Anti-war protest in Barrington, IL September 19

[xray s]

http://www.dailyherald.com/lake/main_story.asp?intID=3821454

Anti-war protest to fill Barrington streets
By Joseph Ryan Daily Herald Staff Writer
Posted Sunday, August 15, 2004
Opponents of the Iraq war have chosen an unlikely site for an extensive upcoming demonstration - the sedate streets of Barrington. As many as 900 anti-war activists could filter into downtown Barrington Sept. 19 for a protest, punctuated by a solemn procession behind a flag-draped casket carted by a slow-trotting horse. Church bells will deaden the air with nearly 1,000 tolls, each bell signifying an American soldier killed in the war. The procession, accented by long-stem white lilies, will end at Barrington's brick-laden Memorial Park, where military family members will stand and speak against the war.
(snip)
The man behind it all is local businessman Paul Vogel. Yet, even Vogel wasn't always this active. Only after his son, an Army reservist, was sent to Iraq did he become passionate. He hopped a plane last fall to Iraq to visit his son in defiance of military rules. "I'd just as soon not see him when he comes home in a casket. I'd rather go there and see him while he's alive," Vogel said after the journey.

Later, Vogel took to the streets, protesting in Chicago and a few suburbs. In May, he spoke at an anti-war event in Washington, D.C. His son returned from Iraq in March. At his local temp agency, Vogel has filled the Main Street front yard with hundreds of small American flags, each representing a U.S. military death in Iraq. "We are sending our soldiers into harm's way with no real reason, and the war on terror is getting worse," Vogel said. "Most thinking people could have figured that out ahead of time."

Vogel said the aim of September's protest is to both honor soldiers and the war dead while making a public statement of dissent on the continuing conflict in Iraq. "This is to represent what these death tolls are meaning to our country, to the families," Vogel said. His son's Wisconsin reservist unit lost four soldiers in Iraq. Vogel said he wants to keep control of the event, hoping his event draws only protesters who will behave themselves.

He is working with several anti-war groups that have long lists of members, including the Quaker-based Nobel Peace Prize-winning American Friends Service Committee, and Military Families Speak Out. "There is a real chance we could get 900. That is what we are shooting for," he said.

Any Chicagoland DU'ers interested in attending can take the Metra train from downtown Chicago to the Barrington train station, which is just blocks from the site of the march. More info here...

http://do-you-care.org/

[Marlie]

1. Barrington, Illinois - That's a Shocker

Barrington is one of the "richest" suburbs of Chicago, which you would
think would be solidly behind Bush.. That should be a very
interesting rally.

[KharmaTrain]

2. I'm "In The Hood"...Don't Be So Certain...

A lot of us "city kids" have been moving out this way for the past 20 years and starting to flex a little muscle. You'd be surprised at the number of "closet Democrats" who are in "the Hills" of Barrington.

Most either voted for Bunnypants based on pocketbook issues (low taxes, cuts in capital gains & estate taxes and so on), but are social liberals...pro-choice, pro gun-control and so on. These people generally vote by how their portfolio is doing that day. But this group is seeing how this regime has destroyed the economy, got us in a war that could cost them business (if it hasn't already) and another 4 years of defecits will surely mean rising inflation that will eat up a lot of their riches. The support for this regime isn't that solid in "Rock Ribbed Repugnican land"

Remember, a lot here are pissed at the Repugnicans about the O'Hare sell-out and the hosing their own Petey Fitzgerald got. These aren't happy campers right now.

Ironically, the largest church, Willow Creek, is in Barrington (and I suspect Bunnypants may visit like he did in 2000) but a majority of the congregation comes from more than 15 miles away.

Times are surely changing.

[Bjornsdotter]

3. Very True!

Hi,

I have many friends in the Hills and Inverness area who are firm Kerry backers...I can't wait, at last something in my backyard....relatively speaking.

I'll be there!

Cheers,
Kim

[chicagojoe]

4. Elgin checking in here.

I'll be there. This will be an awesome protest, and it will get mucho
news coverage.

[buycitgo]

5. Agent Mike checking in

we'll be watching, taking pictures, making film

just as we were on Devon Avenue a year and a half ago

smile!

[xray s]

6. kick

:kick:

[never cry wolf]

7. Do you have time and place?

The linked Herald article is past it's 7 day freebie status. I'm in Lake Zurich and depending on the time I could make it. Maybe we could set up a DU contingent!

There's also a Chicago DU meetup on 9/5, may be able to recruit there.

[xray s]

8. more info here

http://do-you-care.org/

Where: Participants will gather at 325 E. Main St., Barrington, where over 900 flags are displayed in remembrance of soldiers whose lives have been lost in Iraq.

When: 2:00 p.m.Sunday, September 19

[xray s]

9. kickin'

:kick:

[xray s]

10. more media coverage of this event

http://www.dailyherald.com/oped/col_constable.asp?intID=38239181

[mopinko]

11. i am gonna try

to bring the pinkobutton wagon to this event.

[xray s]

12. the organizer is requesting no signs or chanting, it's a solemn procession

This event is meant to both honor those killed in Iraq and protest the war. It is not meant to be a rally. It is meant to be a solemn and respectful event.

A reminder, if you are coming from the city, the Metra stop is just a block away from the starting point.

Thanks to all that are going to try to make it.

[buycitgo]

13. anybody see the column in the trib? with pictures?

can't remember if it was monday or tuesday

there was a nasty LTTE about it yesterday, yes?