Sung to the tune of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat,” the peace group Diplomacy Not War with Iran took up their theme song “Chuck Schumer Change Your Mind” at a recent demonstration.
The song playfully expressed both the group’s advocacy of the Iranian Deal and their disdain for U.S. Senator’s plan to down vote it in September.
At the rally held Wednesday, Aug. 26, members of peace groups from across the Capital District banded together in front of the Palace Theater in Albany. The groups protested street-side in hopes to urge U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) to change his position on the deal, and support U.S. President Barack Obama’s diplomatic agreement with Iran.
Under the deal, Iran would be forced to dramatically reduce its nuclear materials in order to lift the economic sanctions that the United States – and the many countries included in the deal – have imposed on Iran since 1979.
Protesters see this agreement as a historic measure to prevent war. To them, Schumer’s opposition is enough to warrant his dismissal from office.
“It’s time to chuck Chuck,” said David Easter, a Delmar resident and member of the group Peace Action to a cheering crowd at the rally. A second rally has been planned for Thursday, Sept. 10 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the same location across the street from the Palace.
When Schumer announced his opposition to the bill in late August, his decision came as a particular surprise to Democrats, as he hopes to lead Senate Democrats in the next Congress, after the 2016 elections.
“It’s not too late,” sang the crowd at the rally when a representative of Schumer’s office graciously accepted a petition against Schumer signed by 27,500 plus New Yorkers. The representative told the crowd that he would “pass the message along to his boss,” and was met with chants of “you need a new boss” from a few.
Schumer has stated that he opposes the bill because he finds the initial 24-day delay in inspection “troubling” and that “even more troubling” is the fact the U.S. cannot demand inspection unilaterally. Inspections would require a majority vote from the eight-member commission. Assuming Russia, China and Iran would side together, Schumer fears one of the three European nations in the deal — France, the United Kingdom and Germany — would side with them once they are apart of lucrative economic agreements with Iran.
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and U.S. Representative Paul Tonko (D-NY, 20th District) have already announced their support of the deal. Gillibrand has called the plan imperfect but has said she believes the U.S. would be left in the dark over Iran’s nuclear program if no such plan is in place.
A representative of Gillibrand’s office was present at the rally, and the protest continued to march to Tonko’s office to present the signatures.
Dorothy Richards of Albany, a member of the group “Grannies for Peace” with family who lives in Delmar said she was “very disappointed” in Schumer’s decision. She explained that the U.S. has “no alternative to this agreement,” which she sees as measure to prevent war. “War is especially hard on women and children, and children all over the world need to be treated with love and respect,” she said.
Francis Flynn, a resident of Colonie simply said he was protesting to “try to put an end to these crazy wars.” As he pointed out, the Iran Deal is a diplomatic measure for international peace that does not rely on the U.S.’s large military budget. “Iran’s whole economic budget is smaller than our military budget. Let’s give these people on the other side of the world a break,” he said.
The Diplomacy Not War with Iran rally was organized by the 60 Days to Stop a War national coalition, with help from local members of MoveOn.org, Jewish Voice for Peace – Albany Chapter, Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace, Solidarity Committee of the Capital District, Women Against War, Upper Hudson Peace Action, Citizen Action NY and Veterans for Peace Tom Paine chapter.
The national 60 Days to stop a War coalition includes the peace groups Daily Kos, CREDO Action, Democracy for America, Win Without War, NIAC Action, Peace Action and others.
More information is available at 60daystostopawar.com.
