4,000 Too Many! Come out to stand witness and mark the terrible human costs of an unnecessary war of aggression. The following is courtesy of Glen Anderson, a long time FOR organizer:

The Olympia Movement for Justice and Peace has wanted to mark the 4,000th U.S. military death in Iraq. During its meeting on Wednesday evening March 26, OMJP decided to mark this milestone by participating in the Olympia Fellowship of Reconciliation’s regularly scheduled peace vigil this coming Friday the 28th from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. at the south end of Percival Landing (4th & Water), in downtown Olympia.

The Olympia FOR is happy to welcome OMJP’s participation. We’re also welcoming some local supporters of the Tibetan people’s longing for cultural autonomy and respect. From time to time other groups participate in the Olympia FOR’s vigil, and we like to let new folks know about this Olympia tradition. We have been vigiling there since November 1998 – initially seeking to raise public awareness of the economic sanctions the previous Bush and Clinton imposed against Iraq.

The Olympia FOR has worked in our local community since 1976 (32 years) to promote peace and social justice. The FOR’s international level (www.ifor.org) and national level (www.forusa.org) have worked courageously and nonviolently since 1914-1915 (beginning of world War I). The FOR has nonviolently opposed all wars from World War I onward.

The weekly Wednesday Olympia FOR peace vigil went well today. I arrived shortly after 12 Noon. There were several people already lined up with signs when I got there, but thanks to FOR organizer Glen Anderson, there were still plenty of signs for me to choose from. I chose a sign that read, "War is not the answer." One of the things that I like about the peace vigil is the opportunity to put a friendly face on the peace movement. I believe that in order to be instrumental in the creation of a peaceful society, the peace movement must make itself into a desirable destination for peoples' involvement. A major part of that equation is making it so that the movement is welcoming and most importantly, fun.

As usual, I had good conversations. I talked with fellow peace activists about the lies of the Bush Administration and in specific, about Scott McClellan's new book, in which he accuses high-ranking members of the Bush Administration (including President Bush, Karl Rove, Vice President Cheney, Andrew Card and I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby among them) of encouraging him to pass false information to the press in regard to the Valerie Plame CIA leak case. As is usual in many of the cases involving corruption of high level government officials, this story was covered only glancingly. An in depth and hard-hitting journalistic coverage of the pattern of deception that emanates from the White House, as evinced by McClellan's account, has been negligible in the mainstream media. It would seem appropriate, that when a former Bush loyalist and senior Administration staffer comes forward with charges of corruption, that a serious and in-depth investigation would follow.

At about half-way through the hour long peace vigil, the sign-holders experienced an interesting note of criticism. A woman, possibly reacting to the content of my sign ("War is not the answer") said, "We're fighting "there" so that we don't have to fight "here."" She promptly rolled up her window and drove off, so that there was not opportunity to enter into a discussion about her statement. I would suggest to her, however, that the reason "we" are fighting "there" is because of the desire, amongst prominent decision makers, for global dominance. The war is not about protecting the USA against some supposedly incorrigible and insatiable appetite for destruction, and/or terrorism. Indeed, wars of aggression, and a foreign policy of global dominance and economic conquest, are the principle causes of anti-US sentiment and terrorism. So really, and honestly now, is global dominance in the national interest? My answer is no. Global dominance may be in the interests of certain multinational corporations (and those who profit from the activities of those corporations.) But global dominance is not in my best interest or, I argue, in the best interest of the American People or the Nation. The foreign policy of global dominance is hurting people, it is causing environmental and ecological destruction. We would benefit instead, as a nation, from a foreign policy that promotes neighborliness; cooperation; fair and equitable competition; nonviolence; and a vision for sustainability and respect for future generations.

Today is the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq by the US Government and I had the opportunity to participate in a weekly peace vigil at Sylvester Park (sponsored by the Olympia FOR). The weather was good and so was the turnout. I had some great conversations, including with a couple of conservatives, one of whom was very reasonable! A young gentleman from Spokane, who was toting a suitcase, approached me and we had a lengthy conversation about the difference between the response by the left to Clinton Administration foreign policy Aggression when compared with the response by the left to Bush Administration Aggression. It is too bad that the left was not more vocal in opposition to Clinton's Aggression, but the left was not silent. There was opposition. The reasons that a more vocal opposition to the aggressive foreign policy of the Clinton Administration didn't arise are multiple but for one, he [Clinton] acted within the auspices of the UN Security Council and for two, his behavior was not as flagrant, or belligerent, relative to the machinations and blatant aggression as evinced by members of the Bush Administration. The traveler from Spokane and I fully agreed on one thing, which is the problem of the Military Industrial Congressional Complex. It was a good conversation; we both gained in understanding.

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You're welcome to stand for peace at the Olympia Fellowship of Reconciliation's weekly Sylvester Park Peace Vigil. It happens every Wednesday. Meet at Noon at the NW corner of the park (Capitol Way and Legion Ave). Signs are also available. This event is ongoing. It's fun and rewarding.

more information: Wednesday Sylvester Park Peace Vigil