Small group of Burke residents protest Iran war

A handful of peaceful protesters stood outside the Burke County Administration Building on Monday, where U.S. Rep. Tim Moore has an office, holding up signs that denounced the war in Iran.

The protest location, the organizer said, was designed to put pressure on Moore and those with power to influence what is happening. Neither Moore nor his staff was in the office at the time of the protest.

Seven protesters held their signs at the corner of Avery Avenue and Bouchelle Street in Morganton around 3:15 p.m., as numerous vehicles passed by and honked in approval.

Not everyone, however, agreed with those gathered on the sidewalk. One passing driver shouted “traitors” at the protesters.

The protest was organized by Kevin Allen, who said he recently decided to become more politically active. All attendees participated as individuals and represented no specific group.

Allen said the reasons for the war have “changed by the minute.” At one time, it was about regime change, he said, and later it was about securing the Strait of Hormuz.

The United States’ involvement in the war with Iran, he speculated, is for a number of reasons.

“I think it is reasonable to say that this is a war for Iranian oil. I think it’s reasonable to say it is pure power play. It is also because Israel wants to attack Iran, and we back Israel without question just as a national policy,” Allen said.

Around Allen’s neck was a white keffiyeh with red, green, and black thread forming patterns. A keffiyeh is a traditional scarf worn by Palestinians. The scarf has also been viewed by some as a political symbol associated with pro-Palestinian activism, and its meaning can vary depending on context.

Allen said the war with Iran cannot be separated from the war between Israel and Palestine. The joint U.S.-Israel operation was in anticipation of a preemptive strike from Iran, he said.

“Iran has a long history of directly resisting and offering aid to resistance groups, whether it’s Palestinians or Lebanese resistance groups (or) Iraqi resistance groups,” Allen said. “And Israel doesn’t want that support to continue.”

Protestor Dennis Stamper said that attending these events helps him remember he isn’t alone.

“I think it’s important that elders speak out,” Stamper said. “We remember when it wasn’t like this and (for) a lot of younger people, it’s been like this most of their lives.”

Diana Register, another protester, called the war “illegal” since the action was not authorized by Congress, a legal argument debated among scholars.

“There are a lot of people profiting from (the war), but a whole lot more that are going to be hurt, that have already been hurt, that have been killed,” she said.