Wisconsin against war

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion/253588

An editorial — 10/27/2007 9:40 am

The anti-war movement, which is now supported by close to 70 percent of Americans, has yet to have much success in Congress. Neither the delusional Bush administration nor the dysfunctional Democratic opposition has the courage to take responsibility for cleaning up the quagmire -- by rapidly withdrawing U.S. troops, providing adequate aid, and then allowing the Iraqis to take genuine control of their own affairs -- so the death and destruction continue at a rate that is as unimaginable as it is unconscionable.

Close to 4,000 U.S. troops have been killed as part of an invasion and occupation of a sovereign country that should never have occurred. More than 25,000 U.S. troops have suffered devastating injuries. Hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqis have died. Millions have been displaced. And yet, Washington dithers.


AP photo
people gathered to protest the Iraq War in downtown Racine Oct. 6. The event was sponsored by the Racine Coalition for Peace and Justice in conjunction with the Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice.


So American patriots are doing what they have always done: going to the streets to employ what remains of their rights to freedom of speech, assembly and petition for the redress of grievances in the hope that if enough noise is made, the politicians will listen. Eleven regional demonstrations and marches are taking place across the country today as part of a new effort by the national United for Peace and Justice coalition to highlight opposition to the occupation.

The largest regional demonstration will be in Chicago, and more than 25 busloads of Wisconsinites from every corner of the state will be present, along with thousands of Wisconsinites who will arrive by car and train. The Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice and the Wisconsin AFL-CIO are big backers of this initiative, and state AFL-CIO President David Newby, a prime mover in successful efforts to align organized labor with the peace movement, will be a featured speaker in Chicago, along with the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin.

In addition, Madison's "Raging Grannies" -- a project of the Madison Women's International League for Peace and Freedom -- will be singing their satirical songs from the main stage in Chicago. So Wisconsin's voice will be heard today. But it can't be a one-day affair. One message should be as unrelenting as it is blunt: "Bring the troops home NOW!"