Jan18: Albuquerque Protests Drones

by Bob Anderson, Stop the War Machine


Starting at 3 pm Friday afternoon, January 18, here in Albuquerque we held a demonstration/protest in solidarity with the actions taking place at the inauguration several days hence in Washington, DC.

First we assembled at the office of Senator Martin Heinrich where we hung on a clothesline stretched along the street clothes of children smeared with red symbolic blood (red water paint). We had a large 4x5' photo of Abdul Rahmanal-Awlaki which was placed right at the door entrance on the street level.


Then the group walked three blocks down Central Ave. (Route 66) to the office of Senator Tom Udall and did the same thing.

All along the way our 35 people passed by much traffic and people who saw our signs and the close line which we carried with the bloodied children's clothes.


At both offices the staff representatives of the senators came out to meet with us on the street. The senators were well aware of our coming to their offices.



The Raging Grannies had a new song on drones* they sang for each of the senators' representatives and numerous individuals took the opportunity to speak their minds on the rule of law, our role as world colonialist, the killing of children, extra-judicial assassinations by executive order and other things.

It was interesting that on the main street at Senator Udall's office several bystanders joined in with us to hold signs for a while. There is a good amount of general knowledge about drones and the controversy surrounding them.












*Song by the Raging Grannies, Drones in the Sky

To the tune of "Home on the Range," Lyrics by Pam Frazer-Walters, 2nd verse by Penelope Froan

O, give them a home, where no predators roam
Where no pilot-less, lethal planes fly,
Where poor folks are safe in their own living space
Where NO drone rain death from the sky!

Refrain
Drones, drones in the sky
Who decides o'er which country they'll fly?
And if their bombs hit off the target a bit,
Many innocent people will die!

Our pilots check in with a Starbuck's in hand
And sit down at the keyboard to play
They make the bombs fly
They can watch the folks die
And go home at the end of the day.

Refrain