Also see: Surprise!: Boston Globe Discovers Anti-War Protests
"Antiwar activists gather on Common; Mark anniversary of vote authorizing the Iraq invasion" by Sarah M. Gantz, Globe Correspondent | October 12, 2008
Carlos Arredondo has traveled across 20 states with his portable memorial to his son, a Marine who died in Iraq during his second tour of duty in 2004. But yesterday, Arredondo was home in Boston, where he shared his memorial of hundreds of scrap-wood crosses, combat boots, synthetic flowers, and photographs of Alexander Arredondo at an antiwar rally.
Hundreds of protesters, some carrying "war is terrorism" posters, others wearing fluorescent yellow "stop the war" stickers, gathered on Boston Common for a National Day of Action Against the War rally, on the sixth anniversary of the congressional vote that authorized the invasion of Iraq. Veterans, student activists, and politicians were among those who spoke against the war.
"As a father it is my responsibility to honor my son, to let people know how I feel about it," Arredondo, 48, of Roslindale, said as he gazed at his son's 20-year-old face staring out from poster-size photographs hanging at his booth. "That's how wonderful the democracy in this country [is] - why we are all here today."
Dozens of antiwar groups set up booths to sell T-shirts and hand out pamphlets. In the background, bands and solo performers performed on stage. Jabbar Magruder, who served as a sergeant with the National Guard in 2005, came from Los Angeles to work as the coordinator for Military Families Speak Out, a Boston antiwar group. Magruder, 25, said he is working to debunk the glorified "Hollywood image" of war that too many people believe to be reality.
He said he felt deceived as a soldier in Iraq, where he said he thought he was defending the Constitution against foreign enemies, when the real threat to democracy was politicians at home who didn't see his service in the same way. Yesterday, local activists and politicians, including District 7 Boston City Councilor Chuck Turner, said the money spent on the war would be better used to benefit Americans, going to such issues as education and healthcare.
Turner encouraged people to look beyond a troop withdrawal. "We can create change, but not just by ending the war, but by pulling the roots out," Turner yelled into the stage microphone. The roots, he said, is "a foreign policy that does not focus on peace" and an inflated military budget. --more--"
That's because the policy is subsurvient to Israel and war-looting profiteers.
