Stop the US/Israeli War - Defend the People of Palestine and Lebanon

To paraphrase Gertrude Stein... Nationalism, is Nationalism, is Nationalism. US, Israeli, or Palestinian Nationalism all suck. I support the Palestinian People but fuck any flag of any country.

Hatem Bazian said the rally cost $22,000. They passed a bucket asking for donations. Now I'm thinking- wouldn't a better use for 22K been for jobs and education, instead of glossy posters and banners?

"Hatem Bazian said the rally cost $22,000"
How much of that was the march permit and police costs (wch the city makes the groups organizing lare protets pay)?
You can complain about the costs, but police costs etc.. were probably 1/10th of that spent on Tony Blair partying it up on Russian Hill a few weeks ago. I woudnt doubt that some at the party spent more than that just to attend....

Yeah- we've all spent unwisely- thats not the point. Is this the best use of limited activist time energy and money? Thats my point. Maybe fullpage ads in the alternate press is a better idea-or teach ins. Hell, we coulda bought everyone there a burger and fries for less money.

Probably most of the $22,000 went for leaflets, posters, etc., and for sound equipment. (I'd be interested in knowing, though, if any of it went to pay for the cops!)

The most wasteful expense on big demos, especially those in D.C., is the money some demonstrators who live far away spend on getting to the demo. Unless one has another reason for making the trip, it would be far, far, better for any potential demonstrator who would spend hundreds on a plane ticket to donate the money instead to a good activist group with which one agrees.

The greatest waste of money by supposed leftists, however, is the contributions some make to Democratic Party politicians like Howard Dean, Dennis Kucinich and even the likes of John Kerry!

Dude, I've seen some ridiculous mudslinging against ANSWER in the past, but you take the cake. What exactly do they have to gain from paying off cops? It's not like the cops were really that helpful in protecting the crowd during the march, and let's not forget the little incident during the rally in which the cops beat on Palestinian youth and several ANSWER security volunteers.

That doesn't serve to our advantage at a peace rally.
It'll just get used against us.

By a zionist troll. This is a deflection.

When they passed the bucket at the end of the rally, it's what Batzinian (sp?) said it cost.
Do you think he was lying? Wasn't he one of the rally organizers? He's probably the leading Palestinian advocate in the Bay area- believe me, he is no Zionist.

Here are pictures
http://indybay.org/newsitems/2006/08/12/18296586.php
"Nuke Iran", "Destroy Islam", "Israel's Enemies Are God's Enemies".... This doesnt look like a group interested in peace
I have seen signs saying "Smash the Israeli State" at a few protests and it is offensive but "Smash Islam" is much more similar to a "Smash Judaism" sign and Ive never seen anything overtly anti-Semiitc like tht at any anti-war protest (and a "Smash the Israeli State' sign can be taken to mean the curent government while "Nuke Iran" is petty clear in its desire for genocide)