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NION/ San Francisco/ October 6th
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No traffic stopped. No disruption of shopping. No change in pedestrian traffic. No media coverage.
Protestors: 0
San Francisco: 1
Protestors: 0
San Francisco: 1
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Traffic was stopped on Powell Street for a while. The Chronicle and San Jose Mercury News websites are carrying good stories on the rally. KPFA, 94.1 FM, carried the rally live from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. KPFA news at 6 p.m.announced 5,000 attended, which is excellent for such a terribly hot day.
The temperature was certainly 90 degrees in the sun and that is just as deadly as sub-zero temperatures can be. Most of us had to leave the square and go to the shady areas near the buildings. Macy's had air conditioning coming from its Xmas store, so we could enjoy that if we stood near it. Clearly, Union Square needs lots of shade trees both on the terrace areas, where they have started planting them, and all over the square. It also needs water fountains throughout the square area.
San Francisco residents: Please tell the Board of Supervisors of the need for lots of shade trees and drinking fountains at Union Square. In addition, tell them that if they like the reactionary Dewey monument, celebrating the murder of 4 million Filipinos by American troops, sitting in Union Square, they should put it in the backyard of one of their homes and replace it with a fountain at Union Square. We sure could have used the water to splash on our faces.
Considering this rally was held before the draft was re-started (which Bush & Co. can hardly wait to do), and before any war resolution was passed, it was very impressive, as were the other 26 rallies held across the country today demanding no new war against Iraq and repeal of the Fascist Act attacking our civil liberties. I can assure you, the ruling class counts attendance at all these rallies, recognizing that we are certainly the tip of the iceberg.
They also know that every single member of Congress, both the House and Senate, have been diluged with phone calls, letters and faxes opposing war. That is why there is still no full-scale invasion.
Those of us who remember the Vietnam War, and our predecessors who remember the Korean War, are very proud of the fact that the peace movement today is bigger before another blood for oil war starts than it was at the end of the Vietnam War. The peace movement has grown with each imperialist war.
The Vietnam War was a repeat of the Korean War, and as the economy suffered with the second round of guns instead of butter, the protests grew. In addition, the draft affected college students who did not manage to stay in school fulltime or graduated from college. It was the draft that was the basis of our protests against the Vietnam War, which is why most protests were on and near college campuses, and when the draft ended in 1973, most of the protests ended. 1973 also marked the end of the last period of improved conditions for the workingclass, 1945-1973. What fueled the American public's opposition to the war was not just the declining economy after 1965, but counting the 58,000 body bags. When they got tired of counting American dead, they became anti-war.
Perhaps the biggest advance today is the connection of labor to the peace movement, which the Big Fool in the White has managed to make. His threat to use troops to replace the ILWU was retracted in the face of protests; so far his threat to use Taft-Hartley has been withheld in the face of protests. The ILWU was at the rally and on the stage, supporting the peace movement's opposition to the Big Fool's war and encouraging our support for their opposition to his anti-labor policies.
Most of labor did not move during the Vietnam War as the economy was in better shape. Today, it is in terrible shape. As labor joins the peace movement, the Big Fool will not be able to push on and peaceniks will prevail.
The temperature was certainly 90 degrees in the sun and that is just as deadly as sub-zero temperatures can be. Most of us had to leave the square and go to the shady areas near the buildings. Macy's had air conditioning coming from its Xmas store, so we could enjoy that if we stood near it. Clearly, Union Square needs lots of shade trees both on the terrace areas, where they have started planting them, and all over the square. It also needs water fountains throughout the square area.
San Francisco residents: Please tell the Board of Supervisors of the need for lots of shade trees and drinking fountains at Union Square. In addition, tell them that if they like the reactionary Dewey monument, celebrating the murder of 4 million Filipinos by American troops, sitting in Union Square, they should put it in the backyard of one of their homes and replace it with a fountain at Union Square. We sure could have used the water to splash on our faces.
Considering this rally was held before the draft was re-started (which Bush & Co. can hardly wait to do), and before any war resolution was passed, it was very impressive, as were the other 26 rallies held across the country today demanding no new war against Iraq and repeal of the Fascist Act attacking our civil liberties. I can assure you, the ruling class counts attendance at all these rallies, recognizing that we are certainly the tip of the iceberg.
