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January 12,
2007
Antiwar demonstrators
protest call for troop 'surge'*
Boston Common rally draws 200
By April
Simpson, Globe Staff | January 12, 2007
In 30-degree weather, nearly 200 protesters packed the corner of
Tremont and Park streets in downtown Boston yesterday evening in an
"emergency rally" to stop President Bush from sending more than
20,000 additional troops to Iraq.
Alicia Casilio wore a
Muslim headcover and numbers painted on her face representing Iraqi
casualties during a Boston Common rally yesterday against plans to
boost US troop levels. (DINA RUDICK/GLOBE STAFF)
The Boston
Common rally was inspired by Bush's nationally televised address
Wednesday night, when he announced that more troops would be sent to
work alongside Iraqi units. It was one of hundreds nationwide
organized by activist groups, including MoveOn.org .
Some protesters said they were not surprised Bush wants to send more
troops, despite low public approval of the war and the bipartisan
Baker Commission's recommendation to withdraw military personnel
from a country wracked by civil strife.
"More than 3,000 US soldiers are dead, and the total death is over
18,000," said Dylan Seo , 24, an activist with Socialist
Alternatives and Stop the Wars Coalition . "It's ridiculous that all
this time and money and energy is being spent."
Protesters hoisted signs bearing such messages as "War is terrorism
with a bigger budget" and "Kill one person and it's murder, kill
thousands and it's foreign policy." Speakers took turns at a
microphone addressing the protesters, many of them seemingly middle
age. Calls to "impeach Bush" roused applause.
One of the
speakers, historian Howard Zinn, told the crowd that the president
was completely disassociated from the impact the war has had on
people's lives.
"I thought it was a robot up there," Zinn, author of "A People's
History of the United States" said of watching the president's
speech. "I didn't sense an iota of feeling."
Catherine Melina , a member of MoveOn.org, expressed fear that her
28-year-old son, who is training to drive a tank, will be deployed
to Iraq.
"It just scares the hell out of me," Melina said. " 'Escalation' is
just a word for more people dying. They're going to be more American
people, and they're going to be more Iraqi people, and they're all
going to be innocent people."
David Ascher , a member of Newton Dialogues on Peace and War, said
he held antiwar signs with about 120 people at a protest in Newton
Centre.
"We hope that it emboldens those who are closer to the levels of
power than we are, to stand up and do something," Ascher said.
April Simpson can be reached at asimpson@globe.com.
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