Rochester Walks for Peace Week 2: Firsthand Accounts

This Saturday about 35-40 activists walked from Norton st. and Clinton ave. to Cafe Underground Railroad on W. Main st. as part of the second out of four walks for Rochester Walks for Peace. The march slowly winded its way through the city, with walkers stopping frequently along the way to engage local residents.

The aim of the march was to forge connections between the Anti-war community and communities in the city. The march was truly inspiring and well received. There will be 2 more walks this month, the next one will happen Saturday the 16th, 1:30pm, starting at the corner of Hudson Ave. and North St.

Along the way I talked with folks marching about where the idea came from, what were the goals, what connections they saw between the war and our city communities and finally what the response was to the walk.

Overview of the Walks

[Mary] Anti-war communities across Upstate New York organized a 10 day walk to Fort Drum in May and we found from participating in that that out in the rural communities there's overwhelming support for people doing anti-war organizing and there's just a real thirst for people to just talk and ventilate about what they were going through, tons of military families that were suffering in silence and isolation. So we realized we haven't really done this type of community outreach even within our own communities in the city

[Judy] I think that the war is everyone's problem in this country. And not everyone feels like they have any way to engage their aversion to the war, anyway to really speak out against the war.

[Brian] One thing that the march is doing is reaching out to communities that might feel separated from the anti-war movement and that's a tough thing to do. I mean, the last march we had the first time I heard this, I was kind of like quaint. Somebody said, "I thought I was the only one. I didn't know there was an anti-war movement in Rochester." Then the third time I heard it, y'know, within an hour, it got scary.

The Connections Between Iraq and Rochester

[Mary] …we also are trying to make an explicit focus on how the war drains resources from all the things that make our communities suffer and cause the violence that everyone is so aware of.

[Judy] Y'know, we have put enough money into Iraq. I think it's enough to build 10 schools a day, to provide health care for every American for the next 50 years.

[David] …Take a look around! Deprivation, no opportunity, hopelessness because there is nothing for the people in war. other than to go to war. It's pathetic, it's about this stuff. We leaflet through here, we see little children, there is no prospect for anything if this mindset doesn't change. So basically we're here to listen to these people and have them listen to us that there is a connection and that together we can change things.

[Eli] Money is one of the connections. It's not the only connection I think, but it's an important one. I think when our government shows by example that violence is the way to solve problems then the people may sometimes copy that, y'know that's kind of put out for our whole image for our society: that's the way we are and I think that has to be addressed at all levels, starting with the top.

[Polly] There are few opportunities for the young people- the military capitalizes on that and they come for those kids. They're not coming for the kids of the affluent.

[Brian] Recruiters target lower income areas. So you're going to see a higher number of people that are military family members or have direct involvement in the war machine. People think that if you're anti war you're not pro-soldier but it's anything but the truth. Our biggest ally in Rochester has been the anti-war movement.

[Carol] We want to bring the troops home now. We want to take care of them when they get home and give them all the care, medical care and emotional care that they need, which is sorely lacking.

Reactions From the Community

(The following two comments were typed on my lapton at the Undeground Railroad Cafe)

[Jeff] Walking down west main chanting “blacks latinos arabs asians and whites, no racist war no more no more etc. Was energizing! So many people want a social justice movement. The task of course is working with people to turn anti-war sentiment into anti-war/peace action. I think the political environment is as open to politics of peace, justice and grassroots organizing as its been since the early 70's. Its very encouraging to be a part of a multicultural movement fighting for an equitable, peaceful world.

[Polly] The overwhelmingly positive response to our presence and our message give me hope to continue. I've spent two days handing out flyers and speaking with the neighbors of this area and people were grateful for our effort. No matter where we walk, whether in rural areas or the inner city, the connection between the lack of resources for the people and the war is clear and easy to make. I look forward to working further with those we have met.

[Emily] Earlier this week I went to the storefront and Polly pulled me into this car full of people coming out here to hand out flyers. The support was so overwhelming just talking to people on their front porches and in the street. And everyone was so with us, and were just like, 'this is awesome, this is great'

[Carol] People who've been there, people who have family members, they understand that this is pointless and that this is of no benefit whatsoever to the people of America or anyone else and they want the killing to stop too.

[Polly] I just talked to a guy who's 21 years in the marines and who's sister lost her boyfriend in the war and I talked to him and he's going to be meeting us up over at the cafe and that's the kind of discussions we're having. I came out here to flyer last week and I ran into a military family with an active duty son and they are so behind us, and so tired of what's going on, they're tired of being afraid, they're tired of feeling powerless they're tired of silence.

[Eric] It was amazing there was a little kid and he was like 'Can I talk on the mic, can I talk on the mic?' and I said, 'You don't even know what we're here for.' And he said, 'Yessir, Y'all want our soldiers back,' and it surprised me because the kid couldn't have been no more than about 11 years old and he understand and he know. He said, 'Right?' and another one said, 'Right,it's the violence. Right, it's the violence!' and y'know, same thing. It all ties together.