[saymaListserv] Saturdays' Peace March

[free polazzo]

Dear Friends,

Thanks to those who were able to march in the Peace and Justice rally 
in Atlanta on April 1. (no fooling!)    The rain had stopped before 
we left and the skies were clear.   It was a beautiful Spring day in 
Atlanta, GA.   Even the police on motorcycles seemed happy to be there.

Anneewakee Creek Friends Worship Group was well represented with 
Barbara, Charlotte, Phil and Free attending.    Phil's wife also 
helped to make signs and marched from the King Center to the southern 
end of Piedmont Park.   I brought a yard sign that the Friends 
Committee on National Legistlation (FCNL) had been selling on line 
(www.fcnl.org) that said "War is Not the Answer".   My sign had an 
enhancement on it that consisted of a bumper sticker that 
said:  "Support our Troops: Bring them Home Now"  (with a yellow 
ribbon on it.) see www.bringthemhomenow.com for more info.   Stan and 
his family also made the drive to Atlanta to support the march for 
Peace and Justice.    Thanks to any of the rest of you whom I may 
have missed.

We enjoyed seeing many people from the Atlanta Friends Meeting as 
well as friends from other peace groups.  Unitairans were also out in 
force with a drumming group to entertain us as we waited for the 
march to arrive at Ponce De Leon.    While we waited for the 
marchers, I was able to hold up my sign and get many drivers and even 
one Altanta Policewoman to honk and wave in support.   After the 
marchers went by, Barbara and I followed the end of the march of 
thousands to Piedmont Park where we ate lunch under a beautiful tree.

At Piedmont Park there were speeches and also an exhibit of boots set 
up in rows on a hillside.   Each pair of approximately 500 boots had 
a slain American soldier's name and age and where they came 
from.    Many were just teenagers and many were in their 40's.    So 
much sadness.     They were sponsored by the American Friends Service 
Committee.  (www.afsc.org)

The marchers also cried out for Justice and many speakers mentioned 
New Orleans and the poor response to the disaster hurricane Katrina 
created on the Gulf Coast as an issue that is exacerbated by the 
America's involvement in the war in Iraq.    So many lives and so 
much treasure spent in the wrong place and for the wrong 
reasons.  (Which are still changing on almost a monthly basis).

Channel 11 covered the event but seemed mostly interested in what 
Cynthia McKinney would say.  I was told that the Atlanta Journal 
Consitution was hostile to the marchers in the story they 
did.     There is coverage on the world wide web, too (see below).

Let's hope that America's politicians (and voters) wake up and 
realize that "War is Not the Answer".  Peace is the way and we 
can  bring our troops back home and let the Iraqi people have their 
country back to themselves.

Blessings,

Free



>Date: Mon, 3 Apr 2006 05:25:11 -0700 (PDT)
>Subject: [afmdiscussion] Saturdays' March
>
>Dear Friends,
>   Here is a mention on Saturday's Peace MArch.  It was also 
> mentioned in todays www.antiwar.com
>   >  http://www.walb.com/Global/story.asp?S=4712972
>   Peace,
>   Micheal
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