May 25

May 25 Anti-War on Memorial Day

Chicago, Demonstrations, Donald J. Trump, Parades, Performance, Protest, Public Declarations

The City of Chicago celebrated Memorial Day with a ceremony and parade on Saturday. Today, a group of veterans gathered at Chicago’s Vietnam War Memorial on Chicago’s riverwalk for a ceremony that both honored those who served and decried war. Given the current state of world affairs, those assembled had plenty of opportunity to single out both actual and possible armed conflicts. Speakers mentioned the wars in Iran and Palestine, while also referencing what they believe will be a U.S. military incursion into Cuba. At least one speaker, also noted President Donald J. Trump’s threatened seizure of Greenland and his Venezuelan military action.

Among the speakers were veterans, a social worker, and nurse who works with veterans. The event was organized by About Face: Veterans Against War, a group opposed to war. The signature colors of the day were black and yellow, which was the color scheme used for large banners mounted to thin poles. Many of the banners carried the slogan, “No More Rich Man’s Wars”

Army veteran Stefanie Macias served as today’s MC and first speaker. She set the tone, telling some 50 to 75 people gathered in the small amphitheater that,

People are drowning, rent is unaffordable, veterans are sleeping on the street, families are buried in medical debt, young people feel locked out of stable futures, schools are underfunded, and communities are still recovering from disinvestment, environmental racism and injustice and violence, we are constantly told there's no money for housing, health care, mental health support, education, or even a functional social safety net, but somehow there's always money for war, always money for contractors and corporations cashing in, while ordinary people are told to lower their expectations, and this is not disconnected from what's happening globally.

Edgar Castillo, a U.S. Navy Veteran, asked a simple question when his turn came to speak. “What are we doing?’ Castillo answered his own question, telling those gathered that the U.S. is “bombing children for oil; we’re plundering for profit.”

Stephanie Dowell reminded the group that the horrors are war are universal and timeless when she noted that Memorial Day originated in 1868 to honor veterans of the Civil War. She recounted the story of an Ohio infantryman who was wounded during the Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest day American history, with 22,726 Civil War soldiers killed, wounded or missing in action. Her great, great grandfather fought in that battle

Having humanized the cost of war, Dowell then turned to Donald J. Trump’s current military actions. As a licensed clinical social worker working for the Veterans Administration since 2022, Dowell is very concerned about Trump Administration VA job cuts and new rules.

Kayla Harris, a veteran of the Illinois National Guard, also had a story to tell about a relative who served. Her grandfather, Sergeant Joseph Allen James, fought in Vietnam. Harris explained that he died a few years ago as a consequence of his exposure to Agent Orange on the battlefield.

Several of the speakers were concerned about cuts to VA funding. After 45 minutes, the speeches came to an end. It was time to march. But before heading up the ramp leading to Upper Wacker, everyone who was holding a rose, dropped it in the Chicago River.

Once assembled behind the lead banner, the group marched westward, turning onto Clark Street. At Washington, the marchers turned eastward on Washington, until they reached Wabash. At that point, they marched north until they returned to Upper Wacker. CPD officers lined Upper Wacker at Wabash, making sure no one headed toward Trump Tower’s entrance. At that point, the march ended, with people milling about for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, four people standing on the Wabash Bridge spanning the Chicago River dropped a yellow banner inscribed with today’s signature slogan, “No More Rich Man’s Wars!!!” Note to organizers: If you are planning a banner drop, you need a banner that is at least five or six times larger than the one that today’s demonstrators dropped if you are looking for visual impact. To my eyes, the banner that was dropped was very small relative to the surrounding space.

Overall, today’s anti-war take on Memorial Day was an effective demonstration, although poorly attended, particularly given the beautiful weather. One thing is for sure, Sergeant Bone Spurs and his administration can criticize the demonstrators all they like, but these demonstrators have street cred: They served.

[Click on an Image to Enlarge It. The Images Are Not Necessarily in Exact Chronological Order]