Pics from the Oct 17 March

TO THE ORGANIZERS OF THESE SEMI-ANNUAL PEACE STROLLS: TRY TAKING SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR A CHANGE:
Before and during the war against Vietnam, we had peace rallies at Union Square where we can leaflet thousands of shoppers. We do not need to talk to ourselves; we have to organize the unorganized. There should also have been extensive leafletting of the picket of Obama on 10/15/09 for this peace rally where several thousand total attended with all kinds of worthwhile issues. I heard on KPFA, Saturday 6 p.m. news, 10/17/09, that a broad range of organizations endorsed this event but only 1,000 people showed up in a city of 880,000 people and in a Bay Area of 7 million people. If each endorsing organization had brought at least 10% of their members, which is what an endorsement should mean, there would have been hundreds of thousands attending if not millions, since the SF Central Labor Council allegedly also endorsed this event. THE BIGGEST PEACE ISSUE IN SAN FRANCISCO IS THE NAVY'S BLUE DEATH STRAFING THE CITY FOR 4 DAYS OF COLUMBUS GENOCIDE WEEKEND FOR AN ADMTITED MILITARY RECRUITING SHOW, FLEET WEEK, WASTING TAX DOLLARS AND OIL, MAKING TERRIBLE NOISE SO THAT WE CANNOT HEAR OURSELVES TALK OR THINK AS THEY ROAR OVERHEAD, AND POLLUTING THE ATMOSPHERE. Most people over age 40 and most educated people under age 40 strongly oppose this illegal air show over a city and we can certainly bring thousands of San Franciscans to our peace rallies on this issue alone. Since the schools, courts, banks and post office are closed for Columbus Genocide Day, it is a state and federal holiday which means we could have at least a 2-day peace rally at Union Square, and do a die-in when the Navy's Blue Death strafes Union Square, demonstrating to all the horror of war. This is very effective theater, gets people involved, and gets lots of press. IF YOU DO NOT EVEN BOTHER TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS AND CONCERNS OF THE PEOPLE OF SAN FRANCISCO, WHY DO YOU HAVE PEACE DEMONSTRATIONS HERE? We are all ashamed that all these many organizations who endorsed this event could bring to this event was only 1,000 people. It means they did not do a mass Emailing to all their members and get serious commitments in terms of transportation and attendance to push them to this peace rally. CAN YOU TRY DOING IT AT UNION SQUARE NEXT YEAR, DURING COLUMBUS GENOCIDE WEEKEND, AND DO A DIE-IN WHEN THE WAR MACHINE STRAFES UNION SQUARE?

To the person who posted the statement under the photo of the banner quoting the Preamble of the Constitution - the reason this quote was used was to point out that it is the responsibility of the US government to provide for the general welfare of its citizens. Please read all the banners to get the entire message, so as not to take it out of context. Just look at the centerpiece of the health care legislation, an individual regressive and punitive mandate,(that is unconstitutional and a violation of due process) which would reap huge profits for both insurance/PHARMA by gaining a captive population forced by law to purchase insurance, or be fined for failing to do so. Is the person who posted the caption under the photo in agreement with Obama and Congress to force Americans to purchase defective and over priced insurance products? Bush couldn't have gotten away with this reactionary measure which is something the insurance and pharma monopolies have been aiming to get for years. Obama and Congress instead of fulfilling their responsibility to the Constitution as representatives of the people, they are instituting policies that diminish the meaning and protections of the Constitution, for example by mandating Americans to buy sub- standard health insurance products that provide no health protection. Legislators and Obama have dishonestly tried to persuade the American people that a Single Payer system is not feasible, while at the same time saying that it is the only plan capable of addressing the health care crisis, as it would contain costs, and stimulate the shattered economy with millions of productive jobs. The reality is that Obama and Congress are doing the bidding for the insurance/pharmaceutical/ HMOs, and Wall Street crowd, which is evident by the No Insurer Left Behind, No PHARMA Left Behind legislation, disguised as health care - or shall we now say "health insurance" reform. According to the Friends Committee on National Legislation, 44.4% of US tax dollars were allocated this year to military spending, and the cost of the illegal wars and occupations, while only 19.7% went to health care. What the US spends on its military exceeds the combined totals of the next fifteen highest military spending countries. The Federal government could take a small piece of this bloated budget (say 10%) and have more than enough to establish comprehensive, quality health care for all its citizens, and even export services to poorer countries.

To Shiu & Maureen,

My comment about the Constitution and the general welfare of the people was supposed to be tongue and cheek. Come on guys, do we always have to take ourselves so seriously?! If we can't laugh at ourselves sometimes then maybe we should think of becoming Republicans.

That's why most placards at demonstrations have short snappy, thought provoking statements. If you want people to get the "long" explanation, better to hand out a flyer.
To Sojourner: I imagine you mean to say tongue "in" cheek, yes?

Yes, "in" is the appropriate word. I am writing while tired. Thanks.

That picture on the poster is beautiful. Use V (or 911 graphics, etc.) to change the message of our corporate masters. And point out who the real terrorists of America are. Thanks Adbusters!

And remember, remember the 5th of November, the Gunpowder Treason and Plot.