|
Comment on this article |
View comments |
Email this Feature
|
|
News :: Protest Activity |
|
Anti-War “Main Event” in downtown Champaign |
Current rating: 0 |
by Ricky Baldwin
Email: baldwinricky (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified!)
Phone: 328-3037 |
13 Apr 2005
|
|
After protesting US imperialism on North Prospect for the past three years, AWARE is trying out a new venue in downtown Champaign this Saturday April 16 from 2-4 pm. |
(Champaign) The new facilities at One Main Street are not even full of shops yet and the protests are already starting out on the sidewalk, brought to you by the organizers of “Prospect for Peace”.
On Saturday April 16 from 2-4 pm members and supporters of the Anti-War Anti-Racism Effort (AWARE) will gather with signs and leaflets to express their opposition to US war and occupation in Afghanistan and Iraq -- and any future “preventive” wars.
The group has been demonstrating on North Prospect near Marketview in Champaign for over three years, since shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, because they feared the US government would response inappropriately. Yet little did they know how right they were.
Within weeks of the attacks, Congress passed a comprehensive revision of civil liberties under the euphemistic title “USA PATRIOT Act”, leading to an ongoing national outcry. Last month the Montana State legislature passed a resolution denouncing the Act, joining a handful of other states and dozens of US cities including Urbana.
Soon thereafter the Bush Administration embarked on a “war on terrorism” (apparently a euphemism for a kind of international campaign of intimidation, the express purpose of which was to “shock and awe” -- or, terrorize -- US enemies. The first attack came in Afghanistan, where the purported planners of the Sept. 11 attacks had been hiding. The government there had had the nerve to ask for evidence before extraditing any suspects.
“We don’t need evidence,” was the Presidential reply. “We already know they’re guilty.”
Then in Iraq, where the US finally lost the majority world support it had enjoyed little over a year before, as millions of angry protesters now took to the same streets that US supporters had recently walked. The Bush Administration declared that the Iraqi government still harbored “weapons of mass destruction” even after years of UN weapons inspections.
Then-Secretary of State Colin Powell even made a dramatic speech before the UN, in which he promised to reveal evidence of the weapons, as well as the infamous connections to al-Qaida. The evidence turned out to be an “artist’s rendition” of alleged mobile weapons factories and recordings of unidentifiable men speaking Arabic -- along with Mr. Powell’s assurances, of course.
No WMDs were ever found, apart from a few that had been sealed earlier by UN inspectors -- some of which subsequently disappeared during or after the US invasion. Likewise the much-touted connections to al-Qaida, later shown to be built on shifting sands as well, except that since the invasion and overthrow of the Iraqi government sympathy for and connections to a wide variety of terrorist factions has blossomed in Iraq.
The US Administration also threatened numerous nations along the way, including Somalia, Syria and Iran, and famously warned, “Either you’re with us or you’re with the terrorists.”
Now US troops are still mired in Afghanistan and Iraq, hopelessly surrounded by homegrown resistance as well as imported Islamist fighters, defending foreign-imposed governments and US-based profiteers, with no end in sight.
Protesters say their support has been growing on North Prospect, with fewer and fewer expressions of disapproval and more and more exuberant expressions of support, but the super-busy street is not a very good venue for actually talking to people.
One Main Street offers the opportunity to talk with passers-by as well as the slower automobile traffic. A large rally on March 19 commemorating the second anniversary of US war in Iraq drew larger than expected crowds at the site. |
This work is in the public domain. |
|
Re: Anti-War “Main Event” in downtown Champaign |
by Ricky Baldwin
baldwinricky (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
14 Apr 2005
|
This event also unfortunately overlaps another worthwhile anti-war event:
"Veterans Speak Out: An Anti-War Speakers Panel"
THIS Saturday, April 16th
1-3pm
Illinois Disciples Foundation
(See announcement on this very site.)
AWARE is a cosponsor of this event, too, and one of our steadfast demonstrators is a speakers.
Everyone is encouraged to be at two places at once. Those who fail will have a difficult choice. Too bad. It would be nice to attend both. We'll have to try harder not to set up simultaneous events in the future. |
|
Re: Anti-War “Main Event” in downtown Champaign |
by Mike
mjsandone31 (nospam) netscape.net (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
16 Apr 2005
|
|
I am a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. How does it feel to be on the wrong side of history? You are a fringe element of American Society, not mainstream. Get over it. |
|
Re: Anti-War “Main Event” in downtown Champaign |
by Mink!
mink (nospam) tcp.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
16 Apr 2005
|
Thing is, in this wonderful democratic country (yes, technically a republic, but you get my drift) called the United States of America, EVERYONE is granted the right of free speech and the right of peaceful assembly - not only the "mainstream" as Mike puts it.
Protesters and signs for any number of causes out on the street corners, and people of all ages assembling, is one of the beautiful scenes of this country. |
|
Re: Anti-War “Main Event” in downtown Champaign |
by poll watcher
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
16 Apr 2005
|
> You are a fringe element of American Society, not mainstream.
Polls show otherwise.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14266-2004Dec20.html |
|
Re: Anti-War “Main Event” in downtown Champaign |
by 5
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
17 Apr 2005
|
Dear Jack,
Why don't you go down to the VFW and the American Legion and lie to them about being a vet again. In your own words, "Semper Phi".... Let's see what consequences you face there.
I've posted this before and I'll post it again, I'm afraid....
You can call it censorship if you like...but his comments are still visible in the "Hidden" bin.
