"My son served in Iraq," said a 50 ish woman as she walked up. "Thank you for doing this. He came home safely. I see you out here every week and I really appreciate it. Thank you."
Despite the Iraq war and its casualties being nearly invisible in the Los Angeles area news media, it was a busy night of horn honks and waves of support. Two bus drivers blasted their horns and one opened her doors to talk. "I'm changing routes," she said. "But I will still see you sometimes." Then with a smile she added, "Please remain blessed," as she leaned over and shook my hand.
Later the vigil was joined for 5 - 10 minutes simulaneously by a 36-year-old man, a Cambodian refugee who occasionally joins and by a 50-year-old woman who often does. Their company is always appreciated.
In Iraq last week, four U.S. soldiers were killed and among the Iraqi dead, suicide bombers killed at least 60 people in two incidents and severely injured many more. Today marks the 6th anniversary of the U.S. invasion in which 4,259 American soldiers have been killed as have over a million Iraqis.
What do we have to show for it and the trillion dollars it has cost? Iraq is a U.S. military occupation and Iraqis live under martial law. The U.S. has 148,000 soldiers there, far more than when the "surge" began in 2007 and yet commentators in America claim the surge was a success. How the misery in Iraq could be called a "success" eludes me.
"How often do you do the vigils," asked a 63-year-old woman as she walked up and read the sign. "On Wednesdays from 6 pm to 7 pm," I replied.
"I'm from Knoxville, Tennessee," she said. "We do a weekly vigil there. Sometimes we get as many as 50 people but it's usually less. One night we were even joined by the chancellor of our university.
"Some people support us," she continued, "while others threaten to drive up on the sidewalk and run us over. There are more people there who oppose us than support us.
"Do you think this war will ever end," she asked. "Eventually," I replied. "But candidate Obama spoke of ending it in 16 months. President Obama is continuing it for at least the time George Bush negotiated which is December 31st, 2011.
"And in the months to come, as some U.S. soldiers are withdrawn from Iraq, many will find themselves in Afghanistan. And there is no mention of the 180,000 U.S. mercenaries in Iraq. What happens to them? The U.S. news media isn't asking about them either."
"I agree," she replied. "In Afghanistan it is as if we learned nothing from the Russian invasion. They went bankrupt fighting that war. And Osama bin Laden said he would bankrupt the U.S. [there] as well. At the same time, the U.S. is also destabilizing Pakistan."
Then speaking of the vigil she asked, "How long have you done this." "Since January of 2006," I replied. "During the Vietnam war," she remarked, "I participated in vigils for five years at the federal building in Raleigh, North Carolina. Once they threw me in jail. Another time, I got arrested for poring blood out at the induction center."
"Do you have any children," I asked. "Two sons," she answered. "One is in grad school in Seattle and the other is in medical school." "Are they political activists as you are?" "Neither has ever participated in a vigil," she replied. "But one son intends to become an ER doctor and volunteer time to Doctors Without Borders so he can help others in need."
"He is following in your compassionate foot steps," I stated. She smiled and said how proud of both sons she is and we parted company as she left to meet her aunt who was waiting for her. It was also time to end the vigil and as it concluded it was a warm feeling to have spent time with this 60's radical and know that while many others have given up, she is still out there trying to bring peace to the world.
Dick
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