Beyond Your Door Step: Courage in Dissenting

Signs are flown in protest of "Stop-Loss" Tacoma, WA

A few weeks ago several people were arrested while using their bodies to block the streets to the Port of Tacoma, WA. This was part of a continuing direct action movement protesting the militarization of Washington Ports. Military equipment, mainly striker vehicles, are being deployed or redeployed to Afghanistan and Iraq through our local ports! The equipment was eventually able to be moved to a secured location over several nights, while most people slept. It is important that we continue to protest and take direct action to demilitarize our ports and keep these wars and all their costs in the public eye, especially when our government tries to make protesting of these shipments invisible.

Days after the striker shipments a crowd of protestors gathered to protest stop-loss, “Don’t ask/Don’t tell”, and to show support for the 10,000 soldiers being deployed from Fort Lewis to Afghanistan by protesting the war. This ‘operation’ is quickly becoming known as ‘Obama’s War’ as a result of his pledge of an additional 40,000 troops to the cause. I cringe when I hear it referred to as “the good war”-as if there is such a thing!

All ages of people showed up to Freedom Bridge (a main overpass along Interstate 5), to support the troops, encourage them to know their rights and protest the Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq! Many demonstrators are currently enlisted soldiers; veterans of the Iraq and/or Afghanistan war that have dissented from the military by refusing to be deployed. After being exposed to war and occupation firsthand, to the horrors and injustices, these courageous soldiers have found the strength to resist! The number of dissenting soldiers is on the rise and hopefully, like in past wars the army will be forced to change its war mongering-politics, military strategy and withdrawal from these imperialistic wars and illegal occupations! Our soldiers will accomplish nothing but putting their lives in danger by further interrupting the lives and self determination of the countries of the Middle East! War is fought for old men with the lives and courage of young boys. Only death & destruction are the only sustainable products of war!

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