Rage 4 Peace

Not everything has been perfectly organized in Denver during this week's DNC. Logistic issues have been raised by irritated media members since arriving this weekend. Today, however, was witness to the wheels of democratic process spinning freely, if for just a brief time.

Tent State University (www.tentstate.com) and Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW.org) (who have been holding informational demonstrations throughout the week) joined forces with Rage Against the Machine and Denver band The Flobots for a politically charged concert today. The event outgrew the original venue and was moved to the Denver Coliseum a few miles north of downtown.

Attendance estimates for the concert top 9,ooo. This is not remarkable considering the drawing power of such acts, convention week, in a hip town like Denver. What is remarkable is what happened next.

Nearly 2,000 of the concert goers and uniformed members of IVAW marched the distance form the north side of Denver to lower downtown. The mission of the action was to deliver a letter and/or meet with Senator Obama's campaign to communicate the goals of IVAW. These goals are:

1. Immediate withdrawal of all occupying forces from Iraq
2. Full benefits and health care for returning veterans
3. Reparations to the Iraqi people

"Tie a Yellow Ribbon..."

The group made its first stand at the edge of the secured convention campus on the corner of 7th and Auroria. This position provided minimal exposure and was soon abandoned as the group reversed direction to march across the Auroria campus to a more visible location at the corner of Market and Speer streets. Here, the group of discharged military stood in formation and announced their intention to march two steps toward the police line.

The tense standoff between the protesters and police/secret service was awkwardly buffered by a cluster of media and legal observers. I found myself positioned with host and executive producer of NPR's Democracy Now!

Amy Goodman soon attempted to ignore the immutable fact that "whoever 'smelt' it, dealt it."

Using a megaphone, the IVAW leaders implored the crowd to be respectful and courteous to police and secret service personnel. The demand for an audience with Senator Obama and/or Obama campaign head of veterans affairs Phil Carter was repeated several times.

As the sun dipped behind the Rocky mountains, word came from inside the convention perimeter that IVAW representatives would be seen by Phil Carter. The crowd roared with applause as former marines Jeff Key and Liam Madden were escorted through the police line to deliver their letter and make a formal request to address the convention delegates. Veterans wiped tears as the crowd chanted "yes we can!"

This, I believe, is the democratic process in action. No official results are promised, cancer isn't cured, but when you witness a formation of soldiers cry in celebration, I can only hope that they will not be ignored by the government that commissioned their coming and going into combat.

IVAW representative Jeff Key soon returned and explained the the importance of the action.

"The billions of dollars spent on the war don't make you safer" stated Key. "A war against terror is a misnomer. Terrorism is a tactic, not something that can be fought in this way. I needed to find a different way to fight this battle, so I left the marines." Key went on to criticize the fiscal irresponsibility of the war in Iraq, "My mother and father were working-class people. All the money they earned over the entire course of their lives is spent in the blink of an eye in Iraq."

Venerable attorney Ron Kuby addressed the veterans, commending their actions past and present.

The happening traveled from the sublime to the ridiculous as "The Missile Dick Chicks" mounted a presentation of satirical song, dance and oration.

The pessimist in me contends that Rage Against the Machine is just a band, a small group of discharged soldiers can't change anything and a crew of smelly protesters don't repair government. The "true believer" in me says "don't stop believing." Hey, it's the land of opportunity, right?