While sitting at the coffee shop this morning, where I was chatting with my rock-climbing buddy (Tom), who had just suggested we take the kids to Joshua Tree next weekend, for some camping (under the stars)...
.. when in walks Jarrod (a regular there, who teaches Criminal Justice at one of the local universities).
On our table he tossed a copy of today's Los Angeles Times, and points to an article titled (big letters) » War protest in O.C. ends in 6 arrests. (Front page of the California section - Part B. Yeah, he was one of the 6.)
They entered the offices of Representative Loretta Sanchez (in nearby Garden Grove), and said they weren't leaving until she promised not to fund the war.
••• today's entry continues below •••
Sanchez claims to oppose the war, but always votes to fund it. She refused. So Jarrod and his posse (members of a group whose many protests include some in our Nation's capitol) said they were "going to occupy her office long as the troops occupy Iraq."
[Hope I don't wind up on some stupid government watch-list for posting this.] Anyway, at first (Jarrod said that) Sanchez said, "Make yourself at home. There's the restroom, there's the coffee pot."
"At 10PM," Jarrod said, "We ordered pizza. Her office manager tried numerous ploys to get us to leave."
"At first," Jarrod continued, "he said, 'You know, it's very bourgeois to order pizza during a protest.' But we ordered one for him, and he ate it all."
"Then he said," Jarrod continued, "'You know, there's going to be a right-wing backlash for this.' Finally, he came over and said sotto voce, 'You know I really respect what you're doing.'"
In the morning, they called the cops and had them arrested. "Now I have to go to court," Jarrod said, glancing at his watch. I asked if he'd need a lawyer. He shook his head (no).
Jarrod teaches interesting classes, such as one (this summer) on » deviant behavior (a topic some might argue I have much experience with). I've picked his brain many times over coffee (while he sits, grading papers).
He has Ph.D in Criminal Justice and is a big believer in the citizen's duty of Civil Disobedience, as espoused by the likes of Thoreau, King & Gandhi. The LA Times spelled his name Jarret, which I think is wrong.
Regarding the war .. I don't think the terrorists want us out of Iraq. I think the Iranians want us out, but not the terrorists .. because they know how costly it is to occupy a country. That's how they defeated the Russians (after 10 years), which led to the break-up of the Soviet Union.
Seems like we're playing right into their hand, doesn't it? (We've already been there 5 years, with no end in sight.) On another note, I can't help but think that half a trillion dollars could've been better spent.
For more along these lines, here's a Google search preconfigured for the query > protest iraq war arrest civil disobedience