They also know that every single member of Congress, both the House and Senate, have been diluged with phone calls, letters and faxes opposing war. That is why there is still no full-scale invasion.
Those of us who remember the Vietnam War, and our predecessors who remember the Korean War, are very proud of the fact that the peace movement today is bigger before another blood for oil war starts than it was at the end of the Vietnam War. The peace movement has grown with each imperialist war.
The Vietnam War was a repeat of the Korean War, and as the economy suffered with the second round of guns instead of butter, the protests grew. In addition, the draft affected college students who did not manage to stay in school fulltime or graduated from college. It was the draft that was the basis of our protests against the Vietnam War, which is why most protests were on and near college campuses, and when the draft ended in 1973, most of the protests ended. 1973 also marked the end of the last period of improved conditions for the workingclass, 1945-1973. What fueled the American public's opposition to the war was not just the declining economy after 1965, but counting the 58,000 body bags. When they got tired of counting American dead, they became anti-war.
Perhaps the biggest advance today is the connection of labor to the peace movement, which the Big Fool in the White has managed to make. His threat to use troops to replace the ILWU was retracted in the face of protests; so far his threat to use Taft-Hartley has been withheld in the face of protests. The ILWU was at the rally and on the stage, supporting the peace movement's opposition to the Big Fool's war and encouraging our support for their opposition to his anti-labor policies.
Most of labor did not move during the Vietnam War as the economy was in better shape. Today, it is in terrible shape. As labor joins the peace movement, the Big Fool will not be able to push on and peaceniks will prevail.
5000 is an underestimate - was that the organaizer's estimate? sometimes KPFA 's news department really sucks - when they read stuff off the wires - look at the pictures - the entire square was filled and packed - and people were coming and leaving - at one time - the street outside the square was filled - seems to me the numbers were much much much higher
as the organizing for these protests becomes more and more monopoilzed by groups like International ANSWER and front groups for the RCP who don't think its "time for direct action yet", the people like yourself and anyone else who thinks more should be done need to stop bitching and start organizing....not aimed at you, but all of us.
lets come out to the answer march, as much as we hate them, and transform it into something worthwhile. come prepared for direct action.
k?
lets come out to the answer march, as much as we hate them, and transform it into something worthwhile. come prepared for direct action.
k?
What did we accomplish?
Thousands of people participated and (hopefully) went home feeling that they were part of a large, growing, and committed movement. They also heard and saw how the present threat of war on Iraq is directly connected to racism, to class struggle, and to all the interlocking oppressions that hold each other up. Many of those people wil be energized to talk to their friends about what they heard and did, to particiapte in future rallies, to learn more about the issues, or to get invovled in many other ways.
Tens of thousands more heard and saw the rally and, even if they didn't hear the particulars, understood that here were thousands of people of all sorts -- people just like them -- raising their voices against the war. Now they have firsthand evidence that contrasts with what they hear from the mass media and from Washington. Some of them will start to think about what that means, try to find out more, talk to other people. Some of them will join us.
Don't evaluate our actions only by the immediate impact they have on those in power. Rather, let's look at how they affect ordinary folks and help to build a principled, long-term mass movement. Our hard work and energy should go towards empowering the people-- Bush & his cronies don't deserve to be the focus of all our efforts!
Thousands of people participated and (hopefully) went home feeling that they were part of a large, growing, and committed movement. They also heard and saw how the present threat of war on Iraq is directly connected to racism, to class struggle, and to all the interlocking oppressions that hold each other up. Many of those people wil be energized to talk to their friends about what they heard and did, to particiapte in future rallies, to learn more about the issues, or to get invovled in many other ways.
Tens of thousands more heard and saw the rally and, even if they didn't hear the particulars, understood that here were thousands of people of all sorts -- people just like them -- raising their voices against the war. Now they have firsthand evidence that contrasts with what they hear from the mass media and from Washington. Some of them will start to think about what that means, try to find out more, talk to other people. Some of them will join us.
Don't evaluate our actions only by the immediate impact they have on those in power. Rather, let's look at how they affect ordinary folks and help to build a principled, long-term mass movement. Our hard work and energy should go towards empowering the people-- Bush & his cronies don't deserve to be the focus of all our efforts!
