FIRST LT. EHREN WATADA AND THE WAR IN IRAQ

When Mark Twain said, “It is curious that physical courage should be so common in the world and moral courage so rare,” he must have had in mind someone like First Lt. Ehren Watada, who is being threatened with court marital because he is opposed to the War in Iraq and refuses to be serve there. Normally shy of publicity, the Nikkei community came out to support Lt. Watada:



Reverend Lloyd Wake was among many speakers, including veterans opposed to the American War in Iraq and those who had refused to serve in the American War in Vietnam:



Before the event, the Raging Grannies entertained:



Aimee Allison, running for supervisor in Oakland in 2006, was, as usual, very eloquent:



Finian Makepeace sang one of his songs:



Lt. Watada could not be at all of the demonstrations being held around the U.S.A. in support of his stand, but people listened and were moved by his recorded message, and he came across as a gentle, intelligent, true patriot:



MARCH AGAINST THE WAR. Vote with your feet. TAKE to the STREET! Saturday, 28 October 2006, 12 Noon, U.N. Plaza, Market between 7th & 8th Streets, San Francisco.


The giant flag belongs to Bob Miller, a member of LMNOP (Lake Merritt Neighbors of Peace), who have marched around Lake Merritt in Oakland carrying peace signs every Sunday since 9/11 at 3 p.m. Oakland motorists honk continuously in support of their opposition to the invasion of Iraq.