Democracy in action

We sometimes have to ask ourselves whether we are the only people left in the country who truly believe in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.  

In Fort Wayne,IN, we practice our right to assemble peacefully at least once a month on the Courthouse Green.  We also exercise our right of free speech by letting all who pass - heading south on Clinton Street - how we feel about the illegal and immoral occupation of Iraq.  Many of the people who pass, honk their horns in solidarity and flash the peace sign at us.  Every great now and then, there are some who obviously forget to extend their index finger in their rush to join us.  Yesterday, nearly fifty lovers of peace and civil liberties celebrated the beginning of the month of our independence with joy and love of our nation in our hearts and on our signs.  We have signs that say "Support our Troops by Bringing Them Home", "An Eye for An Eye Leaves Everyone Blind", and several signs that point out our disappointment and resistance to the current administration in Washington.  One huge banner unrolled to reveal the message, "Peace is Patriotic".

I have also noticed that we rarely get any support from the passersby in gas guzzling SUVs.  Perhaps these are the people who are hopeful that O.I.L. (Operation Iraqi Liberation) forces will eventually stabilize the region and secure all the black gold for us back home.  More likely, they support the idea of the United States sending our boys off to die in preemptive invasions against countries who pose no immediate or imminent threat to the United States.

There are some people who believe what we are doing is a useless waste of time.  They'll point out that protesting the occupation of Iraq from Fort Wayne is about as effective as cheering for your favorite sports team from the comfort of your living room.  What they fail to understand - they appear to be a little dense on this point - is we're all about keeping opposition to the occupation fresh in the minds of those who see us on the sidewalk.  It is a little more overt than a simple bumper sticker.

Our favorite team is the team that works for peace.  We have caring human beings of all ages and economic backgrounds standing in solidarity with the pro-peace movement.  We know and appreciate certain facts that the Bush administration would prefer were not widely known among the voting public.  For instance, over 95% of attacks on U.S. soldiers in Iraq are perpetrated by Iraqis who are defending their homeland against a occupying foreign force - are they wrong?  If we were being occupied by a foreign army, would we sit idly in our home twiddling our thumbs, or would we be using improvised explosive devices to disrupt the occupation forces?  Many in this country are under the misguided assumption that we are the only people in the world who matter.  This is arrogance of the highest order.  Members of the peace movement would prefer our troops be removed from harms way.  It is remarkably asinine of the anti-peace movement to think we are supporting our troops by keeping them in a hostile environment.

Across Clinton Street about eight counter-demonstrators gathered to practice freedom of assembly and speech.  They held up signs that said "Support our Troops" and others that said our troops are fighting in Iraq to preserve our freedom.  I find this last sentiment so far off the mark that it is somewhat amusing.  This idiotic notion assumes our freedoms would have been eroded if we had not attacked a country half a world away that was already penned in by secured borders, no-fly zones and economic embargos.  If anything, we are seeing our freedoms eroded instead, by our own leadership.  

At one point, a police cruiser drove by and told both sides of the street to back far away from the street because our presence might impede the visibility of drivers along Clinton Street.  I can see their point, there might be a few drivers who want to use the sidewalk.

All kidding aside, we should consider ourselves lucky that we live in a country that basically allows us to voice our opposition to the government when we feel wronged or see injustice or misuse or abuse of power.  Last week, some police officers in New Haven, CT demonstrated that equal justice for all doesn't always apply.

A few demonstrators who gathered outside a Marine Recruitment office in New Haven were subjected to harassment and physical intimidation by a Marine Corp officer.  At first, the demonstrators were harangued by the officer, but they simply responded in a peaceful manner.  The peaceful demeanor of the protestors only infuriated the Marine even more.  He ordered another Marine to retrieve a bat from the office which he yielded in a menacing manner and threatened to use on the demonstrators if they didn't move.  To his chagrin, the protestors smiled and didn't show tit-for-tat.  

One of the protestors who sensed the Marine was going to explode pulled out his cell phone and took a photo of the Marine and his bat.  This was all it took for the Marine.  How dare these left-wing, freedom-loving, arse-holes take a record of his offensive posturing?  He threw two of the demonstrators into the street, then knocked the cell phone onto the sidewalk.  He scooped up the phone and deleted the damning evidence.

When the police arrived, he was still threatening the demonstrators with his bat, so the police did what any right thinking person would do, they went after the victims.  They allowed the Marine to leave the scene, complete with the cell phone he had stolen from one of the prosecutors.

After more than forty-five minutes of back and forth between the police and the demonstrators, a paddy wagon showed up and the demonstrators were talking to a member of the National Lawyers Guild.  The police forced the peaceful demonstrators to move across the street, their cell phone was returned, and the police refused to divulge the identity of the Marine who had assaulted at least three protesters.

Isn't it odd how so many of the people who claim the soldiers are fighting for our freedoms show disdain for the people who routinely practice their rights.  I guess in their minds, one should only be allowed to demonstrate if the demonstrators are on the same page politically as themselves.  What they don't realize is we are demonstrating for them and we appreciate it when counter demonstrators show up.  We love seeing democracy is action, even when we don't agree with the counter demonstrators.  And that my friends is the major difference between the two sides when it comes to the Bill of Rights.  We believe in rights for all - they only believe in rights for themselves.