|
Laura Halley
SOA Reflection
As I had never been to this
protest before, I did not have clear
expectations for what it would look like
and who would be there. One image that
remains very clear in my head and
captures a lot about the weekend is that
of an army guard at the entrance to the
protest on the last day. Here were
thousands of long time nonviolent
protesters trying to move toward the
gates of Fort Benning, and this guard
was standing there with his giant gun
and a thin, square sheet of metal
demanding to measure the wooden crosses
that people traditionally carry in the
protest. He was shouting, “If your
cross is larger than this square, it is
considered a weapon; please stand to the
side and break it down.” So that is
just what protesters (largely college
students, veterans and grandmothers for
peace, and nuns) were forced to do—move
out of the way and break their crosses
apart. Standing behind him a middle
aged woman was fuming, yelling, “They’re
just slowing us down; they’re trying to
make us smaller.”
The
weekend left me with many feelings I am
still trying to sort out. Joining
25,000 peaceful protesters brought
feelings of sadness but also hope. The
day of the protest called us to remember
and mourn those victims of SOA violence
as well as celebrate the resilience of
their families and communities. The
road to the gates of Fort Benning was
lined with kiosks promoting awareness of
other causes and issues needing
support. Though all the issues are
related in one way or another, it can
make one person feel a bit useless. Of
course, there is no time to waste
dwelling on that depressing thought.
All we can do is dedicate ourselves
completely to the cause at hand, be in
genuine solidarity with those that have
suffered and survived, and continue to
fight injustice one day at a time.
|
