Sampling Of Signs From The Anti-War Protest

Where was everyone? Such a low turnout. Very disappointing.

I'll venture a guess why the turn-out was low:

1) Not very good publicity. I recall seeing posters about this demo (i live in central Berkeley), but not that many. Perhaps more vivid forms of outreach are needed.

2) People have grown tired of these demonstrations. They're about as predictable and boring as can be. Our rulers couldn't care less about them.

turnout gets lower every year. people lose interest, naturally. it has nothing to do with publicity.

the demonstration today was boring despite the oversized droves of police officers and small group of freepers. the black bloc was docile. the signs are starting to lose their wittiness. and is it me, or do these demonstrations always turn out to be some thinly-veiled support rally for palestine?

1. The City is getting better at containing the march to a more limited area.

2. Because events are held everywhere today-- many people protested closer to home. For instance, people protested in Walnut creek rather than make the trip in to san Francisco.

3. The rally has become a hodgepodge of interests groups vying for attention. (Not that that is bad-- but the question needs to be asked: is the main message getting diluted?)

4. Many people are confused today. The mainstream parties, and the media are leaving them in the dark. They know very little about third party alternatives. Most who attended the rally showed that they were very savvy and that they did know (if there was a major theme running through the crowd it was that they were extremely curious about the truth behind the events 0f September 11, 2001. Still, those who attended the rally seemed to be mostly demonstarting to a mirror.

The BIG Question: the silent majority that stayed at home-- what are they thinking?

Another major question: how many are concerned about impending war in Iran?

...demonstrate dissatisfaction for the regime at the ballot box.

25,000 people marched in downtown San Francisco in an excellent peace march. In a country where (1) there is no labor movement which would bring the workingclass to the peace movement, which is necessary for the peace movement to grow; (2) most of the workingclass, those who sell our labor for less than $70,000 a year, never vote and are most of the 50% of the adults who do not vote; (3) most Americans never think about politics, THIS IS OUTSTANDING.

We who attend the peace marches are mostly intellectuals, a small minority in this country. We may or may not be workingclass; we may or may not be socialists but we have our intellectual curiosity and our understanding from our education that we must question everything to guide us to action. Just as most of us never think about football, most Americans never think about politics. Please keep that in mind whenver you criticize any peace event.

I AM THRILLED THAT 25,000 TURNED OUT TO OUR PEACE MARCH. This is despite the fact that there is no major issue like a major invasion pending (whatever happens with Iran will not be the same as the invasion of Iraq); no catastrophe like Hurricane Katrina that is on the front pages; no presidential election and no draft to get hundreds of thousands of people in the streets.

75% OF AMERICANS OPPOSE A DRAFT TO PROMOTE WAR AGAINST IRAQ. That is a resounding statement for peace.

IT WAS THE ANTI-DRAFT MOVEMENT THAT BUILT OUR PEACE MOVEMENT AGAINST THE WAR IN VIETNAM. When the draft ended in 1973, that was the end of most of the protests.

The war against Vietnam was the same as the war against Korea, but the peace movement was larger during the anti-Vietnam war, as the economy was weaker, and the peace movement correspondingly larger. Now the economy is much weaker and the peace movement is much larger, even without a draft. We now have 2 peace parties on the ballot, Peace & Freedom and Green Party, and they are growing, something we did not have before 1968.

After over 50 years of peace marches right here in my hometown of San Francisco, I think we should congratulate ourselves in protesting the increasing war and fascism perpetrated by Nazi Bush and the decline in social services and quality of life in this society. I can certainly remember the fascist Fifties and early 60s, protesting the nuclear arms race, an extremely radical thing then, and we had nothing like this. The young people were an inspiration and made me feel far more optimistic than I have felt in a long time. I managed to walk the whole 2 miles, a major achievement, thanks to the inspiration of all the young people singing, dancing and chanting excellent verses.

NOT ONLY DID 25,000 MARCH IN SAN FRANCISCO, demonstrations were held all over the Bay Area and across the nation. In addition, there was a labor demonstration in Berkeley and there are now constant reports of pending or actual strikes. A labor movement is absolutely crucial to the peace movement as it is the workingclass that must not only refuse to join the military, but must instead fight the class struggle right here at home by organizing labor to put an end to the private profit system that makes these wars possible. Our labor contingent was a good size; it needs to grow and it must always lead.

"The rally has become a hodgepodge of interests groups vying for attention. (Not that that is bad-- but the question needs to be asked: is the main message getting diluted?)"


Incredibly astute observation: The message is diluted beyond recogniton. This is precisely the issue. Bringing in a motley assortment of issues alienates many people. We've heard it before many many times.

Focus on the war- the last survey shows that 65% of all Americans disapprove of Bush's handling of the Iraq War. (The only 35% aren't thinking...) Attendance at these rallies should be increasing as public disenfranchisement grows.

A lot of damn good it does, especially in the era of electronic voting. But even when elections were more honest, they still made no difference because the government doesn't run the country. Government is a front. Corporations run the country. Corporations run the world.

And who has controlling interest in the corporations, pray tell? What faction dominates all the interlocked directorates? The ultra-privileged monarchal supreme class, that's who! The same people who've been behind every such thing for the past 10,000 years. This is just the latest variation of their ancient timeless game. Fight the real enemy!

democracy in the united states never existed in the first place, was slavery democratic? was the use of chineese immigrants democratic? was the decision to drop the bomb on hiroshima democratic?

you can go on and on and on...


this is one of the most rediculous signs i have ever seen.

democracy in the united states never existed in the first place, was slavery democratic? was the use of chineese immigrants democratic? was the decision to drop the bomb on hiroshima democratic?

you can go on and on and on...


this is one of the most rediculous signs i have ever seen.