I agree -- let's not just count our significance immediately and now
-- these "leaders" (read: fools and connivers who have illegally
taken power) rule for the day, but we work for the ages. ours is
the long struggle, and WE are the ones with true power, the only
ones who REALLY matter in the history of human social progress. and
though i get disheartened at times with how much *evil* these people
are really able to ram through, when i stand there with thousands
and *thousands* of my brothers and sisters shouting and venting our
rage and emotion, i *feel* powerful, i *feel* good -- and i am ready
to work and fight and give all i have to oppose these oligarchs, and
work for the Good World and much more equitable and just world which
we all who don't share in the top 1% of the wealthiest classes, want
to see in the far future.
and if i am empowered, along with thousands of others, then whatever else the effects, i count that rally as a victory.
i could've gone to the bluegrass festival or just sat around at home and read some books to escape the true grim reality of what is happening in this country these days, but instead i am feeling better tonite knowing that i am not alone in how strongly i feel about this -- there are very passionate and courageously impassioned folk out there who are in right in this struggle alongside me until the end.
and that is Awesome.
and that *is* Victory.
and -- that is why They don't like it, and will work as hard as they can to reduce and abolish our fundamental RIGHT to free assembly in the coming months and years, don't you doubt it. as one speaker said -- if we do not resist now, in one year or more, mass displays of resistance like today will not even be allowed. use it or lose it -- you cannot count on The Powers to grant you your freedoms -- in this world, under this regime -- we had better fight like HELL to keep every single one we have, and which our forebears gave their blood, sweat, and lives for to secure for us.
en Libertad y Justicia-
Xylem.
(www.mandeep.org)
For more information:
http://www.mandeep.org
The world is soley evaluated on direct actions
Hey, Not in our Name seems pretty good - in that it doesn't seem to be a front group for anything, like ANSWER/IAC are. But I heard that the RCP is connected with one of the antiwar organizations these days. which one is it?
There were a couple dozen fascinating retro hippies at union square who looked like they had studied photos of 1971 and carefully perfected their appearance.
There were a couple dozen fascinating retro hippies at union square who looked like they had studied photos of 1971 and carefully perfected their appearance.
This is a taste of Radical thought
I lifted this from Portland ...
http://portland.indymedia.org/
http://portland.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=24556&group=webcast
The Dragon Awakes
by Robin
Don't go back to sleep
I thought that I'd take the time to let the emotions of yesterday mellow out a little and the trolls time to rant for a while with their bashing requests before I posted this. I also wanted time to let
the impressions I got from all the speakers I listened to and the people I spoke with yesterday sink in and meld.
The dragon I speak of that is waking is the majority of the population that is now starting to remember what this nation is really about. The people that are remembering that we have a constitution and Bill of Rights, that were written and agreed upon by the elected representatives of the people; Representatives that honored the wishes and desires of those that chose them.
The Constitution and the addendum to it, the Bill of Rights, were drafted as assurance to the people that the abuses of power under either an unjust Monarchy, or any other form of non-representative government would not have the chance to creep into existence. It seems that those who were already not awake, (referring to the ones who didn't fall asleep, "left-wing liberals and conspiracy freaks"), are finally opening their eyes, refusing to be content to meekly think, "Well, we did elect them, they must know better than us, let's tell them we agree to let them do what is best for us". The not-elected pResident of the U.S., Bush, and his supporters have found how far they can go with their lies before the people finally wake up and say "NO MORE"
Even Senators, who formerly supported them like Senator
Robert Byrd, no friend of the people's will, are considering
refusing to let the Constitution be destroyed any more than it already has. I am referring to the constitutionally-separation of powers of what authority is delegated to the 3 branches of government; Executive, Congressional and Judiciary. Granted he, and others of like mind, are only mad because their power of approval is being given away by their fellow Senators, but we can take advantage of that by urging, if it appears that the vote to approve the War Powers Act is going to be approved, to urge support of his threatened filibuster to stop it's passage. I'll make it easy for everyone to say "NO"; only one Ph # is needed, the
toll-free Capitol switchboard, and then request transfer to his office and also your respective Senator's offices, Wyden and
Smith, urging support. This is something that even the armchair protestors can do, the ten friend's of every one of the 5-12,000 who marched yesterday.
