Demonstrators Greet Bush in Sacramento

On October 17th, President Bush rolled into Sacramento to address elite members of the business lobby. Approximately one hundred anti-war protesters marked the occasion with colorful signs and loud chants. While small in comparison to the thousands who have participated in recent Bay Area actions, the vocal crowd represented a significant presence for Sacramento. Police barricaded a sizable radius surrounding Memorial Auditorium, forcing the demonstrators to congregate on successive corners several blocks away. Denied the right to express dissent within a reasonable distance of the presidential festivities, the diverse crowd marched through Sacramento’s bustling shopping district, yelling, "Join us, take a stand, stop the bombing of Afghanistan."

A fifty year old woman from Grass Valley explained, "I want the bombing to stop because I’m worried about the children…there is no bomb that is not going to kill innocent people." Posters read "War is the Mother of Terrorism", "Collateral Damage Is Also Terrorism," and "Hate Hurts the Hater." People lined the broad thoroughfare as Bush’s motorcade zoomed past, chanting, "Not my president, Not my War." Displaying the variety of perspectives, one man noted, "I voted for him and it’s still not my war!"

Across the street, amidst a flag waving contingent clamoring for a glimpse of the presidential limousine, one man jeered at the crowd, "You’re as bad as Osama." Verbal clashes had also erupted earlier, as pro-war demonstrators angrily accused the protesters of lacking patriotism- to which some responded, "Peace is Patriotism." In the only confirmed arrest, police seized a woman who had allegedly crossed the street to converse calmly with her pro-war adversaries.

A comment on one-sided war mongering coverage by the mainstream media, one sign read, "America Shut Off Your TV And Wake Up." Indeed, corporate reporters were noticeably scarce, and the dissenting voices received little airtime amidst copious coverage of the day’s Bush related events. Only the local Spanish language station maintained a continued presence at the demonstration.

In addition to contesting U.S. aggressions against the people of Afghanistan, activists also decried Bush’s proposed free trade agenda. The president was en route to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Shanghai this week, where he planned to promote his trade policies and congratulate China on its recent entrance into the World Trade Organization. One protester’s poster declared "Downsizing Democracy: Fast Track," referring to the controversial trade bill that the Bush administration is currently trying to slide through Congress.

Capitalizing on lawmakers’ declarations of bipartisanship in the wake of the September 11th tragedy, Bush is making a renewed attempt to ratify Trade Promotion Authority legislation. Formerly known as Fast-Track, this bill effectively writes Congress out of the trade negotiating process, allowing the president and selected officials to shape far-reaching agreements, such as the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), with only a quick Congressional nod of consent. After repeated failure to secure the extended presidential powers throughout the Clinton years, the bill finally passed by a 26-13 vote in the House Ways and Means Committee on October 9th. This far-reaching legislation will likely face a full vote in the House of Representatives next week, possibly paving the way to Senate consideration shortly thereafter.

Much as the federal government is employing the umbrella of "national security measures" to establish Trade Promotion Authority, the Anti-Terrorism Act, and other contentious legislation, local officials used Bush’s visit as a pretext for similarly questionable activities. Greyhound was shutdown, abruptly stranding unsuspecting busriders. Authorities designated a "Federally Protected Area", thereby excusing denial of public access on the surrounding streets. As police ushered people away, one officer stopped to accost a passerby, gruffly demanding to see the contents of the brown bag he had been sipping from. It was a soda.

In the early morning hours of October 17th, the Capital Area Development Agency (CADA) raided the Ron Mandela Community Garden, seizing the colorful murals that supply supportive information about the landmark. The second largest oxygen supplier to Sacramento's smog infested midtown, the garden has flourished since1970, diligently cultivated by a variety of local residents, including Food Not Bombs. CADA has long been agitating to bulldoze and develop the tract, and appeared to jump on Bush’s visit as an opportunity to continue their crusade. Concerned gardeners liberated the signs from the CADA warehouse shortly after their theft and restored them to the garden.