Iraq War Demonstration, Washington, DC -- Sept. 24, 2005

Iraq War Demonstration
Washington, DC September 24, 2005

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Greg Ruggiero, co-founder of Open Media publishers, and wife Carla brought copies of the pamphlet "Dear President Bush" by Cindy Sheehan. Open Media is publishing two editions of Sheehan's work, the first edition is 10,000 copies of a 24-page pamphlet. Ruggiero founded Open Media in 1991 in response to the Gulf War; it is now part of Seven Stories Press, where he is a senior editor.

Question: Can a demonstration like this make any difference?

"I believe that taking to the streets does make a difference... After the February--what was it--15th mobilization in 2003 the New York Times ran an article that said now President Bush is seeing eye to eye with the second superpower, which is public opinion. Well I advance the thought that public opinion, the public is the number one and only superpower and that elected officials should be listening to us all along."

Question: Should be, but are they? I don't see any change in President Bush's policy.

"Well you know after the Camp Casey movement started outside his Crawford, Texas home, he interrupted his vacation three times; he bent three times to address the will of the people, and the will of the people is to end this war. And I believe that we have to keep acting as if we make a difference. If we don't apathy becomes a political position, and that's suicide, that's democratic suicide."

Question: What specific actions do you want to see happen?

"I think that we should announce immediately that we're withdrawing and that there was a mistake made and that the rationale for the war was incorrect."