by Elaine Brower
On Monday, October 8th, about 20 lively people showed up at the New York City Times Square Recruiting Station to support GI resistance. Activists from The Committee United for Lt. Watada, Not In Our Name, Granny Peace Brigade, and others came out in the heat of October. They specifically came to support Lt. Ehren Watada, who was due to be brought up again on a second courtmartial hearing. This retrial would constitute, as his lawyers demanded, a case of “double jepoardy,” and therefore brought before the Appeals Court for a stay. A small victory in the case since they have postponed the trial for the end of October, pending other motions! But people came out in force with their signs, banners and spirit supporting Lt. Watada, and all GI Resisters!
The military who were inside the recruiting station just peered out to watch us parading around the Times Square triangle, holding signs saying “SUPPORT WAR RESISTERS”, and “REFUSE TO FIGHT!” They are getting used to this type of demonstration and at one point 2 very brave Marines came out to talk to Kay from Pennsylvania, a military brat herself, wife of a Marine, and mother of 2 soldiers. Considering they probably fought in Iraq, they looked pretty scared! She told them she wasn’t against the military, just Bush and Cheney, wearing her “WAR CRIMINALS: BUSH & CHENEY” bright orange t-shirt. They laughed and said “That’s fine with us, you want to end this war, go right ahead. We”re with you!” She was just so happy to get this positive response, she was able to go on in the sweltering evening heat.
Police even stopped by and took our flyers explaining the plight of Lt. Ehren Watada, the first officer to refuse to fight in the illegal and immoral war and occupation of Iraq. They stood in the triangle with us and read the entire flyer, and agreed that we were doing the right thing. A Sgt. even stopped by and nicely asked us how long we would be there, in an apologetic voice. We told him for 2 hours, and he said “no problem.” He promised us that the 2 cops that just read our flyer would stay with us until we left. We felt so much safer!
Great little rally from 4 PM to 6 PM, with very big hearts supporting GI Resistance!