The Manchester Enterprise
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
MAPP holds peace vigil
Protest marks fifth anniversary of U.S. occupation in Iraq
By Daniel Lai, Editor
PUBLISHED: March 27, 2008
On March 19, Michigan Citizen Action and Manchester Area People for Peace joined together to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the Iraq War by calling on Congress and President George W. Bush to bring U.S. troops home.
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Members of MAPP held a one-hour vigil on Main Street in conjunction with hundreds of protests across the country, which together comprised the largest single day of action against the war since 2003.
"Five years of war in Iraq are five years too many," Linda Teeter, executive director for Michigan Citizen Action, said. "With an economic recession making it harder than ever for millions of American families to make ends meet, the human and economic costs of the war in Iraq are unaffordable and unconscionable."
Bridgewater resident and anti-war activist Patty Swaney said the public's response to the group's vigil was very positive.
"Does standing on the corner in Manchester mean anything? I don't know, but I realized that there are a lot more positive reactions to seeing our 'demonstration' than there has been in the past five years.
"We received lots of positive honking and thumbs up along with the peace sign. Why is that? It couldn't be just the few local folks, standing on the corner, letting others know what we think: that we have gotten lies and disinformation from those we are supposed to trust. And also that is alright to openly be against the endless war and occupation."
Holding a sign that simply read "Peace" during the vigil, Swaney said she did not have the courage to say what was really on her mind.
"Thinking it over, I realize I wish I had made a new sign that said something to the effect of 'No more lies, no more war,'" she said. "We vote for someone to represent us in the debates of policy making but when that person does not represent me, I need to do something about it; I wish I would have had the courage to make a sign that said what I really felt after five years in Iraq."
Fellow MAPP activist Mary Goode, said she feels the United States overstepped its diplomatic power with the Iraq War.
"I think we should withdraw as soon as possible," she said. "I would like to see more United Nations involvement in international diplomacy. I don't think its right individual countries should make unilateral decisions on issues such as this."
Teeter said taxpayers in Michigan's 7th Congressional District - which includes Manchester — have paid $922.2 million for the Iraq War thus far, and will pay an additional $246 million for projected war spending in 2009.
"The war has already cost U.S taxpayers more than $500 billion. Joseph Stiglitz, a Columbia University economics professor and Nobel Laureate, has estimated that the total cost of the war will exceed $3 trillion," she said. "Nearly 4,000 U.S. troops have been killed in Iraq, 30,000 more have been wounded, and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have lost their lives."
Teeter said Michigan Citizen Action members will continue to push lawmakers to pass a resolution urging Congress to recognize the massive economic costs of Iraq War and invest instead in Michigan's future.
According to Cities for Peace, another national advocacy group, at least 280 cities, 10 counties and 17 states have passed resolutions calling on President Bush to bring the troops home.
"This renewed effort will emphasize how real investment in America's future is possible only if we stop spending billions of dollars every week in Iraq," the group states.
Teeter said she believes lawmakers should concentrate their efforts on local funding, rather than on international war expenditures.
"Michigan families support an economic justice agenda that invests in quality, affordable health care for all, stronger public schools and clean energy to end our dependence on oil," Teeter said. "In order to invest in America's future, we need to end the war in Iraq. Rep. Tim Walberg must do the right thing and reverse the administration's upside-down priorities, end the war and invest in America's future."
Following the vigil, MAPP members hosted a screening of the film "War Made Easy" at the village hall.
"It really opened my eyes to the media making the news rather than reporting the news," Swaney said.
For those who would like to watch the film, it will be available for rental at the Manchester District Library, Swaney said.
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