Anniversay of No Cheer

Yesterday the Coalition to End the War petitioned Arizona's two senators to end the American occupation of Iraq. A delegation of veterans and military families read a declaration of grievances against the CheneyBush administration. We demanded their support for legislation funding a prompt and orderly withdrawal from Iraq and funding to assist the men and women returning from war. And read the names of Arizona war dead. Jon Kyl left the job of receiving our petitions to a very clean cut Young Republican male receptionist. St. John McCain's deputy office manager listened to us.

We spent much of the penultimate winter day in the all-too-warm-for- his-time-of- year- but-MUCH-cooler-than-the-day-before Arizona sun making a racket about the occupation outside of both offices and the short march between the two. By late afternoon, about 400 were outside McCain's office to greet rush hour traffic. We had a couple or three wingnuts and I saw one or two negative gestures but I drew a lot of energy from the honks and waves of many, many passersby. What I find baffling is in a metro area of 3.5 million, why are not thousands out on the street?

But I was grateful for the ones who came and showed that Arizonans care passionately about ending a disastrous occupation. A retired Army recruiter whose son is serving in Iraq with my old company was there. So was a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War. Along with people of all ages. It's all theater and I have no illusions that either senator will change his mind but, in the past days I have come to realize that I turn out to support these good people in a worthy effort. Just like in the Army, I'm looking out for my buds.

We ended the evening with a candlelight vigil and ceremony at 10:00 pm, the moment the bombs began to fall in 2003. The numbers had dwindled by then but the spirit remained.

Arizonacentral.com has some good photos of our raucous band. To see a very effective statement on the war, go here.