Rarely Asked Questions-1

By Skip Schiel, written on June 23, 2005

…resistance as spectacle has cut loose from its origins in genuine civil disobedience and is becoming more symbolic than real. Colorful demonstrations and weekend marches are fun and vital, but alone they are not powerful enough to stop wars. Wars will be stopped only when soldiers refuse to fight, when workers refuse to load weapons onto ships and aircraft, when people boycott the economic outposts of Empire that are strung across the globe.

-- Arundhati Roy

Referring to the recent events in Cambridge, the US Army celebrating its 230th anniversary on Cambridge Common on June 14, 2005 (my earlier writing and photographs on this issue at: http://teeksaphoto.org/RecentPhotos/ArmyCambridgeCommon/index.html), I pose a few rarely asked questions:

What did the event actually celebrate?

Why was recruitment a major focus?

What is the connection between the Army’s presence and the city of Cambridge?

Who decided for the city and for what reasons?

What is the cost to the city, considering setup, security, cleanup, and other responsibilities?

What advance information was given the citizens and when?

How much was Cambridge citizenry part of the decision?

By what channels did the school children attend?

What information was given to the teachers and parents?

Was parental permission sought?

Whose interests are most serviced by the event?

Did police act appropriately?

Why, in a public space, a common, in a land priding itself on free speech rights, a democracy, were the June 14th limits proscribed for free speech?

Some arrested were charged with “unlawful assembly.” Is this an accurate charge? Who in fact unlawfully assembled?

Others arrested were accused of “disturbing the peace.” Whose peace? And what does the US Army itself do to foster peace?

The Cambridge City Council has passed resolutions opposing war on Iraq, not complying with the USPATRIOT act, and declaring itself a sanctuary city (from the days of Central and South Americans fleeing political violence.) How do these resolutions relate to the Cambridge Common events?

Is the Army responsible for committing war crimes, in Iraq and elsewhere?

Why does the US refuse to be under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court?

If guilty, is this responsibility—and potential guilt—now shared by the city?

What is the true mission of the US military?

What has the United States become?

In light of that answer, what is the proper role for we citizens?

They are a nation without sense, there is no discernment in them.  If only they were wise and would understand this and discern what their end will be!

--Deuteronomy 32: 39

I invite your suggestions for more questions. I’ll struggle with answers for my next message.

For a collage, “An Army of One,” the Army in its own images and words.

Parts one, two and three of my story with photos:

http://teeksaphoto.org/RecentPhotos/ArmyCambridgeCommon/index.html