A Weekend of Activism and
Hope in Washington DC
John Reuwer / World BEYOND War
(June 16, 2025) — For pro-peace, antiwar activists, the weekend of the Trump parade was a rich weekend to engage.
On Thursday, Ben Cohen (of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream fame) launched a new anti-nuclear and anti-wasteful military spending initiative called “Up in Arms” at Columbus circle in Washington, D.C., by erecting the largest billboard in the city:
The campaign was inaugurated with a press conference featuring a fabulous lineup of speakers, including World BEYOND War’s Ann Wright, and the incisive Colonel Larry Wilkerson.
Most surprising to me was the elderly Major General Laich, who reminded everyone that the bloated Pentagon budget has not brought the country victory or safety. Just when I wished that military officers would offer that perspective earlier in their careers, I met another of the speakers, Diana Oestrich, a young veteran who told her story in a book called Waging Peace, the same wonderful title used by our own David Hartshough.
On Saturday were the national No Kings rallies, whose organizers intentionally avoided actions in DC, supposedly to avoid clashes with Trump, and not wishing to “disrespect“ veterans.
That had seemed peculiar in the company of 100 veterans on Friday night when they had gathered to tell their stories about how the military had not lived up to its promise to obey the Constitution and protect the people of the United States. That rally had been called in protest of the deployment of National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles and elsewhere to control civilian populations protesting what they see as brutal attacks on immigrants.
After an inspiring press conference in front of the Supreme Court, with yet more young veterans who had resigned rather than support the abuse of the military, we had walked to the Capitol just as the police had been closing the last fences, whereupon about 60 people had run up the steps and been arrested. Ann Wright tells us more about that here.
Saturday had multiple opportunities for fun. Such as CODEPINK’s challenging the Army’s recruitment of youth at their “celebration” using weapons of death to attract child soldiers.
I was asked to speak at a “Refuse Fascism” rally where about a thousand folks played music and listened to activists, politicians, organizers, and again veterans talk about the need to stop the slide toward an authoritarian state. While the visuals focused on Trump, many of the speakers pointed out the deeper problems of corporate influence, unchecked government power, and demonization of minorities for political gain.
My contribution was pointing out the threats to freedom that exist independently of Trump, and the need to meet them with nonviolent actions that are far more powerful than demonstrations alone, particularly non cooperation like strikes and tax resistance.
The final action of the day found me with friends from Christians for a Ceasefire and Just Peace at checkpoints going through some of the 10 miles of 8 foot fencing protecting the parade, to stand along the venue behind the crowd 6-7 persons deep along the fence. There we were able to unfurl and display our banners calling for peace.
To our surprise, lots of people paid as much positive attention to us as they did to the parade. They took dozens of pictures and videos, and asked for interviews. And, once again, we ran into a retired army colonel (on the wall behind me) with a sign decrying the use of the military to honor a leader.
The small crowd cheered intermittently, but was rather subdued for a parade. One woman said she didn’t realize how boring military parades could be. For an anti-war activist, I am still interested in military history and technology, and enjoy learning trivia. I did not realize that a M109 motorized howitzer was larger than an MI Abrams tank.
My boyish interest in such things was quickly tempered by memories of traveling toward the front lines in Ukraine and seeing the amputees other injured men had caused with weapons like these. Not to mention thinking about how obsolete these monstrosities are, witnessing numerous videos of these $25 million dollar machines easily destroyed by hand-launched $100,000 missiles or a few drones.
Overall, I was happy to see that widespread resistance to the wasteful spending on this spectacle, the lackluster embrace of it, and the many points of light shining on its foolishness.
