Tag Archives: End Endless War

Report on Women Against War April 8, 2022 vigil to End War in Ukraine (Women in Black) on the steps of the NY State Legislative Building

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On the morning of Friday, April 8, 2022 at 10: 40 am, a group of women dressed in black began to gather and assemble signs and banners for a vigil to contribute our hopes and healing energy to ending the brutal war that had been waging in Ukraine for the past 6 weeks.  This vigil came together through the work of a committee of members of Women Against War who met virtually to plan the ceremony and the visual and written messages that we wished to send out into the world.  We knew that we didn’t just want to stand but also to call attention to the urgent need for a cease fire to stop the deaths and destruction and lay a groundwork for a negotiated peace.

This was our invitation to like minded, anti-war women in the community.  In it you can see a photo of the original 2002 demonstration, on the much grander inside staircase of the Legislative Office Building.
One of the most dramatic messages of peaceful anti-war hopes and dreams was the half hour of silent vigil that expressed our unity of spirit with the women of Ukraine and peace loving, pro-diplomacy people all over the world. But before the silent ceremony we began with our policy statement suggesting ways to reach that lifesaving ceasefire as soon as possible.

Maureen Aumand reading our collectively written policy statement. Photo by Mabel Leon

Center of the vigil, with Maureen reading our statement and her preamble, photo by Mabel Leon

There were many beautiful, wise, accomplished and healing women at our vigil but one that I’d like to highlight is Pat Beetle; our eldest community and world peacemaker, a member of Albany Friends Meeting, and an honored and valued member of Women Against War and several other peace and justice groups. She is 97 years old and still very active and involved.

Women in black with signs and banners and Pat Beetle seated and holding a beautiful peace plaque. Photo by Mabel Leon

Pat Beetle our eldest Woman Against War holding the ground with the Women Against War banner behind her. Photo by Mabel Leon

Mabel Leon, our semi-official action photographer took photos from many perspectives during the vigil. Here are some that highlight different aspects of our vigil, our signs and messages, and the visual context of the vigil on this amazingly clear morning at the end of a week of rain.

Support and Protect all our Children banner, April 8, 2022, Photo by Mabel Leon

Side view from later in the vigil, April 8, 2022, Photo by Mabel Leon

Early in the vigil as women assemble on the outside steps of the Albany Legislative Building. Photo by Mabel Leon

Wars make refugees and more signs about missiles April 8, 2022, photo by Mabel Leon

Right side of the vigil during the opening remarks April 8, 2022, photo by Mabel Leon

View from top left with the NY State Capitol building and other downtown Albany NY buildings around our vigil. Photo by Mabel Leon

Our vigil closed with a beautiful A Capella version of a Malvina Reynolds song sung by Terri Roben. Since we didn’t record Terri’s version here’s a short video of Malvina singing it.

And here’s Terri sharing it with us:

Terri Roben singing and a panoramic view at the close of the vigil

Terri Roben singing our closing song “From Way Up Here”, Written by Malvina Reynolds. photo by Mabel Leon

And here are two photos of the vigil without signs and banners, to match our original event in 2002.

The silent part of the vigil without signs and banners, April 8, 2022, Photo by Mabel Leon

Second photo without signs and banners to match our original Women in Black vigil in 2002.

Finally a couple of other media related events that publicized our vigil in advance and on that day. Maureen’s 9:51 minute interview with Mark Dunlea on the Hudson Mohawk Magazine the Wednesday before the vigil.

A photo on the front page of the Saturday, April 9th Daily Gazette:

Daily Gazette April 9th. Front Page photo of part of our vigil on April 8th. Photo Credit-Peter R. Barber/Daily Gazette

And two photos taken by Darrell Camp, from his Twitter page:

Photo at the very beginning of our vigil at 11:04 PM as people were holding signs and banners. Photo by Darrell Camp, reporter for NY Out Now/PBS

Some of our male allies at the foot of the LOB stairs, including Dan Wilcox, poet and Veteran for Peace with Mabel Leon taking photos Photo by Darrell Camp, NY Out Now

Children are starving in Yemen because of US bombs. 34 Backpack Vigil in Albany on Thursday, November 29th Noon to 1 PM.

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Despairing of getting House and Senate leadership to allow privileged status, under Authorization of Military Force rules to sponsored bills that would end US support for the Saudi led War in Yemen, The Iran Project of Women Against War decided to hold another public vigil.
We felt that broader Congressional attention might finally be focused on US support and weapons sales – after the blocking of a long sponsored House resolution by Paul Ryan, the horrific August 9th bombing  of a school bus by a US made bomb, and the brutal October 2nd assassination of journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, masterminded by Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman.

