They Lifted Their Voices Against the Wars on Iraq and Afghanistan: New Jersey Progressive Organizers Network

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They Lifted Their Voices Against the Wars on Iraq and Afghanistan

Posted on Mar 24, 2010 by Military Families Speak Out Bergen County, NJ Chapter

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Message*	By Paula Rogovin, Military Families Speak Out, Bergen County Voices of young children rang out on Friday, March 19, at St. Anastasia's Church in Teaneck, as a group of first graders and their siblings sang their original song, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Man of Peace. Their teacher, Jay Friedman, of Teaneck's Whittier school, beamed as she strummed along on her guitar. Father Bill O'Malley welcomed people to a Speak Out - Sing Out, an evening of poetry and song on the 7th anniversary of the war on Iraq. To the surprise of the crowd, Father Bill sang Danny Boy, which most people had never thought of as an anti-war song. "Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling From glen to glen, and down the mountain side The summer's gone, and all the flowers are dying 'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide." Walter Nygard, the master of ceremonies and Vice President of Veterans for Peace, Chapter 21 NJ, (a sponsoring group) read some of his own poems. It was a sad day for Walt's family as they said good-by on Friday afternoon to their older son and brother, Joe. Joe, father of two young children, had completed his Army contract and was attending school under the GI bill when he was called off the IRR (individual ready reserve) list the day after President Obama announced a surge of troops to Afghanistan. Joe, who had already been stop-lossed and extended when he served in Afghanistan, will be sent to Iraq this week. So, when his younger brother, Sam, presented his rap, I am Uncle Sam, about being an uncle to his niece and nephew while his brother goes off to war, tears flowed. Nancy Nygard, from VFP and Military Families Speak Out, Bergen Country (a sponsoring group), read two poems by former vigil member, John Fenton, whose son, Sgt Matthew Fenton, died from injuries suffered in Iraq in 2006. John sought solace from his grief by moving to his native Ireland. By John Fenton "As squalls roil the Irish Sea The torrent hammering the roof The wind stealing everything One waits for the certain conclusion The end arrives Smiles revive Church Bay beckons All will be bright Sails unfold and billow Public houses set up outdoors Gardens welcome consideration Inhabitants wander charming views Life is once again grand In one of the beautiful spots That you can find Tucked away from the tourist track For most but not me The fury inside Does not ebb and flow Like the tides Thoughts of my son And his death rage on His image with me every instant As I had feared Maybe I was too assured Believing that time would Accomplish that one goal A single moment of serenity" Teaneck residents and educators, pianist Loren Daniels, and horn player, Reggie Pittman, moved the audience with Marvin Gaye's What's Going On? " Mother, mother There's too many of you crying Brother, brother, brother There's far too many of you dying You know we've got to find a way To bring some lovin' here today - Ya Father, father We don't need to escalate You see, war is not the answer For only love can conquer hate You know we've got to find a way To bring some lovin' here today" Vincent Kaminsky, a member of the Leonia vigil (a sponsor) whose father lost a leg in World War I, read poems by WWI poets, Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen. Anne Sadowski-Cassidy's words in her poem, Blessed are the Peace Makers, struck a cord with the activists present: "...in America we watch and wait, We send troops and then debate..." Other performers included Teaneck's singer/songwriter Tamra Hayden and poet Jessica Schwartz. Singer Roxanne Sharone and her father, pianist Joe Sharon, presented a moving version of John Lennon's Imagine. Singer/song writer Rob Lange sang Peace on Earth, by Bono. Activist turned poet, James McCallum, presented a harsh vision of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Arya Jenkins, founder of the Ft. Lee Vigil (a sponsor), recited her anti-war poem. Finally, Jan Barry, poet, journalist and co-founder of Vietnam Veterans Against the War, honored Vietnam War activist, the late Dave Cline, by having the audience call out military cadences through his poem, Peace March. "Lift Your Head And Hold It High Veterans Are Passing By Tell Them What We're Marching For Freedom, Justice, No more War!... We Are Veterans Against The War We Know What We're Marching For One-Two-Three-Four Stop The Killing, Stop The War!"
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By Paula Rogovin, Military Families Speak Out, Bergen County

