Thursday January 01 1970
4pm-6pm *GPO Anti War Vigil U.S.Military Outta Shannon & Iraq
dublin |
anti-war / imperialism |
event notice 
Friday July 11, 2008 14:05
by Ciaron - Catholic Worker/Plowshares
Anti-War Vigil
"Stop Irish Participation in the War!"
"U.S. Military Out of Shannon & Iraq!"
GPO, O'Connel St. Dublin
Monday July 14th.
4pm-6pm
Come join Ciaron, Colim, Eoin, Martin, Paddy & others at the vigil!
Drop by for a short time and get updated on the war on Iraq, Afghanistan & elsewhere!
Get up dated on nonviolent resistance to war and war preparations in Ireland and elsewhere
More info Ph. 087 918 4552
SHORT REPORT ON LAST WEEK'S VIGIL
Vigil went well with 6 folks.
As we were setting up Brendan O'Connor went strolling by and Con was able to give him some much needed consumer feedback for his pro-war cheerleading in the Sunday Indo.
Colim doned the Guantanamo jumpsuit and with our large "U.S Military Out o Shannon" and "Stop Irish Participation in the War" it was all very visual.
It was also great to have some Spanish speakers wit Mairtin and Con addressing passing droves of Spanish kids on school trips.
Also a very moving interaction with an American woman tourist who had been jailed for anti-war resistance during the Vietnam War. She was very grateful for our presence and very angry with her government.
Meanwhile in Brisbane, Australia Catholic Workers and friends returned to Raytheon. Check link for report andphotos
http://bushtelegraph.wordpress.com/2008/07/08/protest-a...bane/
Comments (4 of 4)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 49 U.S. soldiers killed in Afghanistan
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20080713/tpl-uk-afghan-vi....html
Anti-War Resistance in the U.S Military
http://www.couragetoresist.org/x/
U.S. Military Veterans Against the War
www.ivaw.org
The loss of 9 U.S. soldiers in one combat incident over the weekend is one of the biggest since the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. The killings took place close to the Pakistan border. The U.S. military see the northern regions of Pakistan as the problem and want to expand the U.S. war over the border.
Admiral Mike Mullen chairman of the U.S. joint chief staffs has made a surprise visit to Pakistan to explore possibilities of direct U.S. military intervention http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2008/0714/121....html This would be a major escalation that could take place in the months ahead, unmanned U.S. drone attacks have already taken place in northern Pakistan. Such intervention is unpopular with the Pakistan government, military and people who view it as a direct attack on their national sovereignty.
Meanwhile Paul Colm and I (and hopefully others- why not drop by for however long if you're downtown) will be outside the GPO saying no to Irish involvement in these U.S. wars. Colm attended the vigil at Shannon yesterday and has become well known in Ireland for his solo vigils in his orange jumpsuit. Recently some sympathetic building workers noticed him kneeling on the side of road near the Dail and gave him some knee pads. So there you go you never know where solidarity will spring from.
This image form the recent Catholic Worker occupation of the Supreme Court sees
One, two, three....many Colim Roddy's
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5858350707743499899
PHOTOLINK-Demonstration Outside Military Recruitment Centre in London
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/07/403717.html
A good crew gathered outside the GPO - Colm, Con, Sean, Paul down from Monaghan, Alban from my workplace, Marie from Pax Christi and Elaine from the Viking Museum. The weather was good and passersby were very interactive.
I did my my best to break the embargo on Cuba by puffing on a stokie that Alban had brought back from a recent trip to Cuba. A couple from New York City were happy to see us as they do a similar weekly anti-war vigil on Manhatten. A high school student told us he had argued against the U.S. military use of Shannon at a school debate. A former iirish Republican POW gave us much affirmation as she passed by. It's amazing who you meet when you vigil. Reminds one of Jesuit Dan Berrigans advice during the frantic '60's "Don't just do something, stand there!"
Meanwhile Obama, the "anti-war" presidential candidate, announces 10,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan if elected http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jul/15/barackobama....usa1
The vibrant anti-war movement in the U.S. of 2003 was largely diverted when a large amount of activists got off the streets and contemplating nonviolent direct intervention "to get clean for Gene" and support the John Kerry presidential bid of 04. This was duplicated at many an anti-war rallies in Ireland that marginalised the possibilities for nonviolent direct action against Irish participation in the war and became merely platforms for politicians and aspiring politicians. Some, like the Irish
Green Party, who are now in government facilitating Shannon Airport as the
most significant hub for U.S. troops to get from North America to the killing fields of
Iraq. Most U.S. troops in Iraq have come through a very small departure lounge at Shannon
Airport. Some of the Irish anti-war candidates of yesteryear are now government politicians
facilitating this crime. How many presently in opposition would have taken the same deal offered by FF that the Irish Greens took is anybody's guess. It's no guess that an Obama presidency will be enough to end this war.
Some photos and a report on this week's vigil from Sean
http://thepit.forumakers.com/news-reports-f1/monday-s-v...htm#4
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