New generation swells ranks of emerging anti-war
movement
By Leslie Feinberg
Young people-often referred to as the "leaders
of tomorrow"-are on the front lines of resistance to the U.S.
war drive against Iraq.
The Clinton administration's "International Town Meeting" at
Ohio State Univer sity in Columbus on Feb. 18 was a
public-relations debacle for the warmongers- thanks to hundreds
of activists, mostly young. People around the world watching
the live CNN broadcast heard them chant, "We don't want your
racist war!"
U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Secretary of
Defense William Cohen and National Security Adviser Sandy
Berger sat grim-faced and tight-lipped as protesters drowned
out their pro-war message for the better part of the
hour-and-a-half session.
Afterward, the Internet buzzed with elated firsthand reports
from participants.
One young woman named Rachel reported, "I'm pretty exhausted
from cutting potatoes for Food Not Bombs, spraypainting
banners, copying flyers, yelling, getting my 15 minutes of fame
on national television as the girl with the protesters in the
yellow hat, and a dangerous lack of sleep."
She promised to "send a more detailed account of what sent
the White House scrambling today, right from the core of the
kids."
Andy of Anti-Racist Action recounted how hundreds of
protesters had marched to St. John's Arena, then chanted and
held up signs inside.
"Throughout the entire time," he noted, "anti-war protesters
were being forcefully removed from the arena." CNN cameras
didn't show that.
Greg Coleridge of Northeast Ohio Amer ican Friends Service
Committee wrote: "During the commercials, the moderators and
panelists huddled. Damage control is what I would call it. ...
Maybe the loudest boos/groans came when Albright had the
audacity to say that the U.S. cared for the Iraqi people more
than Hussein did (she was not so gently reminded by many in the
audience about the 1 million Iraqi deaths caused by U.S.
sanctions). ...
"Tremendous!! It had to be a PR disaster for an
administration that likes to script everything."
The very next day, U.S. United Nations Ambassador Bill
Richardson tried to take the case for war to the University of
Minnesota. He too met a rude awakening. This anonymous Internet
posting tells the tale:
"Richardson was speaking at a high-priced breakfast at the
school of public policy. A group of several hundred protesters,
including a mixture of student as well as other activists, had
a spirited protest outside the building and then crashed
Richardson's speech. There were enough people and noise to
interrupt his stupid speech, but we did let him answer
questions, including from the protesters who made some great
points that he could not really address."
Nowhere to run; nowhere to hide
The protests span the country-from Anchorage, Alaska, to
Pensacola, Fla., from San Diego to New Paltz, N.Y., and from
Burlington, Vt., to Clam Lake, Wis.
Administration officials trying to justify Washington's
genocidal policy of sanctions and bombing raids against Iraq
are increasingly on the defensive. In fact, some top Cabinet
officials have been forced to beat a hasty retreat.
On Feb. 21, some 3,000 demonstrators marched outside the
White House. The action was called by the D.C. Coalition to
Stop the U.S. War On Iraq.
Two contingents of Iraqi- and Arab-Americans led the
protest. A "Wag the Dog" contingent brought up the rear.
In the early hours of Feb. 22, protesters confronted U.S.
Defense Secretary William Cohen as he arrived at ABC studios
early in the morning to tape an appearance on "This Week."
Members of the D.C. coalition had been tipped off about Cohen's
plans. They caught him, his security entourage and ABC security
off-guard. Several activists say Cohen's security team
assaulted them.
Cohen and his bodyguard were again outmaneuvered as they
tried to sneak out the back door after the taping. A visibly
shaken Cohen came face to face with picket signs accusing him
of using UN sanctions to kill hundreds of thousands of Iraqi
civilians.
Threats of arrests didn't deter anti-war activists from
picketing Albright when she arrived at ABC to tape the same
show. When security officers tried to sneak Albright out
through a narrow alley behind the ABC offices, protesters
chased her limousine, chanting, "Murderer!"
Activists felt so exuberant after the action that they
marched to the Sunday service President Bill Clinton was
attending at the Foundry United Methodist Church. Church
members later said Clinton could hear the anti-war chants
during the service. Demonstrators also got within a few feet of
the presidential motorcade as Clinton was whisked away.
If the civilian population's anger is coalescing against the
war, how long will it be before the brass feel the full force
of GI fury?
Money for war, not for jobs. It's a tough sell.
Real organizing in virtual space
For a hand-cramping scroll of cities and campuses where
anti-war actions have been held or are planned, people can
check out the International Action Center website: www.iacenter.org.
The IAC initiated the National Emergency Coalition to Stop
the War Against Iraq. Hundreds of organizations representing
anti-war, civil-rights, labor, anti-racist, student, veterans,
women's, homeless, lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans groups have
beefed up the coalition.
Emergency Coalition volunteers around the country are
lighting up phone lines, distributing stacks of leaflets and
uploading a storm of e-mail to build for national
demonstrations in San Francisco and New York on Feb. 28.
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