A Central Florida Peace March/Rally

[Pacifist Patriot]

I'm going to guess we had about 200 on the march and 250 at the rally. We deliberately chose a march route that would take us through the streets where people were picking spots for a St. Patrick's Day parade that was due to start an hour later.

We had no organized counter-protestors this time and only a handful of drivers said anything derogatory. There has been a quite obvious shift over the years. Far, far more motorists indicated support than opposition.

As we made our way through the heaviest populated portion of the route the few people who objected did so by basically either snorting or saying something along the lines of "pussies" or "you must love terrorists." Some of the people with them blushed and/or winced.

One obnoxious lady asked me why I wasn't serving over in Iraq. I said, "Besides being just this side of too old to enlist, I oppose this immoral invasion and occupation. If you support it, why aren't you there?"

A man not much younger than me sucking on a cigar stepped up and said, "Well I was there, I'm home on leave." I immediately stopped and stuck out my hand. He looked startled but moved the cigar and shook my hand. "Thank you for serving in our armed forces," I said. "I'm so glad you came back alive." He then ended up in a recieving line of peace activists doing the same.

Who supports the troops?

I'm afraid I have no pictures because I was one end of the lead banner but we had local newspaper and AP coverage as well as at least a dozen people snapping away. If I can get my hands on some photos later I'll share them.

What do we want?

PEACE!

When do we want it?

NOW!



The march started at a park and ended on the lawn in front of City Hall. We were addressed by the Democratic candidate for U.S. House of Reps who vowed his first action would be to initiate articles of impeachment against Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and the rest of the "oil mafia." Then we had a reading of the names of the 100 servicemen and women from Florida who were killed in Iraq. (We carried tombstones in the march with each of their names, year of birth and death, and hometown on them.)

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. I've very heartened to hear this

especially the fact that there was no counter protest. People are beginning to see the light.

[Pacifist Patriot]

2. And it's certainly not like they didn't have time to plan one.

We have been plastering the county with information about the event. Anyone with the desire would have had ample opportunity to muster their forces.

[Mojorabbit]

3. We had about fifty people

in Orlando today. There are more protests scheduled for tomorrow and Monday. Lovely day for it.

[Pacifist Patriot]

7. Excellent!

This is the only one scheduled for Melbourne. I'd love to know how Orlando turns out over the next few days.

[Imagevision]

4. After NSA spied on anti-war groups - things have calmed down haven't they

[Pacifist Patriot]

6. We were making a game out of it trying to "figure out" who

among us were really from the FBI, CIA and NSA. One guy had a sign that said, "Hey You Domestic Spies, This Is My Good Side" with a picture of a camera on it and an arrow pointing to his left.

[Breeze54]

5. Fantastic!

Thank you for relaying what happened!
I'm glad you shook that man's hand too!!
You got them to pay attention! :applause:
Please post some pictures, if you can!
Kudo's!
I'll be outside the Massachusetts Convention Center tomorrow,
doing the samething!
I'll post my pictures afterwards!!
:yourock:

[Pacifist Patriot]

11. I will make sure I look for your pictures.

Thank you!!!!

[Lorien]

8. Hey, I saw you today!

I've been so consumed with work that I didn't know the march was taking place, otherwise I would have been there with my signs too (still have several from the last march). I honked and gave a peace sign and a thumbs up as I was turning on to Orange Ave. I saw one repug dumbass scream something nasty at you all while I was waiting at the light (of course, he was speeding past in his SUV). I also saw another lone protester on Colonial drive. Great work guys!!!

:toast: :bounce: :hi:

[Pacifist Patriot]

9. Aw rats! That wasn't our group.

I'm writing from Brevard County. From what one of the respondees said above, Orlando has more events planned over the next couple of days. You should PM that DUer to find out more about them.

[Mojorabbit]

10. That must of been us

We got mostly positive feedback but did get a few negative. We had two hecklers in the crowd who tried to start something but the cops came and it settled down. The Orlando
Weekly was taking pictures. There is a march tomorrow in Sanford and UCF is putting on one on Monday.

