Veterans Day 2008 was a big success for us. The American Legion, afraid of confrontation with us, cancelled the speaking portion of the event. We had more people marching with us than last year, behind the street sweepers as usual. Thanks to our supporters from Code Pink, Mass. Peace Action, Raging Grannies, U Mass Antiwar group, and others who came out. As we reached City Hall Plaza Iraq Veterans Against The War was on the sidewalk, applauding us and we all hugged and shook hands. Then, in a great suggestion by Liam Madden, we had our own speaking event on City Hall Plaza. Speakers were Nate Goldshlag, Shep Gurwitz, Liam Madden, national VFP President Elliott Adams, and Paul Brailsford. And then we ended with the Raging Grannies singing a song.
We marched with cadences the whole way, and passed out hundreds of flyers in an attempt to get the wars and occupations back into the consciousness of the public. We got a great response from people along the way, and only a couple of negative reactions. The motorcycles that the Boston Police put between us and the parade made it seem like we had a motorcycle escort!
In a comical note, the official program that listed the groups had the following at the end of the Third Division:
Boston Street Cleaning Division
Veterans For Peace
Our photos, videos, and TV coverage are here.
Boston Globe coverage is here, at the end of the article. Boston Metro coverage is better and is here. There is more Indymedia coverage here.
