FORT DRUM SPRING FESTIVAL, WATERTOWN, NY MAY 17th
New York citizens will be marching across the state to bring support to our active duty soldiers and Iraq Veterans Against the War. This march will be an act of re-birthing civic duty and responsibility to defend our Constitution and strengthen our resolve to stop the damage this unjust, illegal, and immoral war is doing to our families, communities, the world and most of all, soldiers.
Join with Veterans, teachers, students, laborers, farmers, children, young and old to call for an end to the war.
Daily March Reports
Sunday, May 11
Ithaca Feeder March
Today we had up to 25 people joinging us. We walked about 16 miles, the stretch of road was not as populated and not as much traffic, but there was good support as we walked the roads.
Near Lafayette, you could feel the momentum growing and more horns honking as we got closer to Syracuse.
We were able to go up to homes along the way, stopping at several homes. We were well received.
The “Cortland Standard” did a great article of Michael Blake, along with a photo of him.
There was a man in the photo that appeared in the “Cortland Standard,” the “candy man.” He drove up to us as we were on Rt. 13, and he stopped and got out of his car. He had a brown paper bag. “I heard aobut you in the news and I brought you candy.” He went right down the line of the 20 or so of us an gave us all candy . We were thrilled to see his photo in the background of the picture of Michael Blake that appeared in the newspaper.
Last night: an extremely powerful discussion. Tom DeGloma, from Ithaca, spoke on the history of post-traumatic stress disorder. Mike and Eli also spoke about PTSD. And a couple from Military Families spoke about their son-in-law in Iraq and his third deployment . He is a psychologist. They talked about unfair treatment of the soldiers as wll as the need for support for the support soldeirs.
We discussed the need for community building. — Alexis Alexander
Rochester Feeder March
We gathered this morning at the gazebo in Wolcott, where we had stayed last night. We were joined by local friends and newcomers, including a Vietnam Vet who had heard about the March and joined in. Wonderful to see him comfortable enough to join our morning circle.A beautiful day to walk, walking thorugh the countryside, the orchards and lilacs.
A couple of people from the Buddhist Peace fellowship in Rochester joined us. The Peace Fellowship is one of the March sponsors.Sean Kessler also joined the March.
We had lunch in Red Creek. Watermelon and sandwiches. And leftover birthday cake from the day before.
We were numbering about 30, purple flags flying.
It is powerful to be walking along, talking with people. People driving by were tooting horns constantly, even in this somewhat conservative area. This is good news, and an indicator of how many share our concerns.
– Peg Gefell
Utica Feeder March
We had many interactions with people as we went past. One women came walking up to us from her yard, and with great emotion she told Jim and I that her son had been just deployed to the War for the second time. she blessed us and thanked us and say we need to end this war and bring our boys home. two teenage kids were playing golf who we passed around 3pm shouted out to us, “hey you passed our house this morning, where you walking to?” When they heard we were walking to Ft Drum to support the IVAW they seemed sincerely impressed.
Not every encounter was so nice. We had stopped outside a local restaurant to decide if we would eat lunch there around noon. As we were trying to decide what to do a man drives up, jumps out of his car and begins yelling it us. “What the hell are you doing outside my store with those damn signs. You can’t protest in front my store. We tried to explain to him that we weren’t protesting but walking to support bringing the Vets home he didn’t really hear anything we were saying. We just left rather than argue with him…. We should write a letter to the local paper saying what just happened. We are not the bad guys, all we want is peace.
As we staggered into the parking lot of the UU Church around 5pm. to be honest, I was in the support vehicle by that point with pretty bad back spasms, we congratulated each other on our 15 mile walk for peace, a job well done.
The dinner at the local UU Church was great, but more so the welcome and hospitality of the six UU women who made the food and took care of us. The talk after dinner was intense, Wally, from Military Families Speak Out talked of his two sons who had been to War, some of what they had seen and gone through and his transformation from a pro military suburbanite into an anti-war activists. He said ” I never liked people like you, now I am one of you for life.” John, a Native American Indian elder spoke of the sweat lodge and the healing ways of the native people. He volunteered to do a sweat for the walkers the next night when they stayed at his place and spoke of similar walks the his Onondaga people have done, sacred walks he called them
If anyone can walk, even for part of a day, it goes on till sat, I really encourage you to make the effort. Give Jim a call to find out where they are Jim 518 859-5873
in hope
jeffrey-saratoga
As the United States begins the sixth year of the war on Iraq,
- Over 4,000 U.S. soldiers have been killed and more than 60,000 wounded
- Over 1 million Iraqis have been killed
- It is estimated up to 4 million Iraqis have been made refugees.
- The United States spends $275 million per day on this war.
Support the work of the Different Drummer Café, veterans, and active duty soldiers who are courageously standing up to say this war must end.Walkers will be hosted each night by communities en route and will have many outreach opportunities. Many of these rural communities, through the service of their young men and women have paid a disproportionate cost for the war.
Each evening we will sponsor a program of education by IVAW members along with some relaxing music and/or theater activities. Even if you don’t walk you can join us at these events.
Sponsored by (list in formation): NY State Direct Action for Peace; Different Drummer Café; Citizen Soldier; Iraq Veterans Against the War; Upstate Anti-war Network; Syracuse Peace Council; North Country Veterans for Peace; Tompkins County Marches for Peace; Ithaca Catholic Worker; Finger Lakes for Peace; Rochester Declaration for Peace Affinity Group; Rochester Against War (RAW); Peace, Action and Education; RAW Theater; Rochester Chapter of Veterans for Peace; Western NY Peace Center; Campus Anti-war Network-Cornell University Chapter; Students United for a Just Peace-Ithaca College’ Hamilton Friends Meeting/Chenango Valley Peace Alliance; Muslim Solidarity Committee, Albany, N.Y.; Military Families Speak Out of Upstate New York; St. Joseph’s House of Hospitality; Saratoga Peace Alliance; Veterans for Peace Adirondack Chapter #147; Women Against War; Lewis Co. Citizens for Peace In Iraq; Veterans for Peace Tom Paine Chapter #10; Rosa House Troy Catholic Worker; Palmyra Pro Soldier/ Pro Peace Vigil; Peace and Justice Committee of St Catherine of Siena; Wayne Action for Racial Equality; Iraq-Iran Group of the Coalition for Democracy of Central New York; Rochester Indymedia; Progressives in Action; Genesee Valley Citizens for Peace; Pax Christi, Upstate NY; Justice & Peace Ministry of Catholic Charities of Tompkins/Tioga; RIT Campus Anti-war Network; The Ithaca UU Social Justice Council; Pax Christi; Network of Spiritual Progressives-Penn Yan Branch; Episcopal Diocese Public Policy Committee; The Interfaith Alliance of Rochester; Military Families Speak Out NYC; Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace; Military Families Speak Out NYC; Chapter 34 NYC Veterans for Peace; Rochester First Unitarian Peace Advocates; Bath Peace and Justice Group