Kentucky’s major cities weren’t the only places where everyday citizens took to the streets to protest possible war with Iran. Two Forward Kentucky contributors sent us their coverage of anti-war protests in Paducah and Morehead, along with photos of the events.
The Paducah protest (Berry Craig)
Dr. Tom Flowers says President Donald Trump has finally proved himself a uniter.
In Iran.
“The Iranians were protesting their government a month ago, now they’re hating us,” said the ex-Air Force physician who lives in Grand Rivers. “Now they all hate us.”
Flowers and three other western Kentuckians showed up Thursday afternoon for Paducah’s “No War With Iran: Day of Action” rally. The small demonstration was part of a large nationwide protest organized through MoveOn.org.
All told, 370 rallies were held at 5 p.m. local time in 370 cities, including Louisville, Lexington, and Morehead.
David Davidson of Paducah was understandably disappointed with the sparse turnout. But he explained that he got up the gathering “on the fly and on short notice.”
An alliance of several progressive groups backed the rallies. “Trump’s reckless action has needlessly endangered countless lives of U.S. troops, Iraqis, Iranians, and countless other civilians,” says the #NoWarWithIran website.
The quartet gathered at dusk near the city’s floodlit, gray stone Vietnam War memorial in Dolly McNutt Plaza, across the street from city hall and the public library.
The spot seemed particularly apt for Davidson. “My dad is a Vietnam veteran. I have seen what he’s gone through — disabilities, PTSD, health issues, and stress — and what my mother has gone through with him.”
Davidson, who said he is a pacifist, is also worried that his younger brother, sister and sister-in-law — all of military age — might be drafted.
Rainier Richter, 26, and his mom, Roxane Richter, came together to the rally. Richter thinks he might be a little too old for the draft if Congress restores conscription, which seems unlikely. “But that’s not to say that I couldn’t be drafted,” said the Texan, who was home visiting his parents in Grand Rivers.
“I heard about this on the news and felt I should be here,” he said. “I certainly would be against a war with Iran.”
Flowers, Davidson, and the Richters brought homemade cardboard signs. “We’ve been protesting for Donald Trump’s impeachment as well as against war,” Roxane Richter said.
Richter’s sign also denounced Trump’s policies, which she said promote war, hate, misogyny, lies, and xenophobia. She added that he’s “in my opinion, the worst president we’ve ever had. I think what he’s doing to this country is just a shame.”
Flowers agreed. “A couple of days ago, it seemed like we were going toward World War III in a situation that was completely manufactured by our current president,” said the newcomer to Kentucky who spent 10 years in the Air Force.
He questions the legality of the Trump-ordered drone strike that killed Qasem Soleimani, Iran’s top general. The slaying was followed by an Iranian missile attack on U.S. air bases in Iraq.
“Here we have this guy who is a draft-dodger-in-chief who doesn’t understand diplomacy – doesn’t understand much of anything except how to distract from the fact that he’s being impeached.”
After assembling at the monument, the group split up and headed for street corners to hold up their signs and wave to passing motorists. No local media came, though The Paducah Sun office is close by.
“I think Trump cooked up this whole thing up,” Flowers said. He’s also worried about more Trump mischief “in the next month or two.”
The Morehead protest (Nick Lacy)
“War, huh, good god y’all,
What is it good for – absolutely nothing!
Say it, say it, say it, say it,
War, huh, good god y’all,
What is it good for – Stand up and shout it – Nothing!”
(“War” by Barrett Strong & Norman Whitfield)
A small group stood up in Morehead, joining hundreds of other communities Thursday night to protest any military action, past, present, and future, against Iran. #NoWarWithIran
The Louisville protest (Del Ramey)
Del Ramey was at the Louisville protest, and shared a large number of pix with us. We picked out some to give a feel for the event and to show the diversity of the attendees. Like the others, it was put together quickly, so there was no formal program, but there were a number of people who spoke. Plus, there was a life-size puppet, which added to the impact.
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