A little story from the front of a local anti-war protestor. One small voice. Joining with another. And another. Until, hopefully, someone hears us.
I got active this past summer. I’d always been opposed to the war, but I just couldn’t stand it anymore. I knew that my government was blowing-up foreign children (among others) with my tax money. And something just finally clicked in the head and said, “Hey, this ain’t right. Gotta do something.”
Went to a Sheehan support rally. Then to D.C. And have been active ever since. One of the things we do locally is a weekly vigil at the Capitol. Twenty to thirty people, usually. One hour. Noon to one p.m. at the Capitol. Signs. Honking cars. Waves. The increasingly rare war-monger flipping us off. It has been going on continuously since the start of the war. Every week. Rain, shine or freezing cold.
A few months ago, we started heading down to our local congressperson’s office (Rogers-MI-08) after the Friday noontime vigil. We picket his office with anti-war signs from 1:15 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Somewhere between five and ten people show up at Rogers’ office almost every week. Again. Honking from cars that pass. We go in and write letters against the war. Ask to see him if he is in (almost never). He has been there once. But he was too busy to see us.
Today, we show up as usual, and we are greeted by a different scene. A couple of technicians on ladders are installing a new security system on the front of the building.
Not much is happening on this block. His building stands alone. No commerce. Not much traffic really, except for the passing cars. We just picket on the public sidewalk in front of a big brick wall with his sign on it, under another big sign he has erected that says, “Support our Troops.”
But now we’ve got security cameras. Two of them covering the entire picket area. I can’t help but believe that they are solely for us. I’m sure his press secretary would tell you different. Security concerns or whatever. But it seems like they need to film us. A peaceful, non-violent group of citizens who are concerned enough about the direction our elected leaders are taking us, that we come out every week in a public display of free and open dissent.
Smile for the cameras. For the videotape at your trial under the Patriot Act. Or for the photo in the front of your new government file on your anti-war activities.
It was chilling at first. But I remembered a quote from Gandhi.
First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win.
I’m not sure where, “Then they surveil you,” would fall on Gandhi’s list. But where ever it is, I’m that far along. So I guess I must be headed in the right direction.
