Nov 5th Day of Action

I just realized that it might have actually been my friend that took these pictures..

School of the Americas

Last week I went to Georgia for the School of the Americas protest. It was an incredible experience in so many ways. The energy at the protest site is amazing, everyone is so passionate and peaceful. It was truly inspiring to see so many people (20,000) of all ages speaking out against U.S. foreign policy. There were many older people, well into their 80s, still fighting for peace and justice. Everyone was super friendly, and it was great to see so many people that have kept activism with them throughout their entire lives.

On Sat there was basically a festival at the protest site, with speakers and musicians performing all day long, free vegan food from Food Not Bombs, and tables set up by organizations, faith groups and alternative companies. The Puppetistas did an amazing performance, which anyone could participate in. They had a large puppet (which I think was 28ft tall), with words like Empire and rape on it. It was moving slowly and making eerie noises, while people on stilts around it hissed at and chased people. It paraded down the road, and behind it came people with flags that said 'winds of change', then people with signs that said women power, worker power, spirit power, and first nations power. When they all got to the front stage and came together, they brought down the empire puppet, which slowly collapsed and fell to the ground, and everyone was dancing and celebrating. It was very moving, and was one of the most beautiful things I have ever experienced.
Sunday was the actual protest, starting with speakers in the morning. People dressed in black and carrying cardboard coffins led the funeral procession, followed by 20,000 protesters, most of whom were holding a cross bearing the name of a person murdered by an SOA graduate. People on the stage would sing out the name and age of a victim, and we would all hold up our crosses and sing 'presente', meaning that they are here with us. It was very beautiful and moving. I was amazed at how angelic the voices sounded, how so many people singing together sounded so in tune. When we arrived at the fence that is blocking off the SOA / WHINSEC, we put our crosses in the fence. After I arrived at the fence I sat down on the grass, closed my eyes and listening to the rest of the names being called out. WHINSEC kept blaring out warnings that you will be arrested if you cross the fence, what the penalties are, etc. while the names were being called out. I thought it was incredibly disrespectful that they would blast their message over a memorial service, especially since all of us were already well aware of the consequences of crossing the line.

Once the last person's name was called out, the people on the stage started talking about all the positive changes that are happening in the world. The puppetistas did another amazing performance, and there was a 'celebration of life' with everyone dancing. We danced and marched down the streets, onto the main road and through residential areas as well, singing chants and cheering. There was so much life and energy in the group that it is difficult to capture in words.
I met so many great people this weekend. Not only was the protest amazing, but the road trip to get there was tons of fun, getting to know people in our caravan, and staying at hotels (with eight people in a single room!)

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I shouldn't assume that you know what the SOA is, so I'll give you a bit of background information here. The School of the Americas is a military school in the U.S. that trains Latin American soldiers. Many graduates of this school have gone on to commit human rights violations, including the massacre at El Mozote, where basically all of El Mozote and surrounding villages were massacred, killing a total of 767 people (many of which were children); the massacre of 43 people in Segovia Columbia; and the murder of six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and her daughter. The SOA denies responsbility for the actions of their graduates, but you can not let murder go ignored an unquestioned. The SOA denies teaching methods that would lead to human rights violations, but torture manuals were actually found at the SOA.

The SOA 'closed down', and the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation opened in the same location TWO WEEKS LATER. This is the same school, still training Latin American soldiers, but with a different name. It takes a long time to plan a school, write the courses, find teachers, etc., and it is far to large of a coincidence that an entirely different school would open right after the SOA closed, with similar goals and many of the same instructors. I attended a presentation and panel at WHINSEC with an open mind, willing to hear what they had to say, but was not convinced at all. The entire presentation was glossed over and not substantive, they keep bringing up the same simple arguments over and over and refuse to admit that the school
should in any way be held responsible for crimes committed by its graduates. WHINSEC is supporting Plan Columbia, a very irresponible way of dealing with the U.S. drug trade by aerial spraying coca plants in Columbia, devastating local families and the environment. Plan Columbia is a good film to watch if you would like to learn more about this.

I gave a very brief synopsis of the school, but please check the School of the Americas Watch website out at www.soaw.org for more detailed information.

Day of Action

On November 5th, students from all over Canada gathered in different locations to show that we are sick of paying ever rising fees to get an education, and that we are going to fight back. As over 6000 students marched through the streets of downtown Toronto, many onlookers saw a sea of students holding signs and shouting, showing that the price of tuition fees is a problem and that it is affecting a very large number of people. We passed many construction workers who cheered for us and raised their fists in solidarity. We sat on the road at the corner of University and College, blocking traffic, and then continued on to Queen's Park where a rally took place. A lovely group was giving out a free vegan lunch, consisting of squash soup and pita chips. It is inspiring to be part of such a large enthusiastic group, and I feel it was important to show people that university is not easy for students today, that we are willing to fight back, and are not few in numbers. University students are the professionals of tommorrow, getting a university education is expected of us if we want to be successful, yet the government does not value us. Unfortunately it has become more difficult for people to find a job if they do not have a university degree or college diploma, and education has become increasingly less accessible as tuition fees have been rising well above the rate of inflation. So it has become a no-win situation for people who don't come from wealthy families. I am extremely blessed that I am able to attend university and am able to budget and pay the fees without getting a loan, but education should be a right, not a blessing, and students shouldn't have to be drowning in debt by the time they graduate.