“BUSH: YOU LIED YOU’RE FIRED! …. Words written on the lovely pink banner furled from an upper window of the Century Plaza hotel window Friday evening. And although the Secret Service was on it within 5 minutes, suited anti-heroes appearing on the balcony, not to rescue the pink clad lovelies of “Code Pink”, but to banish them and their work from the many eyes below, the deed was done. So as thousands more arrived, digital images of the banner unfurling and the women being hustled away were shared, and so the word passes.

And yes they came. Even though Bush and his entourage virtually slunk into town to hold the invitation only $2,000.00 a plate fundraiser in Los Angeles, one of many in what is being heralded as the biggest campaign fundraiser ever, the many vigilant citizens of our City of the Angels arrived to greet him. They came from all over the city; brown and white faced youths packed into old cars joined older more seasoned radicals as they cruised through adjacent Beverly Hills searching for legal parking. And they arrived on the Avenue of the Stars, more diverse than ever; demonstrating how successful the work to bring ALL the people of this city together has been.

Drummers, dancers, booksellers, union workers, organizers, and people from all walks of life once again joined to create the instant villages we are learning to build; gatherings to tell the current administration what we think of it’s policies, and to show the rest of the world we are in solidarity with their struggles for justice against the same administration. Creative banners snaked their way through the chanting, sign bearing crowd, and people cheered at their passing; celebrating the creative energy expended in their creation. Even the police, while a large presence, seemed for the most part relaxed, sometimes even smiling and chatting with participants.

This is a far cry from images I remember from my childhood; dark photos on the L.A Free Press cover of the anti-Vietnam rally against Johnson in the “60’s”; bloody faces and baton wielding cops right here in front of the Century Plaza hotel. But everybody seems to understand the rules now, and with the exception of one incident where a gang of cops jumped into the crowd to mysteriously nab someone, things were almost eerily peaceful. Maybe too peaceful. Is this a tactic … don’t create any news and no information will leak out to the general public? There are questions.

And interesting weirdities; demonstrators wielding video cameras and bullhorns; straining against the barrier created by the yellow ribbon stretched along the middle of the street, staring at the elite on the other side. And there they were; standing along the front of the hotel, huddled together in their expensive finery, Bush supporters, people who can afford a $2,000.00 a plate dinner, gawking back at the display of dissent as would visitors to the zoo. What were they thinking? Were they shocked? Were they afraid? Were some of them maybe just a little bit in agreement with the diverse crowd? Were they angry, or curious? There are questions.

And there is more to this than a simple gathering of the tribes; among the speeches and the sense of festival there is discussion; did we fail to stop the war, or are we engaged in an ongoing battle? Are we on the right path? Is this the way to create change, or do we need new tactics? How should we organize now? Will simply voting in a new administration be enough or do we need to break the whole system down and start from scratch? How can we save the planet and create global social justice? Do we need to change our lifestyle or can we continue on the way we are? Can we do it peacefully as it’s being done in Venezuela and Brazil or will it take violence? How do we get the word out to wake up the sleeping un and mis-informed? What are the answers? There are questions.

The gathering @ the Century Plaza was more diverse than you think. Not only across the city but groups from Orange County and San Diego were among the thousands.

Thank the higher powers that be, that we haven't all
drank the deadly koolaid of the Bush junta. The stepford rich attend tainted dinners, while those awake do the right thing! Protest and hope for truths to be told and acknowledged by the masses.This sick and most evil "human" being known as Bush II, must get the fuck out of dodge and take his racist reptile fiendish friends with him!

And again - Evil does on occassion die, like we all will eventually - STAY DEAD STROM THURMOND!
LONG LIVE PROTEST!

OK. I was there at the protest, supporting it, showing solidarity with the people there. But, under the headline for this story it said that there were as many as 10,000 people there? This is self-congratulatory at best, and disinformation at worst. This is a journalistic website. Those in charge need to make sure that ridiculous claims like this are not there to discredit our many movements. I have discussed this point with another woman i was at the protest with. Even a simple thousand people at the protest would have been good for a friday afternoon protest. 10,000 would certainly have been exciting and beautiful, but a ridiculous claim for that day.

And as for police not beating up protesters, is Anna really disappointed? I will not be at rallies where state violence is actively asked for. If this is the only way that certain people think we can get attention for ourselves, then i will not be working with them. Indeed the police are more careful to not use violence today, and i think this should be accredited to amazing people in groups like IMCs who make sure that police know tthey will be accountable for their violence.
This is akin to purposefully asking for jailtime for civil disobedience which i disagree with. Certainly, being jailed makes a point that the state will incarcerate people for expressing their right to dissent. But we should not WELCOME jailing. We can do more work from the outside, and i think the reading of unfortunate martyrs who have been jailed would make us recognize this.

In the same way, we can do more good work when the police are afraid to beat us; when we are healthy and alive and organizing we are doing our jobs to resist the machine around us.

This is not meant to be a diatribe, but when i hear someone say that people not getting beat up at a rally is a loss, i have to get angry. And there ARE pictures of a man getting arrested and abused in the pictures section. I don't applaud this; rather i hope he is soon healthy and more aware of state force. If he is in jail right now, i hope that the money that was raised at the rally can be used for his bail. Letting someone languish to legitimize the movement is at the least reprehensible. For some insight into this, James Carr's autobiography BAD has some material on how he felt about George Jackson being martyred by his own legal team and high members of certain political moements. If i am ever jailed, i will want out; believe that! If i'm beat up by the state, it is not by my choosing either.

Peace through (serious, non adventuristic) struggle- A-K

I get very moved by american democratic actions like these. This is because I'm european, and know about these protests, as back then against the Iraq war, because I know how to look for it on the wwweb.

My fellow country-men are teached by the Kazarian Jewish led media overhere, think that "the americans" are creating a global dictatorship. We get images about patriots worshipping the flag of the Apocalyptic beast. Hollywood propaganda to make believe, that Americans come from India and imported Europeans are real Americans.

If you are interested in my pamphlets against this propaganda machine;
http://broodkast.topcities.com/drawings.html