These pictures were taken on the March through downtown Los Angeles. A huge and spirited crowd turned out - probably larger than the one that took this same route back in January - despite one of the biggest rainstorms of the year.

This is BEFORE THE WAR, and IN THE RAIN.
If 300-400 missiles are launched at the people of Iraq as Bush has announced, we will simply shut down the country!

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Looking toward the stage.

Looking toward the stage.

Looking away from the stage.

This was on the march up Spring St.

Your little digital camera is making some nice stuff. I think I'll do something non-commercial with the one of all the umbrellas (you'll get a credit).

While I suspect the first one was "image processed" by a wet lens, it has a nice quality I don't usually see in digital... background is downright painterly.

Let's hear it for all the LA peeps sticking it out in the rain! It was quite cold, dark and soggy but our determination shone through!

UMBRELLAS AGAINST WAR!!!

War is a must. Shut the hell up with these anti-war sentiments. Let's say another 9-11 happens and this war never occurred because of people like you? Would you then jump on the bandwagon of all the people screaming at Prez. Bush criticizing him for not doing anything when he should have done something to prevent it? OR, would you continue to participate in these anti-war protests until the next 9-11? Being anti-war is being anti-American. Please just move out of this country and be w/ the French. You people are not welcome here!!!!

Crawl back into your facsist hole and wave your flag.
Freedom of speech, comprede?

Some interesting numbers from our friends at Gallup.

Apparently 64% of Americans currently support the use of military force against Saddam with only 33% opposing. That's the highest it's been since June of 1993 when support was at 70%

59% belive that too much time has been taken to garner more international support for the military strike, while 38% think that more time should be given.

And finally...According to the latest Gallup poll, a total of 68% think that Bush has handled diplomatic efforts on this situation either "Best job possible" or "Fairly good job." While a total of 31% think that Bush has done a "fairly bad job" or "completely mishandled" diplomatic efforts.

Who are these pollsters asking? No one I know.

And because they're not polling you and your pot smoking hippie liberal friends, doesn't cast any doubt on the validity of those stats.

Now go eat your tofu and cranberries.

I used to get called for political polls quite often. After GW Bushwacked got appointed, they called, I gave an unfavorable answer, and was hung up on before finishing my statement. That was 2 years ago, I've never been called again. I didn't give the "correct" answer.
Polls are bullshit.

We already know Clinton was a boob.

In your mind does this somehow justify the shameless way that George I
left the Kurds and Shias out to dry and die following Gulf Massacre I?

Does it somewhere in your sick universe somehow justify going in now and killing
a couple hundred thousand civilians to get one man?

We both know, whether you will admit it or not, that this war is not about Saddam Hussein.
Hussein is the pretext. The plans at play would appear to be somewhat more grandiose.

The objective is the sick and twisted lust for money and power by a handfull
of megalomaniacs - whose tool is George II.

You prove nothing BA other than you are a dupe or a sycophant.
Which are you? Dupe? Sycophant?

First of all, Gallup is the most respected polling organization in the world and has NO political affiliation. Second, I'm sorry if the cold hard numbers are in stark contrast to the fantasy world that you live in.

I'll tell you what MY point is:

My point is that I can not WAIT until this war comes to
a swift and decisive victory with a MINIMUM amount
of American AND civilian casualties. I can not WAIT
until the Iraqi oilfields are handed over to the control
of the new Iraqi government after the war is over. But
most of all, I can not WAIT until the images of liberated
Iraqi people, dancing in the streets just as they did in
Afghanistan, start to transmit across the world as our
coalition forces make their way through Iraq.

That victory over all of you fearmongering liberal
fountains of misinformation, will be far greater than the
military victory over Saddam Hussein.

So go ahead and respond to this post with all of your
insults, empty accusations, fearmongering false
information, or immature name calling.

The bottom line is: You're all going to look like fools when this is over with.

...i think someone has their means confused with their ends...

''With a minimum amount of American and civilian casualties"??? What is that about? Any number is too much. What if you were one of those killed?

What if someone you were close to was killed or injured, how would you feel? Can you even answer that question with a logical answer?

Oh, and by the way "empty accusations"... You just contradicted yourself by maiking your final statement.

And just how would YOU feel if we sat back and did nothing while Saddam sold his chemical and/or biological weapons to international terrorists. Just how would YOU feel if those terrorists slipped them into this country and snuffed out hundreds or thousands of innocent lives HERE?