800-648-3516, and keep trying, call late tonight before you go to bed when the full voice-mail boxes may again have room to
record your message.
The City of Portland even moderated it's approach to crowd
control by putting an intelligent commander in charge yesterday, Rosie Spicer, who refused to use any violence even to counter
any of the mild illegal acts that took place. I refer to the young man who decided to climb up on the East Portico of City Hall to whom I gave my anti-pepper spray goggles and the subsequent non-permitted march by about 30-50 people for about an hour.
The Trolls have claimed that the crowd gathered yesterday were "un-washed, stinking hippies and anarcharists. WRONG; we were a cross-section of every segment of society, every religion, every age, every political party and every morality. The one thing we all had in common was our desire to communicate to Washington that taking away our Constitutionally-granted rights
and making decisions that are not agree-upon by the majority, will not be tolerated.
This time, it is not going to take the Tet offensive of January '68, which took the lives of at least one person that everyone my age grew up with. This time the "wag-the-dog" ploy that Clinton used to divert attention is not working.
This time, they have gone too far already, and most of you were too asleep to wake up in time. It is going to be a hard road to walk in order to re-claim some of the rights that have already been taken away in the last year. It will cost some of us freedom in order to counter the TIPS program of made-up lies by frightened neighbors, co-workers and right-wing nazi's that will enjoy our jailing under the JTTF powers that we have granted them to use.
Yes, I say we, as we must take responsibility to not standing up and saying "NO" earlier.
I hope that the dream of the young man, Josh from Winterhaven School, who is responsible for the most memorable quote of any of the speakers yesterday, " Someday the schools will have all the money they need and the Air Force will have to hold a bake sale to buy a bomber", comes to pass.
I have a dream that John Lennon's Imagine is used as a new national anthem, rather than a song glorifying war, death and struggle against oppressors.
I urge you, if you do nothing else, if you choose not to take a chance marching in the streets, if you choose not to participate in non-violent civil disobedience, which many will, you can at least call your congressman. Call, write, e-mail, or fax them every day.
BUT DO SOMETHING, or go back to sleep, only to wake
someday in the hell you have helped create.
I lifted this from Portland ...
http://portland.indymedia.org/
http://portland.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=24556&group=webcast
The Dragon Awakes
by Robin
Don't go back to sleep
I thought that I'd take the time to let the emotions of yesterday mellow out a little and the trolls time to rant for a while with their bashing requests before I posted this. I also wanted time to let
the impressions I got from all the speakers I listened to and the people I spoke with yesterday sink in and meld.
The dragon I speak of that is waking is the majority of the population that is now starting to remember what this nation is really about. The people that are remembering that we have a constitution and Bill of Rights, that were written and agreed upon by the elected representatives of the people; Representatives that honored the wishes and desires of those that chose them.
The Constitution and the addendum to it, the Bill of Rights, were drafted as assurance to the people that the abuses of power under either an unjust Monarchy, or any other form of non-representative government would not have the chance to creep into existence. It seems that those who were already not awake, (referring to the ones who didn't fall asleep, "left-wing liberals and conspiracy freaks"), are finally opening their eyes, refusing to be content to meekly think, "Well, we did elect them, they must know better than us, let's tell them we agree to let them do what is best for us". The not-elected pResident of the U.S., Bush, and his supporters have found how far they can go with their lies before the people finally wake up and say "NO MORE"
Even Senators, who formerly supported them like Senator
Robert Byrd, no friend of the people's will, are considering
refusing to let the Constitution be destroyed any more than it already has. I am referring to the constitutionally-separation of powers of what authority is delegated to the 3 branches of government; Executive, Congressional and Judiciary. Granted he, and others of like mind, are only mad because their power of approval is being given away by their fellow Senators, but we can take advantage of that by urging, if it appears that the vote to approve the War Powers Act is going to be approved, to urge support of his threatened filibuster to stop it's passage. I'll make it easy for everyone to say "NO"; only one Ph # is needed, the
toll-free Capitol switchboard, and then request transfer to his office and also your respective Senator's offices, Wyden and
Smith, urging support. This is something that even the armchair protestors can do, the ten friend's of every one of the 5-12,000 who marched yesterday.
