Saturday, March 22, 02003
From Reject Defeatism... Organize!
We support our troops coming home alive, but we also support our troops not having to kill people in Iraq. We support our troops not dying in Iraq figuratively or literally, physically or psychologically. We support our troops coming home with their hearts not broken, retaining humanity and compassion essential to feeling true solidarity with those who confront tyrannical behavior abroad, or right here in the U.S. with its 30 million tyrannized poor.
Posted at 02:19 PM EST [Link][Comment]
Friday, March 21, 02003
I was in bed last night when I realized the expected burst of patriotism after the bombs started dropping hasn't seemed to have materialized.
Not only that, there was not a single flag on any of the bridges on 66 or on the Toll road on the way into work today, and I was looking for them. Then I noticed nobody seemed to have flag bumperstickers or flags stuck to their antenas anymore. I only saw 4 flag bumperstickers the entire ride into work. If it wasn't for the news, it would have been like I was driving into work in 2000. I'm pretty sure there were still lot of flags about as recently as last week.
I'm all keeping your PDP reserved, but it's still pretty unsettling to have them all disappear seemingly overnight. I'm sure it's happened gradually and I'm just noticing it now. Either that or I missed some sort of memo.
Posted at 01:37 PM EST [Link]
HYBRID/ALTERNATIVE FUELED VEHICLES Informational Panel Discussion
The presentation will be on Saturday, April 5, 2003 at the Arlington County Central Library, Auditorium, 1015 N. Quincy Street, Arlington, VA . Hear the speakers, 12:30 -2:00, & see the cars 2:00-4:00 PM . Speakers from EPA, Honda, Toyota, and the Arlington Co Equipment division, which operates and maintains the county AFV's, will be on hand for a question and answer session. Topics to be addressed: Availability, benefits, incentives and infra-structure regarding hybrid and alternative fueled vehicles. Sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Arlington.
Posted at 08:43 AM EST [Link][Comment]
Thursday, March 20, 02003
I was going to call it "Season of War Affective Disorder", but "Pre-emptive Strike Anxiety" is much better. Thanks Molu !
Posted at 09:42 PM EST [Link][Comment]
I'm going to try and make it to the Peace Vigil at the UUCA tonight.
Posted at 01:44 PM EST [Link][Comment]
Dark with power, we remain
the invaders of our land, leaving
deserts where forests were,
scars where there were hills.
On the mountains, on the rivers
on the cities, on the farmlands
we lay weighted hands, our breath
potent with the death of all things.
Pray to us, farmers and villagers
of Viet Nam. Pray to us, mothers
and children of helpless countries.
Ask for nothing.
We are carried in the belly
of what we have become
toward the shambles of our triumph,
far from the quiet houses.
Fed with dying, we gaze
on our might's monuments of fire.
The world dangles from us
while we gaze.
Posted at 08:05 AM EST [Link][Comment]
Request for comments: The Hybrid Thank You Card Project. Thanks in advance.
Posted at 12:54 AM EST [Link][Comment]
Monday, March 17, 02003
I attended a candlelight vigil at the Lincoln Memorial tonight. I estimate about 1,500 other people present, with a very wide range of age groups represented. There were lots of kids. The picture above was taken from the top of the Lincoln Memorial steps. Probably about quarter of the people still had lit candles at that time. That's the Washington Monument in the background.
After the vigil, there was a walk to the White House. I was near the edge of the group at the time, so I was one of the first people to reach the White House area. By that time, the police had shut down access to Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House, as well as Lafayette Square Park. For a good part of H Street I walking alongside a cop rolling out yellow Police tape along the entire length of the park. About that time a surveillance helicopter showed up, and stayed in the area about 20 minutes.
All in all, I recommend the candlelight vigil for any other introverted protesters out there, who otherwise would be overwhelmed by the mass of people at a large march. The vigil is by design an introspective, quiet protest format, plus it's dark out, so the other protesters aren't as noticable One bit of advice would be to bring a paper or plastic cup, and poke the candle through a hole in the bottom of the cup. This will protect the flame from the wind, and give the melted wax somewhere to go. I had brought no cup, so I ended up spilling wax on myself a couple times during the night. Ouch !
(Update: The Post says only 400 people were present. I guess they were just counting the peace activists, and not the thousand other normal non-activists who were also there. Also, Sorry if the picture looks all black. It looked fine at home. Hopfully I have time to fix it tonight.)
Posted at 12:43 AM EST [Link]
