Although the presidential election is over, another important vote may take place soon in Washington, DC.
Sen. Bernie Sanders has introduced a resolution to block the shipment of $25 billion worth of armaments to Benjamin Netanyahu’s government in Israel.
Bay Area activists who want California’s senators to vote in favor of the resolution campaigned with a march through the streets on November 11, Veteran’s Day with signs saying “Not Another Bomb. Several hundred Bay Area residents assembled downtown outside the local offices of Senators Laphonza Butler and Alex Padilla.
To further demonstrate their opposition to the weapons sale, 25 people, in act of civil disobedience, blocked the entrance to Padilla’s office at 333 Bush Street. They were not arrested, but sat there for hours while a large crowd of supporters stood nearby listening to speeches and songs.
Nor did the police interfere with David Solnit and his talented cadre of street muralists—including some children—who painted a colorful plea for alternative uses of that $25 billion. If Senator Padilla doesn’t walk past the mural outside his San Francisco office building because he’s in Washington, perhaps one of his local assistants or a constituent will relay the message painted on Bush Street:
“Stop Arms for War Crimes. Fund Housing, Health Care, Education.”
While watching the mural painters, marchers heard spirited songs and speeches, including one rabbi’s admonition that Israel’s current warfare serves “not Judaism but empire.” A few Vietnam war veterans read aloud antiwar poetry. Other activists called for an end to the destruction of Gaza and for a free Palestin
The rally with about 400 participants remained peaceful, giving a nearby cordon of San Francisco police officers nothing to do but watch from a distance.
Before arriving at Bush Street, the demonstrators first marched along Market Street, briefly stopped outside Butler’s office on Post Street, and walked to the Palace Hotel to show solidarity with hotel workers on strike.
A Senate vote on a resolution to stop the sale of Israeli-bound arms could provide one last chance for the disappearing Democratic majority in the Senate to reduce violence in Gaza and Lebanon.
On the odd chance that the vote in the Senate turns out to be 50-50 Vice President Kamala Harris would be needed to break the tie. It’s an improbable scenario; Harris probably won’t get to vote one more time in the Senate.
But for the people at the rally, it was worth a try.
