The PeopleTake to the Street

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He gets a social safety net with holes big enough to drive a carrier group through.

The LA rally at MacArthur Park last Sunday to the the Anti-War (et al) Protest & March this last Saturday, the 14th, saw an exponential growth from approximately 300 to around 2,000 protesters (less than one week apart!), was a great success and foreshadows even better things for the upcoming protest:

Great appreciation to ANSWER, all who participated, spread word by voice, e'mail and flyer, as well as HUGE kudos to Pacifica Radio at KPRK 90.7 for fighting to stay free.

The accounts of the rally and march on 9/14, in my opinion, downplayed the actual drive and force it had. It was far more than "spirited" and we protested far more than just the "administration-corporation's" war movement. One of the many popular cries was "George Bush, you can't hide! We charge you with genocide!". Corporate criminality, stolen elections, globalization, racisim, classism, counter-productive and lack of domestic health, welfare and education policies, the media and our threatened civil rights and freedoms were also crimes that were called out for the world to hear.

News channel 7, 11 and a couple of foreign stations attended, in addition to helicopters and a moderately large police escort and distant back-up "riot" force.

The thousands of commuters passing by the protests were VERY vocal in support of the rally, we even had a few park and join in...we were all rather suprised. It goes to show that you never know until you act! So get out there! :-)

NOW... my call to the planners and supporters of the upcoming 'Refuse & Resist!', 'ANSWER' and 'Not In Our Name' October 6th and 26th demos is this...

CAN WE FIND ANOTHER, MORE PUBLIC AND ACCESSIBLE LOCATION?

I've been to Westwood Federal Bldg a couple of times in addition to Saturdays VERY SUCCESSFUL march...BUT...this movement is tooooooo important to have it in such a "police controlled" environment. We were escorted and regulated far too much. However impressive and encouraging the turnout and statement, as well as the small, but growing media acknowledgment, WE NEED TO SHOW THE PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE NOT ALONE AND MAKE IT EASY FOR THEM TO JUMP IN. The participation will increase EXPONENTIALLY.

Westwood on the weekends is nearly a ghost town. I believe, and I echo the sentiments of a number of participants at Saturdays march, that it is imperative that we shout loud and publicly...not to an empty federal building and uncaring, deserted inconsequential commercial center. If we want to target a commercial center and call in the populace that is unknowingly funding and supporting many of the problems with their $ let's march through and around the Beverly Center. Acquiescing to "state approved and controlled" marching routes and time frame is like taking aspirin to cure a cancer. We become repressors of the very movement we are trying to build.

Please consider another, more public and productive site. I will also bring this up at the 'R&R! October 6th Demonstration Planning' meeting on the 19th.

If anyone else feels similar, please contact the organizers and share you support of another, more public and accessible site for the upcoming marches.

Refuse & Resist!
Not In Our Name
International ANSWER Coalition

Thank you again! The things you are doing are imperative to our freedom and intricately appreciated!

In bocca al lupo!

Taking it to the streets with creativity and passion. Feel inspired by your website and pictures. Thanks for sharing the movement with the people who couldn't make it to the protest. Our hearts are with you in the street. No war in Iraq!

how can stop this tide of war?
i agree : fuck iraq but we dont need to bomb them and spend every one of our dollars to kill sadaam. get the inspectors back in and figure it f-ing out!
bush: find less of backbone and more of a brain
america: find a voice to stop this before it starts.