---

 

No intelligent person in their right mind wants war.

There can be no justification for any innocent person to be harmed or killed by the U.S. military. War is an obsolete human practice that must be eliminated from the face of the earth, along with all weapons of mass destruction. Our military should be used to defend our country or to engage in international peace keeping, not to fight, destroy, and kill for the sake of American corporate interests.

Yet, our government, now controlled by the Bush Regime, the oil industry, and wealthy corporate interests, sees an opportunity to steel the oil resources of Iraq from right under the nose of the entire world and to do so using our public tax dollars and our military personnel -- a pretty slick heist if they can pull it off. If they can gain control of the second largest petroleum deposit in the world, they will have the fuel to keep the battleships, tanks, and bombers running far into the foreseeable future, thereby having their way with the remainder of the world's resources. A few people in the oil industry will gain huge windfalls of profit and power and the rest of us will get to have cheap fuel for our gas-guzzling SUVs.

All the Bush Regime has to do is inundate the American public with relentless propaganda, constantly hold up a threat (which changes from month to month - remember Osama?), and try to paint anyone who disagrees as "unpatriotic" or worse. Many in the TV zombie nation have fallen for this ruse, unable to think clearly about the issues under the propaganda onslaught, unable to access the true opinions of the rest of the world due to U.S. corporate media filtering of the information.

This scenario has been used many times in the past. American propaganda is now a fine art -- Vietnam was a perfect example of total insanity forced upon U.S. citizens using the three-prong propaganda approach: 1) indoctrination via educational institutions (primarily public schools), 2) heavy propaganda via the corporate owned media, and 3) maintenance of a constant threat (it was communism then, it's terrorism now, but it's all for the same purpose -- to keep the masses confused and afraid so that a small group of wealthy elite can maintain control of the U.S. government).

Yet there are many of us Americans who have not been duped. We see the current real threat to the world as our own un-elected president. We see that weapons of mass destruction are an insult to humanity no matter who possesses them, and we see the U.S., not Iraq, as being the world's weapons glutton. We see that the U.S. government has a long history of invading and overthrowing other countries to satisfy corporate greed and to oppress popular movements that take power away from the rich. We see an attact on Iraq, or any sovereign nation, as being a blatant form of international criminality. We oppose the death and suffering the U.S. has imposed upon the people of Iraq, Afghanistan, or anywhere else in the world. We promote respect for human rights for everyone, everywhere. We promote conflict resolution via international, democratic institutions, not via unilateral violence.

There have been and continue to be many rallies and protests against the Bush Administration's insanity, both in the United States and in the world. The photos below are hereby posted to let the world know that all Americans haven't lost their minds. Some of us can still think. Many of us understand the need for global international cooperation and for real democracy. There are many Americans who abhor violence and militarism. We understand the need to give human rights and human needs high priorities, no matter who or where the humans are. We do not support the Bush Regime's thinly veiled power-grab, nor the criminal use of the U.S. military.

Below are some photos of a rally in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, in January of 2003. It was about ten degrees F (-12 C) with windy, blizzard-like conditions. The roads were treacherous. Yet, the turn-out was fantastic. We are here in the U.S. -- many, many of us. See for yourself, then forward this page to others around the world.

 

People marching as far as the eye can see.

 

 

 

 

Gathering in front of a church.

 

 

American citizens are crusted in frozen snow.

 

 

 

The "Raging Grannies" singing peace songs are surrounded by riot police. They weren't going to let the grannies get out of control!

 

 

The "die-in" in the middle of the street. The people were practically frozen together.