Support AlterNet
Do you value the information you're getting from AlterNet? Please show your support with a tax-deductible donation.
Feedback
Tell us how we're doing.
The Meaning of One Thousand
Corporate Accountability and WorkPlace:
Not My Financial Crisis -- I've Got Literally Nothing to Lose
Alexander Zaitchik
Democracy and Elections:
GOP Attacks on ACORN Are Based on the Fear of 1.3 Million New Voters
DrugReporter:
LSD Cured My Headache
Arran Frood
Election 2008:
Maybe Now People Will Take Their Votes More Seriously
Bob Herbert
Environment:
The Meltdown We Really Can't Afford
Kerry Trueman
ForeignPolicy:
Obama Talks Tough About Afghanistan; Here's What He's Really in For
Anand Gopal
Health and Wellness:
McCain's Medicare Cuts Would Mean Hidden Tax Increases for Millions of Americans
Hurricane Katrina:
From the Bayou to Baghdad: Mission Not Accomplished
Amy Goodman
Immigration:
Mexico Braces for Economic Blow; Immigration Adds to Complexity of the Issue
Diego Cevallos
Media and Technology:
Anti-Abortion Group Tries to Swiftboat Obama
Bill Berkowitz
Movie Mix:
The "Battle in Seattle" and Beyond
Stuart Townsend
Reproductive Justice and Gender:
Our Next President Will Transform the Supreme Court
Ellen Goodman
Rights and Liberties:
Former McCain Supporter: McCain is "Unleashing the Monster of American Prejudice"
Amy Goodman
Sex and Relationships:
Why Everyone Loves Hot, Smart Older Women
Vanessa Richmond
War on Iraq:
In Biggest Oil Sale Ever, Iraqi Government to Put 40 Billion Barrels of Reserves Up For Grabs
Terry Macalister, Nicholas Watt
Water:
Can the People Who Live in Coastal Towns Ever Be Safe From Hurricanes?
Lizzy Ratner
We were participating in that most ancient of human rituals – communal mourning. Strangers sharing the lighting of candles and mingling of flames, our thoughts unified by a single theme: grief for the dead and longing for peace.
Like thousands of other Americans around the country, I was at a candlelight vigil Thursday evening to remember the more than 1,000 U.S. service members killed in Iraq and the tens of thousands of Iraqi dead. Coordinated by MoveOn.org, Win Without War, Military Families Speak Out and other groups, the vigils took place in 900 cities and drew upwards of 40,000 people.
Nearly 250 people from neighborhoods around Lake Merritt, in Oakland, Calif., gathered at the colonnade on the edge of the lake to stand quietly, candles in hand. A few held placards reading "1,000 Dead," "Quagmire," or "No End In Sight." Some were still in work clothes; other came in exercise outfits. An organizer made a brief announcement at the start of the vigil and again halfway through, but other than that, there were no speeches, only whispering and then silence.
Passing drivers slowed to look and honk in support. Vigil participants stood with heads bowed over their candles or gazing out across the water as the silent moments ticked by. The dark silhouette of a bird flew overhead. A few early stars came out. The breeze blowing off the lake made some of the flames flicker and die. People shared butane lighters and relit their candles. A homeless man ambled by, calling out "John Kerry, John Kerry, y'all!"
I searched the expressions of my neighbors. Most people looked somber, meditative. What were we thinking about, during those 45 wordless minutes? What went on in our private, innermost thoughts?
| Candlelight Vigil A photo series by Derek Powazek ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() More Candlelight Vigil Photos » |
What is 1,000? It is an iconic number that gives the media a fresh prism through which to view the war. One thousand, said political scientist David Birdsell, "is a gripping number, a large number, a tragic number, and it will be a pivot to revisit Bush's reasons for fighting the war." The Houston Chronicle called it "a bloody threshold." Of course, 999 is just as bloody. And no sooner was the toll of 1,000 announced than it became obsolete, with more fatalities bringing the actual number to 1,006 by Friday morning.
Tai Moses is a contributing editor of AlterNet.
Liked this story? Get top stories in your inbox each week from AlterNet! Sign up now »
| More Personal Voices: | ||
|
Are Dry Spells Character Building? Sex and Relationships: Dry spells are hard. Suddenly, 18-year-olds don't seem like such a bad idea, and grey hair is more carefully considered. By Josey Vogels, My Messy Bedroom. October 2, 2008. |
Interracial Marriage: Yes, It's Still Hard Sex and Relationships: Some white people think racism is a thing of the past. It's not. By Robyn Preston-McGee, The Frisky. September 30, 2008. |
How to Talk to Teens About Sex Sex and Relationships: There are many ways of helping young people navigate these years of sexual exploration. Just don't forget you were once a teen yourself. By Christopher White, American Sexuality Magazine. September 27, 2008. |