At some spots along the way, the local media interview him, but he has yet to get any national exposure. He would like some, because more publicity would draw attention to the folly of the war, he says.
I don't know if it's possible for enough attention to be paid to the war and its effects, nor do I fail to understand that after four years, it's only natural to work within the context of the war; to move beyond the immediacy of the insanity. Indeed, that's the only way change is likely to come. But we can't hear enough about the people who take up this cause as their life's work, because without them, we'd all be lost.
McDannell says it best:
My name is Bill McDannell. I am a father of five and grandfather of four. I am a Vietnam era veteran and a former pastor of the United Methodist Church. Despite considerable evidence to the contrary, I still firmly believe that, as a citizen of the United States of America, I have a voice in the activities of our country, and that my voice can be heard and can have an impact.
On Saturday, November 4th, 2006 I began to put that belief to the test. Mindful of my constitutional right to petition my government, on that date I left my home in Lakeside, California to begin a walk that will end in Washington, D.C. I am carrying with me a petition I intend to present to both the executive and legislative branches of our government requesting that we, as a nation, declare an immediate end to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Along the way, he's collected about 1,500 signatures, and by my rough calculations he's about halfway to Washington, DC. To get where he is, he sold most of his possessions including his home and quit his job. Because he still believes this country is worth saving, and he can have a small part in that salvation. Yesterday many of us attended vigils to mark the anniversary of the war in Iraq. On this occasion, let's also remember some of those who are pushing forward every day to bring an end to this bloodshed.
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