One of the cultural performances which opened the action was a jazz group jamming a song called, “The World Is A Ghetto.” The gentleman who was the lead singer and saxophonist of the musical group also had a young son (28) who was killed in Iraq on December 18, 2005.

He choked up emotionally several times when he spoke about his son. Shot in the head, (still not knowing if it was “friendly fire” or otherwise) this father explained that his son was “never in jail or on drugs”, and yet his son “could not get a job” no matter how many hours his son walked and sought a decent job. Then his son joined the National Guard where he became a respected leader and Purple Heart recipient.

Unfortunately, what happens to many young African-American men and women (as well as white, and Latino and other persons of color) is that they are enticed by the promise of funds, jobs and schooling, (all of which should be provided by our government without having to occupy and kill others).

Sadly, the deceased’s father explained the unfortunate truth, “It was just a job”.

The speakers list was short and flowed evenly.

Congressman Donald Payne, who is the first African-American to be elected to Congress in New Jersey since our republic was founded, semi-joked that the “W” in George W. Bush’s name stands for “wrong”. “Wrong” on weapons of mass destruction, “wrong” on how short the war will be, “wrong” on how the “Iraqi oil” will pay for the war. “Wrong” on Iraq being linked to “9/11”.

He educated the crowd as to how much this illegal war has cost New Jersey in lives (53 dead), wounded (23,000) and in finance ($20.8 billion dollars).

Speaker after speaker acknowledged the slaughter of the Iraqi citizens and the illegality of the occupation of Iraq.

A Rutgers New Brunswick student anti-war leader spoke about his involvement in a recent walk-out at that campus. He promised future actions.

U.S. servicewoman Margaret Stevens (who “got out” 1 month before her unit was deployed to Iraq) said the soldiers and veterans have the power to stop the war.

She talks with many servicemen and women with the group “Iraq Veterans Against the War” and said of most, “they knew that Iraq was about oil”—that they know the truth and want the war to end.

In her concluding statements she wisely noted, “Pay attention to the news, because China is no joke.”

During the ‘open-mike’ portion of the event, activist after activist spoke of their cause and dedication to ending the wars and injustices.

People’s Organization For Progress Chairman Larry Hamm summed it all up when saying, “The truth of the matter is: only a handful of people want to continue this war”.

He added that we must, “increase the presence of African-American, Latino and other persons of color in the [peace and justice / anti-war] movement.”

Perhaps the father who lost his son in Iraq said it best when he said, “P.O.W ...that stands for ‘prisoners of war’...we are ALL Prisoners Of War”

A future march for “Peace, Equality, Jobs and Justice” will be held on Saturday, August 25th, 2007 in Newark, NJ.

by E-A Nilsson

For more information: www.NJPOP.org