Monday, May 12
Heading north on Salina Street, after an overnight stay at St. James Church in Nedrow, the high-energy Ithaca Feeder March, about 20 strong, met up with 25 or more from the Syracuse Peace Council, and together we walked two miles to the federal building.
An incisive letter to Sen. Clinton and US Attorney Suddaby was delivered as we gathered in front of the federal building, downtown Syracuse.
The Marchers continued on to North Syracuse, making their mileage goal for the day. They face two long walks on Tuesday and Wednesday, and needed to reach North Syracuse on Monday to ease the next two days’ mileage.
The evening pot-luck at Plymouth Church ran out of table space. Over fifty shared the evening meal, more than enough good food to go around.
The evening presentation, also at Plymouth, brought over 80 together. First, a half-hour of segments from the “Winter Soldier” testimony delivered by Iraq soldiers this past March. As powerful as the first “Winter Soldier” testimony from the Vietnam War that played here in Syracuse two months ago.
Then — Mike and Eli, Mike a CO no longer in the armed forces, and Eli, still active — presented briefly and entertained questions for almost an hour. Riviting. Genuine. Educational. From PTSD to ways to support the troops, they brought the war, in all its human-ness, into the church.
T-shirt sales, literature distribution, and a highly energized appreciation of what it means for a soldier to say “No” to the war, while a soldier, filled the holy church space, filled it with good words.
Bill Cross, local psychologist and Vietnam veteran, announced “Support Troops,” a free counseling and support service for veterans and their families. Support Troops: 315-200-0531. — paul frazier
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