Dad takes war protest to Times Square

[sabra]

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21152165-5001028,00.html

Dad takes war protest to Times Square

A GRIEVING father took his personal protest against the Iraq war to Times Square today - a pick-up truck carrying an empty flag-draped coffin and a picture of his son's open casket and funeral.

Carlos Arredondo, 46, said he has travelled the United States for more than 18 months in what he calls a tour of "public mourning" to honour his 20-year-old son Alexander who was killed fighting insurgents in Iraq on August 25, 2004.

"I feel better by making my mourning public, my statement public," Mr Arredondo said. "People complain (to the police) because the message is powerful. I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings, but I'm sorry - that's what's going on."

...

Mr Arredondo arrived in Times Square overnight and spent a below freezing night sleeping in his truck. Although he has parked in a no standing zone, Mr Arredondo said New York police were allowing him to stay until tomorrow.

"This war shouldn't be happening, they should have ended this a long time ago," said Felix Barbosa, 40, a building manager from Brooklyn who stopped to look at Mr Arredondo's protest. "This makes me sad, it hurts just looking at it."

[redqueen]

1. Felix is right.

This should have ended already.

Yet still the talking heads yammer about 'winning'. How is this possible...

[Smarmie Doofus]

3. 'Cause the talking heads are talking head *cases*?

>>>>>>>>Yet still the talking heads yammer about 'winning'. How is this possible...>>>>>>>

[babylonsister]

2. So terribly sad; I hope Mr. Barbosa is waking people up and finding

his own peace somehow.

[Parche]

4. Iraq

This is terribly sad............my prayers are with him, as he and his son are both
brave soldiers



We need to get out of Iraq now....

[TexasLawyer]

5. American Media

Notice that this is from an Australian site. I Googled this Reuters story and found it, so far, only on this Australian site and on Alertnet, a UK site.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N319418.htm

I guess Americans don't need to be bothered with/aren't interested in Mr. Arredondo's night on Times Square.:sarcasm:

[maryallen]

6. You're a brave and honorable man, Mr. Arredondo.

Deeply sorry for the loss of your son.

[sandnsea]

7. This guy is a real hero

Check him out:

http://www.radioopensource.org/a-one-man-protest/

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=arredondo+war+protest&btnG=Search

[Divernan]

8. This trailer is filled with crosses, crutches & prosthetic limbs

Very powerful visual statement. We should have this kind of display on "Main Street" of every town.

[dogfacedboy]

9. I hope Bush doesn't step in front of this guy's truck. He could get hurt. n/t

[Sydnie]

10. I heard an interview with this guy and you might remember who he

is if I jog your memory. Remember the father that set himself, and the military van they arrived in, on fire when they came to tell him that his son was dead? They had to break into the truck and drag him out because he set the whole thing on fire with himself inside? He suffered very bad burns but survived the ordeal. He has since changed his first name legally (don't know why they still refer to him as Carl) to Alexander (his dead sons name) and whatever the name of his other son is for his middle name. He has traveled with Cindy to many protests too.

[Sydnie]

11. Article from the nation about this guy - before he changed his name

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060508/richards