Protestors mark 6th Anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq
By Karen Topakian
It’s not every day that you publicly get to exercise your first amendment rights. By dissenting. But I did on Thursday, March 19, 2009, on the 6th anniversary of the US’s invasion of Iraq.
Lying down in the middle of Market Street at Montgomery at 12:30 p.m., stopping business as usual. Sixteen of us lay in the sidewalk in a die-in.
The police gave us three warnings to leave or risk being arrested. I didn’t leave.
A cool breeze crossed my cheek as I listened to the chants against the war and in favor of more money for health, education, jobs and housing. I asked myself how many years will I have to lie in the street on this date to stop this war?
Sadly, I don’t have an answer. Because every year I do this I hope it will be my last. But the wars continue.
I know that lying in the street alone will not stop the invasion of Iraq. Nor will just marching down Market Street. Or only sending letters to the President and Congress. But we have to do all of them to ensure that the cumulative impact will be felt and heard by our elected leaders.
On March 19, I had to publicly say NO to war. For a moment we will focus on the lives lost and the money wasted and the environment damaged in this war.
The police removed us from the scene, charged us with disobeying a traffic signal and warned us to not return or we would be arrested, charged with a misdemeanor and sent to jail. Four of my colleagues chose to literally return to the scene of the crime. They lay down again and the police arrested them. I cheered from the sidelines.
Thank you James Madison. For 220 years ago, you included this right, the right of the people peaceably to assemble, as the first right of the Bill of Rights.
I’ve been exercising it every chance I get.
