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Anti-war crowd cheers labor resolution to 'halt war funding!'

Published Mar 23, 2007 11:11 PM

At a March 15 rally on Cleveland’s Public Square, called by U.S. Labor Against the War, the winter cold seemed dispelled as the crowd applauded a resolution that had been passed the day before by the North Shore AFL-CIO—formerly the Cleveland AFL-CIO. The labor resolution expressed opposition to continued funding for the war in Iraq. The resolution stated that “money already appropriated is more than adequate to bring all the troops home safely.”

The March 15 Cleveland rally culminated an eight-day, round-the-clock vigil honoring the 655,000 Iraqis killed as the result of the war, in addition to over 3,100 U.S. GIs. The vigil brought together northeast Ohio’s anti-war and homeless communities in a newly deepened alliance.

Tim Smith of the Northeast Ohio Anti-war Coalition and Artists for Peace spoke movingly of his gratitude to the members of the homeless community who gave their knowledge, skill and support to get the vigil through the bitter cold nights.

James, a homeless man, told how the vigil had changed his life. He said that he had never expected to be speaking at the podium of a rally. Smith and others who took part in the anti-war vigil had convinced him not to join the military, James said, where he would have to follow someone’s orders to shoot an innocent civilian. The crowd cheered James.