Saddam doesn't have any such weapons? Then why are there numerous reports today (from a variety of news organizations) that he's arming his troops with them, even after his denial that they exist?

Anyone that says there is no legitimate tie between Iraq and al-Qaeda is either blind, or simply refuses to accept the facts.

The point of the "minimum" statement was to refute these WILD accusations that 100,000 or even 200,000 innocent Iraqis are going to die in this war. Even the people that make those claims have to realize how ridiculous they are.

Are some innocents going to die? Probably, after Saddam intentionally forces them to stand at the doors of his military targets. But, unlike Saddam, the U.S. military goes out of their way, spending millions of dollars developing weapons that have the precision to strike military targets in an effort to avoid civilian casualties.

There is a real danger in Iraq. France has already declared that they intend to put a stop to any LEGITIMATE peaceful solutions. Saddam has already declared that he will NEVER comply with U.N. resolutions.

War fits every horrible description ever used by anti-war protestors. Unfortunately, sometimes it is the only choice.

Some more hard numbers from the Gallup
organization. They're real. Look 'em up yourself. And,
just because they didn't ask any of the people that
YOU personally hang out with, that doesn't make the
numbers illegitimate.

Overall, 66% of Americans approve of Bush's decision
to go to war unless Saddam Hussein leaves Iraq
within 48 hours, while 30% disapprove.

By a similar margin, 68% to 28%, Americans also say
that the United States has done all it can do to solve
the crisis with Iraq diplomatically.

I guess a vocal minority does NOT constitute a majority
after all.

Gallup is an extremely reliable polling outfit.

Just like the New York Times is an extremely reliable news reporting outfit.

Some of you reading this will get the joke...

The point is this:
Gallup isn't making up the numbers; those "numbers" are real. But Gallup *IS* making up the questions that are asked in order to get the numbers. And the questions *ALWAYS* affect the answer.

Any social scientist that has ANY integrity whatsoever will (attempt to) ensure that the questions asked in a poll do not influence the answers given. At least, not influence them in such a way as to skew the end result, to give an artificial and inaccurate answer.

Examples:

1. Do you support president George W. Bush in his use of force to remove the murderous dictator Saddam Hussein from power?

2. Do you think that the US should bomb and kill hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqi citizens in order to attempt to remove the Iraqi president from power?

Neither of these questions, on their own, are acceptable for use in a poll of public opinion if the results of that poll are to be valid. Obviously, each question suggests the answer sought by the scientist/pollster.

The questions asked by many polling organizations vary in the degree of "spin" that is placed in their questions (intentionally or not) and their results reflect this spin.

Additionally, beyond the questions asked (regardless of whether those questions are neutral or biased), you have to look at WHO answered the questions. Was the sample population representative of the larger population to whom you are trying to generalize? Trying to get a truly random sample of the US population is a very, very difficult thing to do. The use of any single method of data collection, amongst a population of this size, will almost always introduce bias and inaccuracy of a type and degree that is difficult to factor for.

Just some thoughts.

Peace,
Matthew Fitt

In the words of our boy emperor, aren't polls just "focus groups"? Since you mentioned Nazi Germany, don't you know that the majority of German citizens supported Hitler? No, I'm not comparing the US to Nazi Germany. Just jeering at those of you who are so overjoyed with surge of irrational nationalism during wartime. GW Bush will leave his office the most unpopular president in US history. The scums behind him (Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Perle, etc.) will be tried BY HISTORY as treasonous bastards.

Will you please let me know when you are going to shut down the country so I can stay home? It would really help on my gas consumption.

Tom,

We started on it last week. Sorry we didn't tell you earlier, but we were kind of busy. I'm sure you understand.

Anyway, now that the "shutting down" process has begun, you should probably stay home from now on, if that is really what you want to do.

Personally, I don't think staying at home is quite necessary, but I do recommend not going to work (maybe you have some vacation time saved up? Or some sick days? I've certainly been sickened lately) and to whatever extent possible, not driving your car.

Not only will you feel better about doing your small part in helping to end the slaughter of civilians, but you might be surprised to find yourself feeling that much more alive and free when you walk to your local independent market to buy a wedge of brie, a fresh baguette, and a nice bottle of french wine.

Peace.