I hear a military mom is marching with the anti-Military types. She defiles the military, and those who've honorably served and died. Who cares about her? I don't. I'm sure Mick would still serve to fight for her liberties and freedoms.
Contra Costa Times, 03/17/2005
War protesters to march in S.F.
Iraq war opponents plan to hit the streets in the Bay Area and around the nation Saturday to mark the second anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion to oust dictator Saddam Hussein.
"We're trying to encourage people in this country to stand up," said AiMara Lin, national coordinator for the anti-war group Not in Our Name. "We're not just going to take it."
The mass protests in San Francisco and other cities are intended to demonstrate widespread discontent with the war and the Bush administration and to galvanize opposition. Yet they also may draw disapproval from families with loved ones serving in Iraq.
"Just because we have the right to say what we want to say, doesn't mean that we should," said Concord's Brian Bekowsky, whose 21-year-old son, a Marine corporal, was killed in Iraq. "The people who are staging these protests, I believe, are not clearly seeing reality."
Not in Our Name and other activist groups are sponsoring marches, rallies and other events in scores of cities. Organizers hope the turnout at least matches that of last year, when worldwide protests drew a few hundred people in some places and a few hundred thousand or more in others.
"Our sense is that it's going to be very big," said Bill Hackwell, a spokesman for the International ANSWER coalition, which is leading the largest Bay Area protest.
Hackwell was reluctant to say how many people to expect. Organizers estimated last year's turnout in San Francisco at 50,000.
The event will begin at 11 a.m. in San Francisco's Mission Dolores Park and proceed with a march to Civic Park across from City Hall. There, speakers including actor Danny Glover and the Rev. Cecil Williams of San Francisco's Glide Memorial Church are to address the crowd.
"We just want to keep the country aware that a lot of people are being killed in Iraq," said Walnut Creek resident Bob Hanson, 73, who plans to attend the event with other East Bay activists. "A lot of us think it's a quagmire situation," said Hanson, a member of Rossmoor's Grandparents for Peace. "We want to get our troops out of there."
More than 1,500 U.S. military personnel have died in the Iraq war since it began March 19, 2003. Estimates of the number of Iraqi civilian deaths resulting from the war range from a few thousand to tens of thousand or more.
Polls have shown diminished American support for the war, although Iraq's January election has provided some hope that the violence-plagued nation will stabilize. They also have shown increased interest in bringing home the 150,000 or so U.S. troops in and near Iraq sooner rather than later.
A Washington Post-ABC News poll found this week that 53 percent of Americans believe the war wasn't worth it. It also found that 57 percent disapprove of Bush's handling of the war.
"A lot of us hope that Iraq really is on the road to democracy," Hanson said. "But it was an unnecessary war that was sold to the public on a bill of lies about weapons of mass destruction."
Activists have been seeking ways to capitalize on anti-war and anti-Bush sentiments to expand their movement beyond its core supporters. They are optimistic that Saturday's protests will bring more people on board to move public opinion further against the war
"We feel a big upsurge," Hackwell said. "We think there's a lot of people who are critical of the war. ... Our challenge, of course, is to get them from being critical and complaining to being activists."
Saturday's planned protests concern many people with loved ones in Iraq or Afghanistan. Concord's Deb Saunders, who leads a Blue Star Moms support group of service members' mothers, said she worries that the demonstrations will demoralize troops overseas.
"Always they ask us: 'How are things back home?'" she said. "They are very concerned about what people think."
Saturday marks an emotional moment for soldiers' families, a date that evokes the "gut-wrenching moment when we knew the war was under way," Saunders said. Yet it is not a day deserving special recognition, she said.
Instead, the Blue Star Moms will join veterans and Concord officials Sunday in recognizing Mick Bekowsky, the Marine corporal killed Sept. 6 in Iraq by a suicide car bomber. The Concord High School graduate was the city's first casualty of the war.
"It has never been just for him, because we feel just as strongly about all of the kids that are going over there," said Bekowsky, of the recognition his son is to receive. "It's simply honoring them, showing that what they do or are willing to do means something to someone."
Saturday's protesters have the right to voice their opposition, but they're wrong about the war, Bekowsky said. "What they're saying, basically, is that my son died for nothing, and I don't believe that."
I wish I could explain this inexplicable bawling, every time Mick's memory comes up. It takes a lot to get me to crying. I cry over kindnesses I witness in the world; but seldom cry if I'm angry or sad. Then there's Mick.