800-648-3516, and keep trying, call late tonight before you go to bed when the full voice-mail boxes may again have room to
record your message.
The City of Portland even moderated it's approach to crowd
control by putting an intelligent commander in charge yesterday, Rosie Spicer, who refused to use any violence even to counter
any of the mild illegal acts that took place. I refer to the young man who decided to climb up on the East Portico of City Hall to whom I gave my anti-pepper spray goggles and the subsequent non-permitted march by about 30-50 people for about an hour.
The Trolls have claimed that the crowd gathered yesterday were "un-washed, stinking hippies and anarcharists. WRONG; we were a cross-section of every segment of society, every religion, every age, every political party and every morality. The one thing we all had in common was our desire to communicate to Washington that taking away our Constitutionally-granted rights
and making decisions that are not agree-upon by the majority, will not be tolerated.
This time, it is not going to take the Tet offensive of January '68, which took the lives of at least one person that everyone my age grew up with. This time the "wag-the-dog" ploy that Clinton used to divert attention is not working.
This time, they have gone too far already, and most of you were too asleep to wake up in time. It is going to be a hard road to walk in order to re-claim some of the rights that have already been taken away in the last year. It will cost some of us freedom in order to counter the TIPS program of made-up lies by frightened neighbors, co-workers and right-wing nazi's that will enjoy our jailing under the JTTF powers that we have granted them to use.
Yes, I say we, as we must take responsibility to not standing up and saying "NO" earlier.
I hope that the dream of the young man, Josh from Winterhaven School, who is responsible for the most memorable quote of any of the speakers yesterday, " Someday the schools will have all the money they need and the Air Force will have to hold a bake sale to buy a bomber", comes to pass.
I have a dream that John Lennon's Imagine is used as a new national anthem, rather than a song glorifying war, death and struggle against oppressors.
I urge you, if you do nothing else, if you choose not to take a chance marching in the streets, if you choose not to participate in non-violent civil disobedience, which many will, you can at least call your congressman. Call, write, e-mail, or fax them every day.
BUT DO SOMETHING, or go back to sleep, only to wake
someday in the hell you have helped create.
From The Chronicle:
<snip>
A warm-up protest was held at the foot of Powell Street by Global Exchange and the International Answer Coalition. Attended by several hundred protesters,
their chants of "No blood for oil" could scarcely be heard amid the din of percussion instruments and Market Street denizens.
Watching bemusedly from the cable car queue was Chris Jacobsen, 19, a Coast Guard seaman apprentice visiting the city from Nebraska.
</snip>
The rest:
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2002/10/07/BA209438.DTL
<snip>
A warm-up protest was held at the foot of Powell Street by Global Exchange and the International Answer Coalition. Attended by several hundred protesters,
their chants of "No blood for oil" could scarcely be heard amid the din of percussion instruments and Market Street denizens.
Watching bemusedly from the cable car queue was Chris Jacobsen, 19, a Coast Guard seaman apprentice visiting the city from Nebraska.
</snip>
The rest:
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2002/10/07/BA209438.DTL
I stand corrected.
From The Chronicle:
<snip>
A warm-up protest was held at the foot of Powell Street by Global Exchange and the International Answer Coalition. Attended by several hundred protesters,
their chants of "No blood for oil" could scarcely be heard amid the din of percussion instruments and Market Street denizens.
Watching bemusedly from the cable car queue was Chris Jacobsen, 19, a Coast Guard seaman apprentice visiting the city from Nebraska.
</snip>
The rest:
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2002/10/07/BA209438.DTL
From The Chronicle:
<snip>
A warm-up protest was held at the foot of Powell Street by Global Exchange and the International Answer Coalition. Attended by several hundred protesters,
their chants of "No blood for oil" could scarcely be heard amid the din of percussion instruments and Market Street denizens.
Watching bemusedly from the cable car queue was Chris Jacobsen, 19, a Coast Guard seaman apprentice visiting the city from Nebraska.
</snip>
The rest:
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2002/10/07/BA209438.DTL
Maybe not Nebraska, Chris...but South Carolina, New Mexico, Utah, Fresno CA, Tennesee, Wisconson, Ohio and Anchorage Alaska
I want a bus like that. I want a ballon arch. Ooh, what pretty colors!
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