Tinalouise / Lit.org – 2006-01-23 23:16:53
http://www.armsagainstwar.info
Against The War…
by Tina Louise /Lit.org
UNITED KINGDOM (January 14, 2006)
Iraq veterans against the war
Code Pink against the war
People of Colour against the war
People who think against the war
Veterans of Iraq against the war
Poets against the war
US Labor against the war
St. Patrick’s Four against the war
Vietnam Veterans against the war
Historians against the war
Environmentalists against the war
Chicagoans against the war
Lawyers against the war
Military families against the war
Consumers against the war
Theaters against the war
Labour against the war
York against the war
Women against the war
Students against the war
Asian & Pacific Islander Coalition against the war
Cambridge Students against the war
Artists against the war
Filmmakers against the war
Gays against the war
Conservatives against the war
Grandmothers against the war
Rhodes Scholars against the war
Artists against the war
Garage Doors against the war
Arabs and Jews against the war
…and so many more,
against the war.
How many are required
What’s the magic number
Is there a volume to reach
Before we’re heard by someone?
When will enough be enough?
What is the majority?
How will we know that we,
Are more against this war,
Than for?
When will those in power listen?
Who’s in possession of the wisdom?
How many dead?
What’s the score?
How many more,
Before those in power agree
That we…
The people are against the war
——
Namaste
© Copyright by tinalouise
Tina Louise is a British author, activist, poet and mother whose articles have appeared in CounterPunch.
Arms Against War
Dear EAW
I wrote [this poem] just over a week ago and the writing propelled me to do something more. I wondered in the poem how many voices it takes to be heard, how many times do we say no to war until we are counted and wished that we could unite all our voices and all the anti-war/peace groups — but realised that agendas, politics, beliefs, location etc. prevent this.
I also realised that many people don’t do anything because they don’t know where to start…. so I started something called ARMS AGAINST WAR.
I hope that you will consider joining in this very simple, cost-free show of unity that doesn’t interfere with any other agenda.
Namaste
Tina Louise
http://www.tinalouise.co.uk
Arms Against War
Tina Louise
I am so worried and angry about the way our world is being treated by our governments. They spy, they invade countries illegally, they are involved in torture and at no point are they doing what they were elected to do — look after the interests of the people of their countries. I can think of no decision in the past few years that was made for my good by my government. I know too that many,many people feel the same. But what is worse, we feel unable to do anything about it.
Personally, I have attended marches, been to a major International Peace Conference, written countless letters to politicians and media and signed a ridiculous number of petitions — and nothing happened.
My voice is not heard. My anger with the government grew even more when I recently searched Google for anti-war/peace groups and well over 3 million appeared. All these groups have concerns about the legality of the war in Iraq and concern about impending wars in Syria and Iran.
The issues move faster than the protesters can keep up with and again, no-one is listening anyway (except the ‘intelligence’ agencies who are spying on their own citizens).
I wondered how many it would take — how many anti-war/peace groups increase the volume and visibility enough so that governments can realise we are more against the war, than for.
How can we make them see that the people who elected them disagree with the decisions they are making and the actions they are taking in their citizens’ names? I don’t want my tax each week to kill an innocent civilian, mis-informed soldier or anyone else — I am responsible for this war waged by my government — in my name. I wish I wasn’t.
So, to finally reach the point of this letter. How do you feel about the war in Iraq? Would you like to have an end to it? Do you oppose your tax paying for it? Do you object to the death of our young soldiers? Do you object to the reasons for war? If you do want an end to the war in Iraq for any reason then please, please do me just one favour — one concerned human being for another — wear a strip of white fabric around your arm.
I realise it sounds small, insignificant and futile — but, I truly believe, that a show of opposition is essential in order to get media and government to be in a position where they can no longer ignore the many, many people who oppose this one point in unison. I realise there are so many issues that need to be tackled, but believe that tackling just one, gives us a united start.
The reason a white armband of any fabric was chosen is important. I know that not all people the world over, who oppose the war in Iraq, can afford to attend demonstrations or spare the time, many people do not want to affiliate themselves with specific anti-war/peace groups as they may not agree the rest of the agenda, many people cannot spare the time to write letters, make calls and bother their (largely ignorant) governments who rarely, if ever respond — so a simple white piece of fabric is available to everybody, all the time, without purchase, without an agenda.
If you choose to wear the white armband you are saying just one thing “I WANT AN END TO THE WAR IN IRAQ”. You are not agreeing to any agenda, movement or politics ˆ you are acting as an individual saying just one thing “I WANT AN END TO THE WAR IN IRAQ”.
This form of voicing your opinion is a way to make this statement at all times, peacefully, until we are noticed. I know the instant response in your heart will be “what is the point?” — but please ignore that and just make this one move, take this one step in the direction you want the world to improve.
No war in Iraq would be a start — and a start is exactly what we need, at this moment, to begin. This is a highly visible way to show the governments that their people object in large numbers, to the actions they are taking. Please, please join me — if only to make one person happy.
Thank you so much for reading and thank you so much for your support, each of us is a vital part of humanity with a right to have our say.
Namaste
http://www.pledgebank.com/armsagainstwar
