The Anti-War Movement in the Election Aftermath
by Lisa Ann Pierce, WAMM

Before the elections in November, the anti-war movement was gaining momentum. Thousands were coming out for demonstrations. Anti-war lawn signs and bumper stickers were beginning to sprout all over the Twin Cities. Volunteers and new members were inundating the WAMM office with calls and e-mails. There was a sense of urgency about building the movement as the nation crouched on the precipice of war with Iraq.

After the elections, the anti-war movement is still gaining momentum. Thousands are taking to the streets. Lawn signs are still popping up, even as the campaign lawn signs disappear. The phone and computers at WAMM are still buzzing with the urgency of our collective desire for peace.

Before the elections, we needed a movement to stop this war. After the elections, we need a movement to stop this war.
Don’t get me wrong—I’m not trying to pretend that Republican control of the House, Senate, and Administration means nothing. But even when the Democrats controlled the Senate, there was no evidence that they were going to use their power to stop Bush’s madness. As WAMM member Sally Kundert told me about the elections, “It just proves that we can’t depend on them—that we have to be building a movement. Politicians will come to the movement when we represent enough constituents.”

It was easy to feel some despair as pundits began to declare a nation-wide swing to the political right. Another WAMM member, Mary Shepard, gave me an important reminder: “We didn’t have an election here. We had a non-election event. Less than one-third of the national electorate went to the polls, and of that group, nearly half voted against the candidates that were elected.

"My math tells me that if less than one-third voted and about half of them were opposed to the winners, then the winners had less than fifteen percent support. If this happened elsewhere in the world, the election would have been called a staged event, and yet we are constantly told this was a sweep to the right!”

Regardless of the outcome of the election, the movement is doing good work for the sake of peace and justice, and we need to keep it up . . . and keep improving. So, rather than allowing despair to overwhelm our efforts, let’s put our heads and hands together for the sake of our shared work. We need to let hope shape our imaginations so that peace can grow in possibility.

Remember the words of Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” Take heart! The grassroots movement matters!