Bear witness to the 2nd coming of King George II and his trusty steed Condoleezza Rice. I say 2nd coming as in a sequel of last August 22nd when George W. rallied the VFW convention to his war. He did this in the shadow of the former Salt Lake VA Hospital now a triage clinic thanks to his VA budget cuts. And they booed Rocky at the Convention? Last year it was Rocky and Bush head to head. About 1,500–2,000 amassed at Pioneer Park on a weekday to hear Mayor Anderson call Bush onto the carpet for an illegal war and occupation of Iraq. The national media including ABC News put the spotlight on the Salt Lake City protest in the late August heat of a revived peace movement. Bush it seemed was dogged all of August 2005 from Gold Star Mother, Cindy Sheehan on the doorstep of his vacation ranch in Crawford to the disastrous failure to save the thousands of victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. George must have felt the pain last August as the people most affected by his violent leadership confronted him.

Gold Star mothers like Cindy Sheehan and Celeste Zappala make powerful advocates against Bush’s war not just because their children were killed in it but because they know it was for lies. When Celeste shared her son Sherwood’s story in Salt Lake City on August 22nd last year another mother wept as she listened. Celeste told us how her son was deployed to Iraq with a special unit tasked with locating hidden WMD. An Army National Guard task force going on nothing but hearsay as evidence and not a single threat by Iraq to use alleged weapons against the United States, Sherwood gave his life searching for them. The problem? Celeste understands he didn’t give his life searching for WMD, terrorists or freedom and democracy for that matter. His life was taken away because President Bush lied. Army Mom, Debbie Johnson wept as she heard the truth calmly laid out by Ms. Zappala. It was truly a magical day, a day of reckoning to our national nightmare. On that day, the people of Utah confronted Bush on his foreign war and occupation that still lacks any justification and has no end in sight.

The day came and went but the Iraq War has raged on. When will it crystallize for Americans that sitting around waiting for the next election is useless? The last major illegal US occupation (Vietnam) took constant action in the streets up to the point Nixon’s impeachment to get us the hell out of there. Those who believe King George will “stand down” on Iraq, torture, spying or the like on account of a shift to the Democrats in the 2006 Congressional elections might do well to run that past Senator Hatch. If they can get past all those angry outbursts about “nut cakes,” they may come to understand, as Hatch does, that a win for Democrats strengthens terrorists. Therefore if Democrats win majorities in Congress President Bush will be forced to, “protect the American People,” from the grave security threat Democrats pose. In the same way he disregards Congressional oversight with the Republicans in charge so it will go with Democrats. Presidential signing statement anyone?

On August 30th Bush returns with Dr. Rice at his side. This is not only meant to make him feel smart about his, “War on Terror” but also to appear cool enough to hang out with a black chick in public. The best hope for our nation now is nothing short of impeachment. Not merely of George W. Bush but of his entire, “War on Terror” foreign policy regime. This goes beyond President Bush to include most establishment Republicans and Democrats. What would be required is the building of a nationwide anti-war party or coalition to take control of Congress. In simple numbers alone this would hardly be possible in one election cycle. That is not to say significant progress could not be made in 2006.

A consistently active, broad-based anti-war voter majority could become an anti-war coalition in Congress with the votes needed to hold serious hearings on the legality of the Iraq War. Rep John Conyers (D) Michigan has attempted to hold hearings on lies told to Congress in the lead up to War in Iraq. The Republican leadership of Congress actually managed to force Conyers’ hearings into the basement of an adjacent office building. He was hardly taken seriously by the President, Congress, Media or the public. Unfortunately, if the American people fail to put the, “War on Terror” through Congressional hearings, peace in the Middle East will also fail for generations to come. If Bush is allowed to pass the baton of this insidious policy to the next Administration, whether Republic or Democrat, peace is doomed.

There is no question that Bush’s visit with Condoleezza Rice at the American Legion Convention is timed and designed to use Veterans to validate his, “War on Terror” politics. Dr. Rice will likely advocate for Israel’s right to make war with Lebanon, Syria, Iran or any other enemy of the U.S. – Israeli monopoly of power. The American Legion Convention could not be a more fitting event for such a pro-war rally. Consider that the veteran’s organization declared, “war on the peace movement,” at its 2005 Convention in Dallas Texas. This appears to have been in reaction to the Veterans for Peace National Convention held concurrently in Dallas. Cindy Sheehan was at the Veterans for Peace Convention. That is when she decided to go to Crawford and confront President Bush.

This is exactly why it is so perfect that Cindy Sheehan is coming to our very own Salt Lake City protest. Rocky vs. Bush II will be the greatest political match of the year. Rocky Anderson, the activist Mayor and solid anti-war Democrat from the heart of Bush’s stronghold of support. In his corner will be Gold Star mother turned peace activist, Cindy Sheehan. Rocky and Cindy truly are the dynamic duo best suited to lead this gathering of democratic dissent on August 30th. Head to head against George “bring ‘em on Enron” Bush and Condoleezza, “oil tanker” Rice. Some in the local activist community argue that we must have a slate of speakers to address various topics of interests to U.S. policy. I think this misses the point entirely. Nobody but a handful of the “choir” even hears a word of the speakers let alone grasps the messages. This is not because they are not capable of it but because they never hear it at all. The Corporate press won’t listen so the people won’t hear.

The description of the August 30th action as a match or fight is not a metaphor. It is a real political battle over the “War on Terror,” Iraq, spying, torture, secret prisons and so on. Bush is coming to rally the Legionnaires to war as much as we will rally for peace. He will attempt to create an image of support for his wars among veterans, soldiers and their families. Bush knows how to exploit the veterans to promote his policies.

Cindy and Rocky are both outspoken advocates for more peaceful policies; withdraw from Iraq and a stop to U.S. aggression overseas. The press and public generally understand this is what Rocky and Cindy will represent at the August 30th rally. Other speakers won’t change this understanding of message and purpose in the larger picture. Without an exception, attendees at past rallies lose interest and disappear with each successive speaker. Rocky and Cindy with some inspiring music are more than enough to rally the crowd. The rest is up to Utahns to show up and participate. The more people who contribute their own creative energy through art, speech, signs, displays and marching with the group the more powerful it is politically. In the last analysis no message or combination of speakers will substitute for the amount of enthusiastic mass participation that does or does not materialize on protest day.