Report & Photos by Deanna Gorzynski
Don’t bother to check the news. April 26 2007 was yet
another day of events of national importance that went unseen and passionate
voices that went unheard.
April 24 Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) had just
introduced Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Dick Cheney. April
25, Washington DC had the privilege of having an excellent
IMPEACH news conference. In the evening we held a fact-filled and motivational
meeting at All Souls Church, watching a powerful presentation, discussing with
many amazing speakers, what else?”impeachment. They were quiet, dignified days
of dissent and discussion.
April 26 was quite different!!
With specific planning and fortuitous timing, loud and large
multiple actions for impeachment and against war took place in the rotunda of
the Hart Office Building.
The police never saw the enormity of this coming and the “powers that be”
wanted to shut down the whole building and would have, had they been prepared.
With many equipped press members available, it never flashed on a T.V. screen
or was heard over radio waves.
This truth, alone, is an emergency. Even a “suspicious
package” gets great press coverage. The only reason the Hart Building
was NOT shut down was due to lack of personnel. I listened as this was said
over and over again by the officers of the Capitol.
The remarkable culmination of the intense work of many
groups began with Code Pink. Many women with pink tape across their mouths and
messages all over them moved through the crowd of visitors, activists,
policemen, and reporters. Curiosity began to rise among the crowd. Heads turned
in a mixture of confusion, entertainment and respect to the Pink Ladies.
The next important event that took place was the reading of
the letters of soldiers read by Military Families Speak Out. The press really
listened and took footage. Remembering that this war is being fought by PEOPLE
is very important” the media has dehumanized all the serving and fallen, Americans and Iraqis.
The largest action also caused by far the loudest crowd
response. WE WILL NOT BE SILENCED had prepared and ingeniously brought huge
banners to the fifth floor of the Hart
Building. One on each
side. The banner that hung above the main entrance and reached 3 floors below had Article 2 Section 4 of OUR constitution: “Article
II, Section 4: The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States,
shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason,
Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.”
Directly across from this was another well done, large banner, two floors long with the vital, simple
message: “YOUR SILENCE YOUR LEGACY”.
As soon as these banners created by WE WILL NOT BE SILENCED were
read by those viewing them from below there was an spontaneous voice of the
people, it started slowly but quickly became a loud cacophonous shout and demand,
“IMPEACH! IMPEACH! IMPEACH!”.”
I looked to the 2nd floor, and to my surprise 2 men dressed
as founding fathers made an appearance. They may have gone unnoticed by many
but I watched and photographed them. It was such clear theatrical
communication. What if our founding fathers were to stand as these men did,
hands behind their backs in observance of what we now call “democracy”?!
In stark contrast to this deafening roar, the crowd, as if
on cue, quieted”then”
Without question the most moving event was, as often is the
case in life, a funeral. Reverend Lennox Yearwood is the Director of the Hip
Hop Caucus and a prominent voice among young African Americans opposed to the
war and in favor of impeachment. He and an Iraq Veteran Against the War held a
representative funeral. Rev. Yearwood prayed over the triangulated flag held by
the kneeling Iraq
veteran. Their heads were bowed in prayer and respect. Even the police were,
until the end, quiet and respectful. Looking close at one of the photos of this
somber event, a Capitol Bicycle Officer (called in due to lack of personnel) can
be seen head bowed, hands crossed, respecting Reverend Yearwood, the Iraq
veteran and the dead soldiers represented. The funeral and prayer ended. The Veteran
and Reverend spent a long quiet moment, eye to eye. The veteran then said simply,
“Thank you, Reverend”. They then stood strongly and quietly, prepared for the
arrests that were fully expected.
The end of these actions resulted in only 14 arrests. We are
glad that no one else was arrested, but are left wondering why we continue to
see the innocent arrested and killed while the law-breaking, mass murdering
demons in Washington
continue to rule the White House.
