Anti-war group takes fight to Congress

[Ian David]

Anti-war group takes fight to Congress

By Rebecca Starcevic, Enterprise staff writer

Some local anti-war activists decided to go door-to-door to force an immediate end to the war in Iraq — but the doors they are knocking on belong to congressmen and media outlets.

Members of the Bridgewater-based Citizens for an Informed Community arrived at the Enterprise Friday morning fresh from a visit to the Brockton office of U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass.

As part of a nationwide effort to draw attention to anti-war sentiments, the activists are participating in “Operation Occupation” by visiting lawmakers' offices.

Members of Citizens for an Informed Community hoped to meet with Lynch Friday and ask him to take a stronger stance against the war, but he was not available.

They read the names of Massachusetts residents who have died in the war in Iraq, and delivered a letter to the congressman in which they commended him for supporting a House resolution to oppose escalation of the war, but added that the measure won't do anything to actually stop it.

“We urge you to do everything in your power to stop the funding for the war,” the statement said. But group member Winston Bolton of Halifax was quick to add that supporting the troops who are there is another matter.

“For the general public, their understanding of the issue often doesn't go beyond the icon of the yellow ribbon on the car,” he said, hoping that more people, including Lynch, would be able to make a distinction between supporting the troops and supporting the war.

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Vernon Domingo, a member of Citizens for an Informed Community from Bridgewater, said showing up on the doorstep of elected officials is an important gesture from the electorate that the voters care about democracy, and that these voters oppose the war.

“There is too much at stake right now for us not to do anything,” he said.

He was joined at Lynch's Brockton office by other members of the group, including Ray Mack of West Bridgewater, Pat McSweeney of Taunton and Ray Ajemian and Faye George of Bridgewater.

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