![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.gifninja.com\/Workspace\/11ad373d-c824-43e3-bbeb-f467e63f1f59\/output.gif\" "\\"SOA")
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The semi-annual gathering of protesters of the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation<\/a> closing off one of the main gates for a weekend. The SOA<\/a> watch host these protests on regular dates. Also it seems that they get upset when people react to the protests that cause the gates to be closed<\/a>. The God Bless Fort Benning Day<\/a> is used as a counter protest to these guys showing up. It is interesting and not surprising to know that many of the SOA protesters try to get free food at the God Bless Fort Benning day event. My wife had to explain to a few of them that trying to close of both gates would be bad considering that many people live on base and need to get out to buy items not found on post. <\/p>\n \nOver the seven years we’ve been doing the Friday nonviolence trainings, we’ve had to take into consideration a number of situations. The police have set up fences, increasingly restricting access to adjacent property. One year Fort Benning blasted \u201cpatriotic\u201d music at us, attempting to drown out the speeches and music from our stage. \u201cGod Bless Fort Benning Day\u201d has become a counter-event which has also grown over the past years. Fort Benning has also become a major base for soldiers going to and returning from Iraq, raising local people’s opposition to the presence of demonstrators. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n Or how about the punishments that they complain about when they try to enter the base<\/a> they hey have done in the past.<\/p>\n \nTrainings also take place to prepare people for roles such as Peacekeepers and Legal Observers. For those who engage in civil disobedience, sentences have been from 3 to 6 months. Therefore a strong support system has been created for those considering that risk ,to help them through the discernment process and during and after their time as prisoners.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n