Texas Labor Against the War

Activists and onlookers at an antiwar demonstration braved harsh weather Wednesday at the LBJ Amphitheatre — two weeks after the event rescheduled because of rain.

The rally, Escalate the Peace, included students, teachers, activists, veterans, reverends and poets. Speeches ranged from anti-capitalist sentiments to the conflict in Palestine. Two newly-formed organizations, the Campus Antiwar Movement to End Occupations and the Progressive Bobcats Union co-sponsored the event.

“In the Bible it says they asked Jesus what the most important commandment was,” said John Marion, anti-war activist. “You know how you hear about the Ten Commandments — thou shall not kill, honor thy father and thy mother? But he said the most important commandment is love — love your neighbors as thyself. Love your enemies and forgive those who persecute you.”

Marion said the message comes from stories of his brother and friends who have been affected by war.

“One of my friends from New Mexico was in the infantry in Iraq,” Marion said. “He said the biggest problem he had when he came back was how quiet it was. He got used to the sounds of bombs, mortars and guns, and when there were no explosions, he was scared the most.”
Marion said his friend came back changed.

“Now he comes home, and he’s screwed up,” Marion said. “He doesn’t know what he wants to do with his life. He doesn’t know what his life means anymore.”

Bobby Whittenberg, veteran and former Texas State student, shared similar stories of the return to civilian life.

“There’s a lot of issues you have after coming back like dealing with the death of friends and feeling betrayed by the military,” said Whittenberg, who was awarded a Purple Heart. “After I got injured, they started saying I was a coward because I couldn’t keep up with the physical training.”

Whittenberg said the cost of war is more than money.

“The cost of war so far is over a million people who we have attacked who are dead,” Whittenberg said. “There are over 5,000 American troops who are dead and those who come back wounded have to fight to receive the healthcare we deserve — the mental healthcare we deserve…Eighteen veterans kill themselves every day. That’s not a result of a healthy society. That’s not a result of integrating people back — that’s absolute neglect.”

Leslie Moya, education senior, stood in the pouring sleet to listen to the talk about middle-eastern conflicts.

“I understand where the whole Palestine issue is coming from — I’m Jewish,” Moya said. “I think (the speaker) was a little one sided. I don’t know if he’s Palestinian or what the deal is but I think there is a lot more that goes into it. Not everything is black and white. He tried to make Israel the bad people, but Palestine hasn’t done everything right.”

Luke Stewart, electronic engineering sophomore, watched from a distance out of the downfall. He is worried about his cousin in the Navy who is about to deploy to Afghanistan.

“I think what they are saying is true, but I think that we’re kind of running in circles right now,” Stewart said. “It seems like it’s getting worse. A lot of these kids join the military so they can get the financial benefit so they can maybe go to college after they’re done but how much is your life worth? It’s crazy.”

Elizabeth Welch, literature graduate student and CAMEO president, said the recent escalation of troops in Afghanistan helped inspire the timing of the event.

“The Democrats have majorities in both houses and we have a president that is a Democrat but where are we at?” Welch asked. “We have a spending freeze not on war, but programs that help people.”

Welch said the event went well despite the weather.

“It’s always really encouraging to see a crowd, no matter how small, come out in these conditions,” Welch said. “It starts small, everything does. The bad weather is kind of inspiring — you see people with rain pellets hitting their heads and it shows how much they care.”