[babylonsister]

12. Thanks for your account and for being there! nt

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

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[Pacifist Patriot]

14. For serving in the military and making it back alive.

I may deplore the current "mission," but that doesn't mean I can't acknowledge appreciation for him choosing to serve and accepting him as a human being with inherent worth. Our men and women overseas are going to be royally fucked up because of this experience. They don't need me heaping abuse on them to make it worse.

[Name removed]

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[Tsiyu]

16. That tune won't play here, Friend

Not evey soldier "killed kids" and our soldiers are as much victims as we are. Some are fucked up sociopaths who have done awful things, but most of our servicemen and women are good people forced into a shitty situation.

As the mother of a vet, I resent your attitude.

[GoldenOldie]

17. Seems by thanking the Vet for serving and coming home alive did more

to open his mind than attacking him as a killer.....

These vets have been used and abused by their very own Commander-in-thief. They are coming home to enough mental baggage without being again used and abused by those that oppose this war of WAFIA leadership.

[Tsiyu]

18. Thank you

In no way would I excuse the actions of those soldiers who torture or kill for their own sick thrill.

But the majority of soldiers are being sent into hell against their will and their nation's will. Some soldiers work as medics, administrative staff, mechanics. They are not snipers or infantry or involved directly in killing.

For anyone to assume that an Iraqi vet is a "kid-killer" is cheap and seems more in line with something a disruptor might say, not something an intelligent, reasoned progressive would utter.

[Pacifist Patriot]

19. I was surprised to see it.

It reeks of the bile my father returned home to when he came back from Vietnam. I agree with you. Our military personnel are being victimized every bit as much as everyone else in this criminal and immoral enterprise. When they join the military they do so with the trust that their government will sacrifice their lives only when there is no other option. President Bush & Co. betrayed that trust.

[Name removed]

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[Tsiyu]

23. Hmmmm do you use any gasoline?

Or petroleum-based products?

Buy anything made in China?

Use air conditioning?

Pay taxes?

You are responsible for death too, then. We all are. See? Look, your hands are bloody, too.

[president4aday]

24. Yeah, but I don't expect anyone to shake my hand for it.

[GOPNotForMe]

25. Your opinions are deplorable. nt

[Name removed]

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[Tsiyu]

27. You do what you do for yourself, so no argument there

Servicemen and servicewomen do what they do for all of us. Their commander in chief may abuse them and then they get to come home and folks like you abuse them.

I bet they won't come to YOU and blame you for what YOU'VE done to others on the planet.

[president4aday]

28. "Servicemen and servicewomen do what they do for all of us."

Sorry, I don't buy that.

What does "what they do" in Iraq "do for all of us"?

Has it done anything for you?

And how do "folks like " speaking their mind constitute "abus them"? "Abuse" is kinda overstating things, don't you think?

I don't go of my way to start confrontations with people, military or otherwise, (unlike that "bewildered" vet did with Pacifist Patriot.)

But I don't shake peoples hands for doing things I don't agree with, just because whoever I'm arguing with wears a uniform.

Let's keep in mind that if you are big enough to kill and destroy, you ought to big enough to take some criticism.

[Tsiyu]

29. No one asked you to shake anyone's hand

You asked a question, but framed it in a snarky, prejudiced way, and expected to get no criticism yourself?

[Pacifist Patriot]

20. I think I'm glad I didn't make it back until after the response was ...

deleted. *shudder*

[Tsiyu]

22. Sad, isn't it?

I could say more, but I don't feed certain critters any more than I have to.:grr:

[northofdenali]

30. Thank you!

If you're in the Melbourne area, my mom drove down from Merritt Island just to be able to honk her horn in support - she would have marched, too, but she's 90 and has to have minor surgery on Monday.

:yourock:

[Pacifist Patriot]

31. Bless her heart!

Yes, that was us. I will keep her in my thoughts today. I hope she has a speedy recovery.