War Protests

It has been interesting following the war from Europe.
I (Craig) volunteered to go again, and once again the
Marine Corps politely and obliquely indicated that
"don't call us, we will call you." Most of my old
Squadron has been activated and are in the Gulf.

It seems that most of Europe is against the War. I
certainly have mixed feelings about it, but the Brits
and we end up defending the coalition position against
European opinion.

On April 16, 2003 Beth and I were in Florence, and
happened on an American Anti War Demonstration along
the Arno River. There were about 34 protestors, with
signs that identified their State, and saying that the
War was "NOT IN OUR NAME".

They were mostly older; well meaning kind of washed out
people. There were more Italian cops at the
demonstration than protestors. There were about ten
people watching the demonstration. They used a bullhorn
to explain their thoughts. One of the speakers told the
crowd that the Bush family was tied into terrorist
organizations. Nobody in the crowd challenged that, so
it was obvious that many were from the lunatic fringe.

Another fellow talked about all the burning or theft of
rare manuscripts in Baghdad, and how we have lost our
patrimony. He neglected to advise that the Iraqis did
all of this.

I (Craig) thought about telling them what I thought of
all this, but it would have been pointless. They have
the right to their opinion, and my point of view
certainly would not change their views. They even have
the right to protest in a foreign country. I think it
is pretty tacky that they were doing it while our
troops were fighting and dying, but that is their
right. However, while if may be their right to protest,
it is certainly not right to protest now. I (Beth)
allowed Craig to attend the protest. He was allowed
only on the condition that he not fight with anyone. I
also told him that he needs to remember that unlike
Vietnam, we divide the policy maker from the military
in our thinking now.

The day before I (Beth) was accosted by a person in
Geneva, Switzerland, who overheard her at the coffee
counter, and asked if she was American. I told him "I
am." He then told me to "Piss on Your Bush". I think he
was unaware of the double meaning of his comment, and
meant the comment only for President Bush. I gave him a
piece of my mind, and he backed off. Whatever my
political position, I defend my country.

We were also in Rome for the 1,000,000-person Peace
march last month before the war started. Seems like the
entire country was against the war. Just like Vietnam.
Two kids gave us dirty stares, Beth stared back, and
they flinched. (She scares me; too, so it was not
surprising they were scared.)

I (Beth) might note that on our return to Italy, after
a month, we find the same number of Peace signs as
before. Every apartment building has large numbers of
Peace flags.

All these protests remind me (Craig) of Vietnam. Three
Marine Lieutenants and I saw a very large anti war
protest in 69 or 70 in the Mall of Washington DC. The
four of us were in OCS, with our bald haircuts, and no
one dared give us any grief. But they certainly were
watching us.

I also saw a very small anti war protest at University
of Illinois Chicago campus in 1972. Three protesters
marched into a small out door sitting area where a
number of us were enjoying a sunny afternoon. A film
crew followed them from a Chicago news station. They
ranted for a while with their bullhorn. A vet with a
red beard starting verbally harassing them. One of the
three peaceful protestors slugged the guy. Pretty
funny. The campus police separated them, and they
announced that they "were marching to city hall". The
station put the demonstration on the news that night.
They never indicated that there were only three
protestors at the event.

Semper Fi