in the lane divider, spinning his sign so that people could see both sides.
Unfortunately, that's the only picture I got of Charlie, with the Mr. Bush T-shirt on
Oh, no! Charlie's in this small group shot, too. Plus other people whose names I either never knew or forgot instantly. :)
This guy showed up for most of the day...
With his big sign. (The young man on the right was wearing a Bob Dylan shirt. I'd say I love him, but it wasn't an Arlo shirt, so I like him.)
We grabbed the occasional photo op...
Had the occasional political discussion...
Made sure people saw us (boy, do those wacky tourists take lots of photos, she said without a hint of irony...)
This sign got a lot of response from the people driving by...
As did the one in the middle, here.
I've not always agreed with their actions, but the Code Pink ladies were very nice, and wow, did they have an effective sign (they showed up well into the protest, but stuck it out to the bitter end...)
But I have to say, in spite of meeting a lot of nice people who have spent a lot of Sundays protesting the war, this was my favorite protester - even though her time on the line was rather brief:
It was a very emotional day. I'm still weepy when I think about Eyes Wide Open. I'm still depressed when I think about the deserted Memorial Day Massacre memorial.
But I'm still proud that I walked up and down Michigan Avenue for 3 hours, protesting Mr. Bush's Fucking War.
Before I left on my journey, I challenged people in and around Chicago to join me on this trip - the timing stunk, people were busy, and my diaries slam down the recent list faster than a witch in a pond.
But I'm reissuing that challenge, folks.
I'm a fat, pale, fat, freckled, fat, middle aged woman. I spent the day travelling by public transit and walking around different locations. I'm in a lot of fucking pain right now, because I seem to have done something bad to my right leg.
If I can do this - anyone can do this.
They need you to add your voice to protesting the war. Make a sign. Borrow one of theirs.
Show up at the Art Institute. You guys are way tougher than I am... I'll be lucky to make it through an hour the next time I give it a try.
Give peace a chance. Give peace a voice.
Please!