You can barely see it. It’s right on the back of the war monument in Central Square. It’s a faded red peace sign. The statue was chalked more than two years ago, maybe longer. When asked where it came from, one atheist Free Keener said he didn’t know and, “Maybe God put it there.”
Until recently, few who frequent Central Square knew it was even there.
At the City Council graffiti meeting recently, one person demanded that it be removed, asked when it would be done and when an ordinance would be created to prevent it from ever happening again.
I oppose its removal.
Today, many are warming to the idea that war monuments, parades and holidays are just government propaganda. It’s less about the debt and honor owed the soldiers, and more about trying to justify past and future military endeavors. The people who think this way are not all hippies and peaceniks.
I happen to be a young veteran with a normal job and a normal life. I “served my country” and then one day I woke up when I came to realize that war is not the solution, it never was, and never will be.
Sending our sons and daughters across the globe to fight in countless undeclared wars in countries that most Americans couldn’t locate on a map is beyond immoral. Spending almost $1 trillion a year to fund more than 1,000 U.S. military bases and 250,000 soldiers to act as global policemen in a state of permanent war is self-defeating, wasteful and unconscionable. How can anyone in their right mind support such insanity?
Roughing it at Porcfest2014 • Quitting Facebook? • Veterans for Peace • Should the city pay for PumpkinFest? Homeless shelter? • Shaunna and Joe join • Show notes at: BlackSheepRising.org
ALP, PNN and other podcast stuff • Derrick jumps through fiery hoops • Old DMV grannies conspiracy • Young libertarians. Why we do what we do and why the opposition is wrong • City nanny proposes chalking ordinances • Who owns the commons? • NJ boardwalk mandatory dress code • Ellen and Derrick join • Show notes at: BlackSheepRising.org
Wednesday, June 18th 2014 – 10am – Activists convened at the NH Supreme Court to hear Rich Paul’s attorney argue for an appeal. That means even though Rich Paul lost his original trial, he can ask a higher court to hear arguments to decide if the original ruling was wrongly decided. If they decide to go forward with the appeal, Rich will have a whole new trial. The Supreme Court’s ruling is where laws are challenged and clarified. Whatever they decide has the potential to set future precedent.
UPDATE: You never know who’s watching. Vigilant videographer Garret Ean captured the moment with his video camera. The video is so funny, I made it a GIF:
Hero Rich Paul is behind bars again! He is currently wearing orange and being held in D-Block. (That’s where they keep prisoners who haven’t yet been sentenced.) He can accept visitors, but not phone calls. The best way to write to him is using a free service called http://MailtoJail.com. He might be in there for a while, so please write him often, as it is his only connection to the outside world.
Except one. The Jail Sign-Wave is an activism event where people bring banners, posters, and flags outside the jail, and they wave up at the prisoners caged inside. Word quickly spreads around the cell block, and soon everyone is at their windows waving back. Many of them will never have a single visitor for months or years. There’s a reason they come to the windows and wave every week. Humans need connection.