Voices of young children rang out on Friday, March 19, at St. Anastasia's Church in Teaneck, as a group of first graders and their siblings sang their original song, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Man of Peace. Their teacher, Jay Friedman, of Teaneck's Whittier school, beamed as she strummed along on her guitar. Father Bill O'Malley welcomed people to a Speak Out - Sing Out, an evening of poetry and song on the 7th anniversary of the war on Iraq. To the surprise of the crowd, Father Bill sang Danny Boy, which most people had never thought of as an anti-war song.

"Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
From glen to glen, and down the mountain side
The summer's gone, and all the flowers are dying
'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide."

Walter Nygard, the master of ceremonies and Vice President of Veterans for Peace, Chapter 21 NJ, (a sponsoring group) read some of his own poems. It was a sad day for Walt's family as they said good-by on Friday afternoon to their older son and brother, Joe. Joe, father of two young children, had completed his Army contract and was attending school under the GI bill when he was called off the IRR (individual ready reserve) list the day after President Obama announced a surge of troops to Afghanistan. Joe, who had already been stop-lossed and extended when he served in Afghanistan, will be sent to Iraq this week. So, when his younger brother, Sam, presented his rap, I am Uncle Sam, about being an uncle to his niece and nephew while his brother goes off to war, tears flowed.

Nancy Nygard, from VFP and Military Families Speak Out, Bergen Country (a sponsoring group), read two poems by former vigil member, John Fenton, whose son, Sgt Matthew Fenton, died from injuries suffered in Iraq in 2006. John sought solace from his grief by moving to his native Ireland.

By John Fenton
"As squalls roil the Irish Sea
The torrent hammering the roof
The wind stealing everything
One waits for the certain conclusion

The end arrives
Smiles revive
Church Bay beckons
All will be bright

Sails unfold and billow
Public houses set up outdoors
Gardens welcome consideration
Inhabitants wander charming views

Life is once again grand
In one of the beautiful spots
That you can find
Tucked away from the tourist track

For most but not me
The fury inside
Does not ebb and flow
Like the tides

Thoughts of my son
And his death rage on
His image with me every instant
As I had feared

Maybe I was too assured
Believing that time would
Accomplish that one goal
A single moment of serenity"

Teaneck residents and educators, pianist Loren Daniels, and horn player, Reggie Pittman, moved the audience with Marvin Gaye's What's Going On?
" Mother, mother
There's too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There's far too many of you dying
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today - Ya

Father, father
We don't need to escalate
You see, war is not the answer
For only love can conquer hate
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today"

Vincent Kaminsky, a member of the Leonia vigil (a sponsor) whose father lost a leg in World War I, read poems by WWI poets, Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen. Anne Sadowski-Cassidy's words in her poem, Blessed are the Peace Makers, struck a cord with the activists present:
"...in America we watch and wait,
We send troops and then debate..."

Other performers included Teaneck's singer/songwriter Tamra Hayden and poet Jessica Schwartz. Singer Roxanne Sharone and her father, pianist Joe Sharon, presented a moving version of John Lennon's Imagine. Singer/song writer Rob Lange sang Peace on Earth, by Bono. Activist turned poet, James McCallum, presented a harsh vision of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Arya Jenkins, founder of the Ft. Lee Vigil (a sponsor), recited her anti-war poem. Finally, Jan Barry, poet, journalist and co-founder of Vietnam Veterans Against the War, honored Vietnam War activist, the late Dave Cline, by having the audience call out military cadences through his poem, Peace March.
"Lift Your Head And Hold It High
Veterans Are Passing By
Tell Them What We're Marching For
Freedom, Justice, No more War!...
We Are Veterans Against The War
We Know What We're Marching For
One-Two-Three-Four
Stop The Killing, Stop The War!"