With the Obama administration positioning for a possible military strike against Syria, New Yorkers are turning up the volume on their call for peace.
Candlelight vigils are being held this evening to urge Representatives Paul Tonko, Bill Owens and Chris Gibson, and Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, to vote against bombing Syria.
Events in New York City, Delmar, Saratoga , Ithaca and Binghamton are all part of a national day of action organized by progressive organizations, led by MoveOn.org. Trudy Quaif is a member of Bethlehem Neighbors For Peace. She fears war will bankrupt America. Quaif contends that bombing makes no sense. She says it may have been the Syrian rebels who conducted a chemical weapons attack, not the Assad regime.
“I oppose a military strike on Syria because we can't predict the outcome. It can lead to a vicious cycle of more violence and suffering” said Judy Zimmer of New Lebanon. “We created the UN to address crimes against humanity, and the UN investigation has not yet concluded who is responsible for use of chemical weapons”.
“Polls have shown an overwhelming majority of Americans oppose a military strike on Syria.” said Douglas Klein of Ballston Spa. “Rep. Owens and the rest of Congress need to listen to the people and vote No to authorizing an attack”.
“Bombing is no way to wage peace” said Tom Heckman of East Greenbush. “We need immediate Peace Talks with all the parties to this conflict and their backers”.
Dr. Sidney Plotkin, professor of political science at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, notes that the peace movement has found many unlikely allies among conservative Republicans.
WAMC will carry special coverage of President Obama’s address on Syria beginning at 9 p.m. Tuesday.