A child stands near the mangled wreckage of the bombed-out school bus. Photo by Ahmad Algohbary/Al Jazeera

Women Against War has been lobbying and vigiling for years to remove all US military support and weapons sales to the Saudi Emirati coalition as the rate of starvation and deaths from preventable diseases has grown to epic proportions. But this obvious violation of the rules of war by targeting a civilian vehicle provided a dramatic point to educate the public.

November 2018, The Backpack Cemetery for Yemeni civilians at the Saudi Consulate. from Afghan Peace Volunteers

Voices for Creative Nonviolence had created the visuals for a moving and visceral vigil. We decided to work with their ideas and their materials while adding some of our own. Much appreciation to Fran Dempsey for contacting Kathy Kelly and obtaining the backpacks and placards that they had designed, along with those in Grannies for Peace who shared previous signs and banners about the blockades and bombings in Yemen.

One of our goals was to create our own media with the visual display and a leaflet to distribute to pedestrians:
Thanks to the excellent media outreach by Maureen Aumand we had some media coverage, including 5 excellent photos and a short description by Times Union photographer, John Carl D’Annibale. [Taken early in the vigil as people were still arriving.]  At the peak of the vigil we counted 43 people]


You’ll also notice that each backpack has the name of one of the 9 to 11 year old students who died in the bombing. That work was done by some members of Fran’s family/community as part of the preparation. The 4 red, white and black signs taken together tell the story of the bombing and of the context of humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

To get a wider picture of the spirit and physical impact of the vigil here are photos taken by Mabel Leon. Given the most recent focus in the Senate on “punishing” MbS rather than on the suffering of the people of Yemen we may still have a longer struggle ahead of us than we would have wished.  So stay tuned and keep on lobbying and being active!

Vigil and commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of Armistice Day in conjunction with Performance of Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem , Saturday November 10th, at Proctor’s Schenectady from 6:15 to 7:30 PM

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After receiving the announcement of the Albany Symphony Orchestra’s upcoming performance of Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem as the last of a series of events commemorating the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day, Marcia Hopple brought the idea of leafleting and vigiling for peace at that performance to the October meeting of  WAW’s Iran Project.  After a discussion it was decided to vigil and leaflet in the courtyard leading to the back doors of Proctor’s theatre.  We obtained permission from both the Orchestra and Proctors to be there and be a voice for peace. Alexandra Lusak got permission for us to park in the lot of a nearby church so that we could leave the Proctors’ parking to the concert goers. Here are a few details from our outreach flyer to Capitol District peace groups:

Women Against War is planning a peace demonstration on Saturday November 10 to dovetail with a performance of Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem at Proctors Theater in Schenectady.  It will also allow us to stand in spirit with Veterans for Peace and others who will be vigiling on Sunday, 11/11/18 in Washington DC

TIME:  6:15  – 7:30 PM. There will be two groups: arriving for the Pre-concert talk with David  Alan Miller at 6:30 PM, and for the concert at 7:30 PM

LOCATION:  Rear of Proctors, 432 State Street, Schenectady NY 12305 (near State and Jay Streets) We will be standing in the courtyard outside doors to Proctors from rear parking areas

OCCASION:  Albany Symphony Orchestra performance of Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem to commemorate the first Armistice Day 100 years ago, ending World War I (the war that was supposed to end all wars).

The concert is the culmination of several events commemorating the first Armistice Day 100 years ago http://www.albanysymphony.com/armisticecentennialevents/

ACTION:  Handing out leaflets and displaying signs related to the theme End Endless War, as about 2,000 concert goers enter the theater.

We will provide signs.  Please try to carpool and dress for standing outside for the demonstration.  We will leaflet and hold our signs primarily at the rear of Proctors where most patrons arrive from the parking lots.  The Symphony and Proctors welcome us to be present at this Armistice Centennial event.  Proctors even offered to hand out coffee to the vigilers.

Parking available  WAW has permission to park in the lot at the First United Methodist Church of Schenectady.  They are at 603 State Street, about two blocks east of Proctors.  The lot is behind the church.  Another option is to park at Schenectady County library at 99 Clinton Street, at the corner of Liberty St., about three blocks from Proctors.  Please avoid parking in the lots directly behind Proctors to leave room for concert patrons. A parking garage near Proctors is usually free during performances and is accessible from Broadway.  Parking in the lots behind Proctors is not free.

As an update about our action: on a bitterly cold evening with a strong breeze 12 brave vigilers carried signs reading End Endless War and War Is Not The Answer and handed out about 500 leaflets with the theme Working for Peace through Music, Art, Poetry and Policy and ending with the phrase “Together we can make a Peaceful World.”