As for Jack, I tire of him because:
1. He claimed to be shipping off to Iraq---a lie:
http://www.ucimc.org/newswire/display_any/10369
2. He "claimed" to be a marine:
http://www.ucimc.org/newswire/display_any/9861
"I submit to you, that as a Marine, I have seen brave and I have seen courageous,stuff that would make your head spin to be honest. "
3. Then he incorrectly refers to something a Marine should know:
http://www.ucimc.org/newswire/display_any/10463
"Semper Phi, my brothers" when, if he were a Marine, he would know it is Semper Fi....
4. He threatens those he disagrees with:
http://www.ucimc.org/newswire/display/14587/index.php
5. Arabs are usually referred to with slurs:
http://www.ucimc.org/newswire/display_any/15008
6. Posts erroneous comments, like we "found WMD in Iraq":
http://www.ucimc.org/newswire/display_any/11036
7. Posts generally disgusting material that contributes nothing to this site:
http://www.ucimc.org/newswire/display_any/10186
8. Women are also usually denigrated:
http://www.ucimc.org/newswire/display_any/9443
http://www.ucimc.org/newswire/display_any/15748
9. Other he disagrees with similarly meet with insults:
http://www.ucimc.org/newswire/display_any/10904
http://www.ucimc.org/newswire/display_any/11103
http://www.ucimc.org/newswire/display_any/11431
http://www.ucimc.org/newswire/display_any/11049
http://www.ucimc.org/newswire/display_any/11943
http://www.ucimc.org/newswire/display_any/11875
http://www.ucimc.org/newswire/display_any/11030
If you search for "Jack Ryan" on this site, you will come up with innumerable posts of his, most of which are not hidden. What I have supplied here is merely a sampling of the first 500 posts out 1500 that came up in the search.
People with various viewpoints are members of the IMC and people with various viewpoints are welcome to post articles and comments here, just as you and I have posted to this article. But to think that Jack is some poor victim is ridiculous...as any good Republican will tell you, all actions have consequences---and Jack is reaping the consequences of his behavior. People who use this site have tired of him. |
|
Re: Anti-War “Main Event” in downtown Champaign |
by Mike
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
18 Apr 2005
|
|
Polls show otherwise?! You are kidding right? How about an election said otherwise, I think Iraq was a major issue during the campaign...I think. |
|
Re: Anti-War “Main Event” in downtown Champaign |
by Mike
mjsandone31 (nospam) netscape.net (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
18 Apr 2005
|
|
And as a Marine veterean I can tell you that it is Semper Fi, not Semper Phi. It is Semper Fidelis not Semper Phidelis. Hey Jack, what unit are you with and what is your MOS? And what is the significance of Tunn Tavern? |
|
FYI |
by ML
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
18 Apr 2005
|
"Jack" will have to send you an email in answer to your questions. He is banned here and his posts will be removed.
Sorry, but that's the way the cookie crumbles. Please avoid any encouragements to him to post, as it is rather pointless. He had plenty of opportunity to reply in the linked articles if you're searching for some justification for his behavior. |
|
Re: Anti-War “Main Event” in downtown Champaign |
by Mike
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
18 Apr 2005
|
|
ML thanks, but I have a feeling he wont reply. |
|
Re: Anti-War “Main Event” in downtown Champaign |
by Mike
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
18 Apr 2005
|
|
ML thanks, but I have a feeling he wont reply. |
|
Re: Anti-War “Main Event” in downtown Champaign |
by poll watcher
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
19 Apr 2005
|
> Polls show otherwise?! You are kidding right?
Have you actually taken three seconds to read any of these polls?
Bush's approval rating, and approval of the war, are currently at or near all-time lows, according to basically every polling organization.
Good summaries are at
http://www.pollingreport.com/BushFav.htm
and
http://www.pollingreport.com/iraq.htm
It is impossible to conclude from those polls that people who oppose the war constitute a "fringe element" when we have poll after poll reporting that 50%+ of Americans disapprove of Bush's handling of Iraq and similar numbers feeling that the Iraq war was a mistake. Even if the polls showed only 20%+ of Americans with these kinds of attitudes, that would hardly constitute a "fringe element" of society. The population of the US is about 293 million people. Do the frickin math. |
|
yet another poll |
by poll watcher
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
21 Apr 2005
|
Gallup reports 53% of Americans think the Iraq war was "not worth it".
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000891594
For those without a calculator handy, 53% of Americans is 155 million people. |
|
Re: Anti-War “Main Event” in downtown Champaign |
by beholder
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
21 Apr 2005
|
|
With new Pope Bush got another supporter of his Iraqi (and future invasive) policies. The previous Pope protested, this one wouldn't. What does it mean - the last straw , which is going to break camel's back, or on the contrary the dense and stable "conservative, compassion attitude" with the full support of the entire range of the fast incoming fascist ideology, I really can't tell. Hope for the better, expect the worst - this is the wisdom of such situations. |
|
Re: Anti-War “Main Event” in downtown Champaign |
by mighty moderate
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
25 Apr 2005
|
Amy H -
Wow, I thought only the radical right was against debate of ideas. You and Bush have a lot in common.
Civil debate is the right of every person. |
|
Re: Anti-War “Main Event” in downtown Champaign |
by the circle
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
26 Apr 2005
|
|
All radicals are the same-they don't allow free speech, or anything else free, no matter what they say. Both radicals (left and right) together. All moderate are in between. Vive la circle! |
