There were no demonstrations in the U.S. against the war in Afghanistan.
WHAT??!!
From OCTOBER 2001
pbs.org
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In Berkeley, California, people were on the streets in protest, even before the military strikes began. Their demonstrations and rallies calling for a "non-military approach" to capturing terrorist Osama bin Laden was also represented in Capitol Hill.
Berkeley's congresswoman, Barbara Lee, cast the only vote in the House of Representatives against giving President Bush sweeping military powers in the war against terrorism.
"I am convinced that military action will not prevent further acts of international terrorism against the United States," said Lee. "However, difficult this vote may be, some of us must urge the use of restraint."
Congressman James McDermott from Washington State later echoed Lee's sentiment.
"The destruction of the infrastructure did not work in Iraq a decade ago. It's deja vu. This sounds an awful lot like Iraq. Saddam Hussein is still in power," he pointed out.
"I'm not so sure that President Bush, members of his administration or the military have thought this action out completely or fully examined America's cause," said McDermott.
Taking it to the streets
Several weeks ago, thousands of protesters gathered in Washington D.C. for an antiwar protest.
"I don't think the solution to violence is more violence," 19-year-old Rachel Ettling said to The Washington Post newspaper. "It's a very patriotic thing to be an activist."
Cities like Boston and Chicago saw similar peace rallies. In New York City, more than 1,000 antiwar protesters demonstrated less than two miles from Ground Zero, the site of the former World Trade Center buildings. |
