Grannies' Stories

Granny Peace Brigade Holds Read-In of Names of War Dead for Six Days in Times Square

By Joan Wile, Founder-Director, Grandmothers Against the War
and proud Granny Peace Brigade Jailbird Times Square 18

At dawn, Sunday, March 11, the Granny Peace Brigade and many supporters began reading the names of those killed in Iraq – the Americans, the journalists, the Iraqis and the other coalition forces -- in an historic event called the "Endless War Memorial." They did so from sunrise to sunset through the entire week as a lead-up to the fourth anniversary of the war, ending on Friday evening in a hail of rain, sleet and snow with wind blowing fiercely, a setting worthy of a Shakespeare's "The Tempest."

Along the way, celebrities read, Iraq war veterans read, grieving Gold Star families read, and at times passers-by did so, also. Among the many notables who participated in the read-in were Oscar winner Susan Sarandon. She and Kathleen Chalfant, currently starring in “Spalding Gray: Stories Left to Tell,” read together, Susan reading the English-language names and Kathleen those in Arabic. Other actors currently performing on Broadway who read names of the dead were Liev Schreiber, the much-acclaimed star of “Talk Radio,” Mary Louise Wilson, star of “Grey Gardens” and Jefferson Mays, costarring in “Journey's End.” It seemed particularly appropriate to have Mr. Mays read the names, given the nature of the wonderful play he acts in, which shows the true cost of war among soldiers in the trenches during World War I. Also reading were leading actors from former Broadway productions – the great Ruby Dee, the magnetic and brilliant Vinie Burrows.

Our leading New York anti-war politicians were there on opening day, too, to spur us on in our goal of bringing the troops home: Congressman Charles Rangel; State Senator Bill Perkins; City Counsel members Gale Brewer and Melissa Mark Viverito. Amy Goodman was there to read. Former Congresswoman Liz Holtzman read names. And so many others. Altogether, there were approximately 400 people reading throughout the six days, and never a moment's lull.

There were incredibly dramatic moments every day. On the first day of the Memorial, for instance, Carlos Arredondo placed a full-sized casket draped in an American flag at the site. On the side of the coffin was a large photograph of a beautiful young man in full dress Marine uniform. He was lying in an open casket. It was Carlos' son, Alex, killed in Iraq on his second tour of duty there in August 2004 at the age of 20. In front of the coffin Carlos set a number of white crosses representing all the other young soldiers killed needlessly for Bush's psychotic compulsion to be a macho man (if somebody has a better explanation, I'd like to hear it). Most of us who looked at this devastating display wept openly.

On another day, an Iraqi woman, Namaa Alward, came to the read-in. A singer-actress, Namaa had been a political refugee in Egypt for a number of years but returned in 2003 to be a human shield in an effort, along with others, to prevent the invasion. She lost many family members and friends in the occupation of Iraq. When she and Carlos met at the Memorial, they embraced in shared grief, both tragic victims of our American violation.

On the fourth day of the reading, a thin young boy, about 12, showed up, wanting to get one of our tee shirts emblazoned with our theme, in Arabic and English, "WE WILL NOT BE SILENT." As he stood waiting to ask for his shirt, he was next to two men arguing the merits and demerits of the war. One of them, a very big guy who was defending our occupation, began taunting the child -- "Aren't you happy we went in and got rid of Saddam Hussein" and the like. The small boy practically jumped in the air, and finger pointing to the huge man, cried "No, no, lies, lies" and began to cry. The grannies hugged and comforted him as best they could. As he departed, the grannies urged him to return.

The last day, Friday, the aforementioned freezing and stormy day, did not deter the grandmothers and their compatriots. The reading continued non-stop all day until darkness fell.

During that final day, the grannies became aware of a small figure standing nearby. It was the Iraqi boy who had wanted the tee shirt. He said to Laurie, who had given him the tee shirt, "Miss, I've never known Americans who care, Americans like all of you. I lost my good friend, and for what? War is not good, Miss." Then, shivering, he unzipped his woefully skimpy jacket and proudly displayed the tee shirt we had given him. We all felt that everything we had endured for six long days -- the difficult organizing, the constant standing, braving the elements -- was well worth it for that poignant moment alone.