4,000 too many - vigiling and street theater in protest

Today brought the sober news of four more deaths of U.S. soldiers in Iraq, which according to numerous sources means that more than 4,000 U.S. service members have died during the five years of occupation of Iraq. Local actions are being held across the country in observation of this terrible statistic. This evening, protests are being held in Manhattan, in DC in front of the White House, and elsewhere.

Some FOR staff will join our colleagues at the Rockland Coalition for Peace and Justice tomorrow evening in downtown Nyack, NY. You can visit the AFSC web site to find a list of many of the vigils and protests being organized nationwide.

While many peace activists clearly feel despondent that our efforts over the past few years have not stopped the war from starting or continuing, as evidenced by the lower turnout this month at some actions commemorating the anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, we can take heart in the new and unique ways that the war continues to be challenged. The Winter Soldier testimonies in Washington DC this month, delivered by veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, are one incredibly powerful way to be connected. These testimonies, which have received essentially no coverage by mainstream media, are well worth spending time listening to (or watching) online. I have listened to several emotional presentations by veterans, and strongly recommend this to everyone.

On the lighter side, this weekend I watched one of the most humorous nonviolent actions I've ever seen. Spend less than two minutes watching this highlights of video of a five-minute "freeze" in Union Station in Washington, I assure you that you won't regret it!! And if you've got a few extra minutes, I recommend watching the slightly longer "Five Minutes, Five Years" version that has some extra commentary of people who participated in it or who witnessed and were affected by, including organizers from United for Peace & Justice, Iraq Veterans Against the War, CodePink, and other groups working to end the war.