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International Women's Day March To Say No To War March 8, 2006San Francisco Bay Area Code Pink San Francisco, CA | ||
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San Francisco Bay Area Code Pink celebrated International Women’s Day with a spirited march through downtown Oakland at the evening rush hour, ending at an event we cosponsored, put on by the Women of Color Resource Center, titled “Breaking Rank: Women of Color Soldiers Speak Out.” We converged at the Oakland Army Recruiting Station from all corners of the Bay Area. Banners proclaimed, “Women Say No To War” and “Women Say Enough! End War in 2006." The San Francisco contingent brought their vigil banner with the count of the war dead, and many people carried homemade signs. Chants focussed on women leading us out of war. As we set out marching, Raging Grannies and Women in Black joined us; with 85 to 100 people, at one point we formed sizeable groups along both sides of Broadway. Passersby grabbed fliers, bus drivers leaned out to ask what we were doing, and motorists honked in appreciation. The only time our march was in peril was as we passed a most alluring hat store; there was some danger that the line of march would be diverted in there, but we were able to stay focused! The WCRC event was a follow up to last year’s “Fashion Resistance to Militarism” fashion show. Army veterans/antiwar activists Aimee Allison and Tina Garnanez spoke movingly at length about their experiences as women in the military and about their work for peace and in support of soldiers since leaving the military. Then WCRC showed a short film, based on the fashion show but with excellent additional footage and interviews, on the militarization of American popular culture. They will have an antiwar curriculum, hopefully with the documentary as part of it, available in June. Channel 14, Univision, contacted Code Pink ahead of time, and sent a reporter to the WCRC event. The brief report that showed on their 11 pm news did include snippets from a live interview with a local Code Pink representative. |
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