Student speakers at the 9-25-07 UN rally.
Natalie, John Jay College:
Are we ready to go and arrest Bush? I hope so, because that’s what we’re going to do today. We John Jay students believe in practice, not in more bullshit theory. We are going to practice what we believe. This is democracy, and that’s what we’re doing now. We believe that this war is cruel and immoral, and [Bush] is supposed to follow us, the people, because we are the people, we are the power, and he is supposed to obey us. And if he doesn’t do it we’re going to make him do it. So we John Jay students are here to support our people and go through the struggle with all of you. So today is the day. It’s today or never. So let’s do it together, people.
Three women from NYC SDS: (excerpts from a statement read in turn by all 3 women
” We will not and do not support this war of imperialism. ” We must unify as organizations and work towards a common goal, to a better society. We need to build a participatory movement that holistically responds to the needs of people and empowers them to unite together in solidarity, and to know that another world is possible, and we can create it together.
Mario Savio said: “There is a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious, makes you so sick at heart that you can’t take heart, you can’t even possibly take heart, and you’ve got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and you’ve got to make it stop. And you’ve got to indicate to the people who run it, to the people who own it, that unless you’re free, the machine will be prevented from working at all.” And I want to add that putting our bodies and our minds and our hearts upon the gears to stop this machine is only the first step. The next step is to find the power cord, find the off switch and turn this machine off for good.
Sajida, Columbia University:
I’m here with the students from Columbia University, and as you all know, President Ahmadinejad was at our campus yesterday. But that wasn’t possible without a fight. In this supposed nation of free speech and on an Ivy League university campus which is supposed to be the home of the free exchange of ideas, we had to fight to listen to a world leader speak. We are here today to say that we are not going to stop fighting until we are heard. We want Bush to hear us. These are our ideas–free speech, free exchange of ideas. Thanks, everybody.
Meb, NYU student:
I am so proud that this many people have shown up today for this protest. I didn’t fathom that anyone in New York would care as much about this cause as we all do, and I’m very proud of that. So much has been forgotten over the past years during this war. Human rights have been forgotten. We are forgetting that we are supposed to be the peacekeepers in the world, or so George Bush says. And yet we are going out and holding people against their will in secret prisons. If things are secret, then these people should not be held, especially against our own country. If we are a democracy then we are supposed to be taking part in our own government and have a say in what happens around the world, especially in other countries, even if we don’t have the right to be there. And most importantly, we’ve forgotten the love that we’re supposed to have for others. It doesn’t matter if you’re from another country. It doesn’t matter if you’re a different religion. It doesn’t matter if your skin is a different color. We’re all human. Who the fuck cares!? And I’m so proud that all this solidarity has come out today. And I see in front of me all different skin colors, all different religions, all different backgrounds, here protesting the putting down of difference and protesting fear in the world, and I’m so proud of all of you. Keep it up, guys.
Katie, from Union Theological Seminary:
I’m here representing a new generation of religious leaders who want to stand up and say, “you do not speak for us, you do not speak for people of faith. God does not support this war. Don’t bring God into this. God does not sanction torture. God loves all of God’s children and we don’t want Bush up there using our God’s name in vain. Thank you all for being here today. God bless.