Det danske Fredsakademi
Kronologi over fredssagen og international politik 2. Juli 2004 / Time Line July 2, 2004
Version 3.007/02/2004
"Eyes Wide Open: the Human Cost of War in Iraq" exhibit at the
Independence Visitors Center in Philadelphia
By: Marlene Santoyo
There were more than 800 pairs of combat boots, each bearing the
name of a U.S. soldier who has died in the Iraq war; a 24 foot long
wall of names and incidents of Iraqi civilian deaths; a multi-media
exhibit inside the Visitors Center featuring videos, arts, and
panels on the human cost of the war of occupation.
People were moved, some to tears. There were other Quakers who had
volunteered to be at the exhibit for a couple of hours and most of
us wore a shirt that showed rows of boots and had the words, WAR IS
COSTLY. Instead, I wore a black shirt that had the word, "PEACE!",
written in Arabic, Hebrew & English. Rather than stay at the
table with literature, I decided to walk among the folks who were
walking between the boots and myself walked up to the these pensive
women & men holding out the small white button that says, "NO
WAR ON IRAQ!" and asked if I could pin it on their shirt. Most
said, "Yes". I made another request.. that when they took off this
shirt they pin it on the next one.
Like many others who were grateful to AFSC, American Friends
Service Center for having put up the exhibit, I too felt honored to
have been a part of powerful visual and visceral expression,
conveying the cost in American & Iraqi lives.
This is only one instance of protest. All around the country,
American citizens are finding different ways to express their/our
grief about what resident Bush has done in our name and we are
standing up and saying, "No! Not in our name!"
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