While discussing yesterday's creative antiwar action at the Statehouse, Hillary connects current events and anti-war sentiment to global issues and discusses vermonter's role in global justice.
Producer: Free Radio Burlington Uploaded by: Justin Francese
99 RED BALLOON RELEASE ATTEMPTED AT VERMONT STATE HOUSE
by Orin Langelle, ASEJ (photos available- email acerca@sover.net)
To worry, worry, super-scurry. Call the troops out in a hurry. This is what we've waited for. This is it boys, this is war. The president is on the line As 99 red balloons go by.--Nena
Montpelier, VT--Vermont state police and State House security seized 66 of the 33 red balloons that were brought into the VT State House today by concerned citizens opposed to the war in Iraq and also demanded that VT politicians' "attention be turned towards the corporate neo-liberal agenda and the waves of militarism imposing this strategy around the world."
While a boombox blared rock singer Nena's anti-war "99 Red Balloons" protesters attempted to release the balloons into the chambers of the State House. Police quickly responded to the red balloon "threat" and attempted to seize the balloons before they could soar to the state house ceiling. One of the balloonists was grabbed by police from behind in an attempt to stop her from lofting the helium filled plastic.
Briefly the boombox was confiscated by security.
Each balloon had a message of peace, a fact about corporate control, a plea for representation in the state house and in Washington, or a picture of innocent people that are affected by the U.S. sponsored terror in countries like Iraq and Colombia.
A release issued by the balloon brigade stated: "As the bombs are raining over the people of Baghdad, the troops further occupy outlying cities, and the United States government is poised for economic occupation of the sovereign state of Iraq, we are raising our voices to demand that your attention be turned towards the corporate neo-liberal agenda and the waves of militarism imposing this strategy around the world!"
The release continued: "Blood continuously spills to secure U.S. corporate control of oil reserves and other resources in Iraq, as well as in Colombia, Venezuela, Afghanistan, and Mexico."
The demonstrators demanded that the Vermont statehouse issue a clear resolution against the war in Iraq and expel Monsanto from the statehouse. They demanded that our representative democracy not be co- opted by corporate interests!
One of the protesters, Micheal Feiner stated, "Global issues are local issues. The local corporate interests directly fuel global oppression. The war on Iraq, and the terror in Colombia, are symptoms of what turning a blind eye to corporate accountability locally can do to innocent people globally."
"We will not be silenced until corporations and governments are held accountable nor should the representatives at out State and local level," explained Hilary Martin a local farmer.
The demonstrators voiced a clear message about their responsibility to stand in solidarity with these and other struggles for global justice. The responsibility was also placed on the State House to represent the voices of the disenfranchised and marginalized peoples of the world and our community through immediate legislation and decisive resolutions.
The balloon brigade then went to Burlington, VT with 99 more red balloons and delivered them to Senator's Leahy and Jeffords and Congressional Representative Bernie Sanders.
The following information was placed in every VT representative's maibox:
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