It's an instantaneous watershed in my eyes and down my cheeks. Even yet. My family has become accustomed, since last September, to periodically, and initially, most often - seeing this wetness in my eyes and on my cheeks, my sniffling and wiping my eyes. It's gotten better since last September. But it still happens. And when it happens, it's as if I'm reliving his murder all over again. It's intense. Yes, of course I'm grieving. But I've lost other loved ones to death. None have ever affected me quite like Mick's death.
Could it be the many memories I have of him at so many different points of his life? Could it be due the memory of a little boy watching over his younger sister, and picking her up and carrying her into the house when she fell and hurt herself? Could it be the memory of a hot summer's day watching a young boy mowing a lawn, very precisely and with purpose? Could it be the games of football toss between Mick and my eldest daughter -- both dreaming of the perfect, most precise aim and power, dissecting every movement from wind, to power velocity, to avoiding tree branches, to doing push-ups to strengthen their throwing arms in order to perfect their aim?
And could it be the day Mick marched over to my house, so full of himself, so proud, jubilant to tell me he'd enlisted? How we sat at my table and Yahoo'd and celebrated, and talked "shop"? Could it be the Marine's training manual I gave to him, a book my daughter studied rigorously before she went away into the Army?
Could it be hearing news of Mick via my daughter -- now that they were both military but different branches, and all the newer nicknames they'd had for fellow military branch members?
Could it be that last time together? He just got in, and came over to thump his chest, with that proud, knowing glow in his eyes -- his work in Iraq, and that big fish he'd caught with his uncle the day before? My hugging him, embarassing him (again, and par usual) telling him how proud I was of him? What a fine young man he was. How much we loved him and prayed for him? And he'd always ask for news of his pal, my daughter. He was proud of her. She was proud of him. They were friends.
Mine came home, and Brian and Joan's son did not. Could that be it?
Could it be that someone this special and precious and wonderful, Mick, served his country in ways the American Socialists can never, will never comprehend. That he lost his life defending their PRIVILEGE in being rude, insulting, ignorant, superfluous human beings?
Leftist Intelligentsia say that we should "respect" those who disagree with us; that lefties and socialists have a "purpose" too.
In my heart of hearts -- I tell you this: I see no purpose of these anti-war protestors. I see no merit to their lives. I see no sense of productive and appreciative worth to their lives. I see nothing worthy of my respect.
And I'd readily hand them over, every last one of them, to Al Queda or a Saddam Hussein, if I could get Mick back.
Intellectually? Sure, sure.. Socialists got worth, they got a point. I can intellectualize in some twisted mental masturbatory manner like the lefties do, and in public, sure, sure... I'll say something to that effect. I, AliaD, engaging in the semantics of socialist masturbatory rhetoricisms -- do here by celebrate the "right to speak" for these anti-war protestors.
Before Mick's murder, it was an intellectual thing. Now? I can only engage in that particular rhetoricism because Mick laid down his life for every single anti-war, anti-military protestor who is marching on Saturday.
Now, it is no longer an Intellectual "activity" when I grant that anti-war, anti-military protestors have a right to "speak". Now, I only think this, and because of Mick.
But to accord these fools that type of "diversity respect" verbiage alone and merely based on "intellectual" aparati? No.
All those anti-war protestors marching on Saturday, together, do not match the strength, the courage, the nobility of One Mick.
And they never can, and they never will.
His life always was full of purpose and meaning. His was the character that made this nation great. He believed in America. He believed in President Bush. He believed in defending American Citizens from those who wish her harm. And he didn't just believe, he put his actions in line with his beliefs. He was a man, in the truest sense of the word.
He walked Tall. He walked Strong. He did not cave to Bullies.
He loved America, and all that she stands for.
Were he here right now, and hearing about these anti-war protestors? He'd snort and laugh. He'd either say something like: "Oh, Whatever, right?"? and laugh some more.
Or, he'd look me in the eye, and say: "These are Americans too, and I disagree with them, but they are Americans. I'm fighting for them too."
In past conversations with my dad who served in WWII and Korea, he once said to me that the military itself is a bit like socialism, as an organization.
I think of these anti-war protestors. I think of our military. And yes, my dad is right: The Military is an inclusive organization which treats all people as equals in America. Socialists themselves have "ranks" within their orgs much like the Military does.
Mick fought for those who believe in America, and also for those who don't believe in America.
I say it again: even if there 5 million anti-war marchers marching this Saturday they -- still -- don't add up to the value and worth of One American Mick Bekowsky.
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