The city of Chicago traditionally ends the summer with the Air and Water Show which is the biggest military recruiting event of the year. The event takes place on Chicago's lakefront beaches. The weekend long event promotes military prowess and superiority with such things as the Blue Angels, the Golden Knights and the Thunderbirds. The Air and Water show draws approximately 2 million people, so what better opportunity to get the word out about IVAW. I was accompanied by Paul Muller and his cousin Erica Anderson who is a member of MTV's street team and videotaped the event. Our goal was simple, distribute as many flyers as we could and talk to as many people as possible especially active duty military members and veterans.
We decided to start off by heading right for the military recruiting boothes. I walked to the Army recruting station and began talking to several men and women in uniform. As I was beginning to inform them about IVAW I felt a reaffirming hand on my left shoulder and turned around to see that it was a gentleman with gray hair in a pony tail. He introduced himself as a Vietnam veteran who was in the military for 16 years. He also said that what we, (IVAW) were doing is a great thing. As he outstretched his hand and I shook it and informed him that I was a Navy veteran who was in for 8 years and then he walked away.
This was the encouragement I needed to keep up the momentum, I continued to talk with the soldiers but none of them seemed interested. I met up with Paul who had started chatting with one soldier who seemed interested, as I approached I could see that there was a certain look in his eyes that he was trying to convey interest but was afraid of the possible consequences. He didn't want to be seen taking a flyer for fear of possible retaliation by his chain of command who may have present. After which, Paul went over to the Marine Corps booth and I proceeded to the Air Force table. We had not made any progress with anyone in uniform, but the day was still young.
Afterwards we stumbled upon what appeared to be an enlistment ceremony for the Air Force. There were approximately 60 enlistees standing in three rows near the parking lot of the beach. At this point I decided to make myself visible to both the enlistees and the Air Force personnel by standing within a few feet of the formation. A few minutes later, one of the Air Force guys came over and I started to pitch to him IVAW's Three Points of Unity. After about a minute two more guys came over, I could tell that I had ruffled their feather with my mere presence. At which point I began talking to all three about IVAW, who we are and what we stand for. After I had spoken with them one had asked that I move. He had informed informed me that the enlistees were going to be marching in my direction, so I thanked them for their time and stepped back to the curb as they all marched away. Later I was informed that these young men and women who looked barely 18 were heading to the MEPs station. I felt sad that I missed my chance to inform them about what they were getting themselves into or their rights.
By now Paul had met a veteran who is a former Marine interested in IVAW and spoken with him for several minutes and made our first contact of the day. The three of us; Paul, Erica and myself then decided to make our way to a Navy exhibit which featured a portable flight simulator for kids. Parked next to the flight simulator was an SUV with Navy logos all over it, so I decided to place an IVAW flyer under the wiper blade- just in case. As we were standing there a few more veterans approached and we took down their contact information as well and gave them our pamphlet. Shortly afterwards we met a veteran who was from Britain, I had asked him if a group like IVAW existed in England and we were told that there wasn't. I gave him a pamhlet and told him he was welcome to come to our next event.
At this point Paul, Erica and I decided to check out a demonstration area of antiwar protestors that was located by a bridge that stretches over the highway for people to walk over. I had spotted the group when I had first come in. As we greeted the demonstrators and introduced oursleves we had noticed a very heavy police presence. I had spoken to an older woman named Mary who had informed us that they were being barracaded into the "free speech zone" on a public beach. I was inwardly upset by this blatant violation of their First Amendment rights. At which point Erica who had been filming our conversation told Paul and myself that the police had asked for her press credentials and stated that she did not have their permission to videotape them. So Paul and I had decided that we should play it cool and put the flyers away in my backpack. With the idea that we pretend to leave and just go somewhere far away potentially hostile area. I decided to take matters into my own hands by walking about 50 feet away from the "free speech zone" opened my bag and grabbed a handful of flyers handing them out one right after the other. As I stood there I began to summon the intestinal fortitude to make my voice heard by saying very audibly, "IRAQ VETERANS AGAINST THE WAR!" it was a small personal victory by exercising the rights that we all have sworn an oath to support, protect and defend. I handed out about 30 flyers at which time I received a call from Paul saying that we should leave because the police we accosting him for simply talking to two guys eventhough he was not handing out any pamphlets. So rather than escalate the situation with the police who were trying to bait us saying we were stepping over an imaginary line we decided to go. We got the word out and made a few new contacts so it was a good day for IVAW Chicago.