Monday, November 5, 2012

Madison: "Care for a drone with that fresh produce?"


The video produced by David Soumis, of Veterans for Peace (VFP) Chapter 25 (Madison, WI) and producer of VFP Peace Time on WYOU TV Madison, about his group's anti-drones outreach to people at the local Farmer's Market, makes for must-see TV.


David gives an excellent overview of the whole drones problem. Moreover, as a colleague from VFP in Indiana commented:
It's interesting how there so many people shown in this video, and most walk nonchalantly by, completely ignoring the drone model and the signs. Reminds me of Harrington's "The Other America," in which he notes that most people will walk around poor people panhandling, even crossing the street to avoid seeing them. What is it that scares people off so much when we attempt to educate them, in this case, on the disastrous effects of drone warfare. Maybe if we had a sign saying "free donuts," or "free concert tickets" Or perhaps we dressed up in our Sunday finest? Or more creative street theater? A band, perhaps? Would that draw people in? Or have the American people been so brainwashed that they don't desire any new information?

David Soumis comments:
The walk by is one of the most interesting things. We see it every day that we display the drone. Majority of people do not see it. They are so tied up into themselves, I think. A lot of people sort of glance over, but then avert their eyes very fast. There are whispers between people as they try to hide the fact they are drawn to look but just can’t.

There are, however, other exciting things that happen. For instance, one afternoon, a mother , father, and young daughter were walking by. The parents looked straight ahead, however, the daughter, about 14, was looking over out of the corner of her eye.... as they walked past, the daughter looked at me and smiled, then flipped the peace sign kind of out of sight of her parents. That is HOPE brothers and sisters . . . !
Please watch the whole video, "Veterans for Peace: Chapter 25 -- STOP THE DRONES", on Youtube, and share it widely!


. . . and check out the pictures of the die-in to protest the use of weaponized drones by the United States done a couple of months back by David and colleagues in Madison!

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