Get Your Protest On
It was a lovely day for a protest today. Unfortunately, I made it down there late as I had to work but I caught over an hour of interesting guest speakers and musicians from quite a few different backgrounds as well as professions. As usual, It was good to hear their point of view whether as a speech, a song, or a poem. I was a little sad that I had missed the march and I noticed that the numbers weren’t as high as in the past Chicago demonstrations that I have been to. I can’t help feeling that they should have held it on the saturday closest to the election anniversary instead. It’s always a real ethical dillemna for me as I don’t want to miss seeing kids. I wasn’t expecting them to march so soon this time so I thought I would be okay and I was sad when I realized I had missed it. But I also strongly felt that even though Nov 2cnd is obviously significant as the “election” anniversary, the people who are really hurt by Bush’s policies are those of the lower working class, who cannot take off from work. I brought this issue up with another protester and his response was a bit callous and oblivious to me. He just said, “Well, people need to make sacrifices.” But, to these people, a sacrifice may mean going without food on their table or clothes for their family. Everyone is entitled to basic needs of food clothing and shelter and asking them to sacrifice something like this is basically just as bad as what Bush is doing…it’s isolated from understanding struggle. Do others have ideas? Opinions? It made me a bit upset.
The highlight of the speakers was definitely seeing the sister of James Brown sing a song I think she said was entitled “Stop the Killing” she explained she had released it but no one would play it. I’ve tried to find more info. about it and have ended up empty handed but I have emailed the World Can’t Wait protest organizers to see if they can help me out with more details. The song was sung with a good amount of wry soulish funk and kind of reminded me of Yo La Tengo’s cover of Sun Ra’s “Nuclear War.” It was really great just to feel her enthusiasm and activism. Below are pictures (she is dressed in yellow)
Click to see more pics of protests including this one as well as others (including my fav. inaugural protest pics)
More from today:
I didn’t catch his name but this was a minister who was speaking out against the war and he was a great speaker-very animated and passionate about the cause.
I believe this girl was a college student/musician who called herself/her band “Unique” and sang a very empowered song that was also very spiritual about how the Bush administration had negatively impacted the citizens of this country.
There is a great deal going on in this picture, which is why I like it so much. I’ll add that the police were out in full drove force as usual today sort of surrounding Federal Plaza (the running joke is always thanks to the police for marching with us) but at times they did seem less stolid and intimidating-an example below:
So this angel is one of those street performers/buskers on roller skates who does a dance for money and becomes a statue the rest of the time. I liked that he joined right with the protestors and the symbolic suggestive nature of an angel protesting a war. I know, I know, it’s just so obvious I am a sucker for that kind of thing.
Let’s have an end to complacency, shall we? I liked this sign.
PICTURES FROM THE INAUGURATION PROTEST IN DC
Cinchel help me put these up on yahoo as he is more tech savvy.
PICTURES FROM THE LAST CHICAGO PROTEST (current top pic of blog is one of them) 3/19/05
November 3rd, 2005 at 2:51 am
wow!
thanks for posting all this.
i have to re-read i there is so much here that interests me.
i am amazed at everything that is going on right now.
it is great to see a peaceful protest, i think it is good to not push the people into having to become the role of the angry and agressive cop, and try to influence instead the basic humanity to come out. i am sure in a town like chicago a lo of cops must not love bush.
anyway i think the nonviolent methods is the best. king is my hero.
and who benefits from violence or agressive stuff? the man everytime!
ops ok i am writing too much and i have to get to sleep i been working on some writting and research on the ICC.
oh and what you said:
“But, to these people, a sacrifice may mean going without food on their table or clothes for their family.”
I agree and a lot of people would probably be scared to get fired.
ok i feel i am blabing and i am really sleepy
thaks i cant wait to wake up and read this again, the photos are nice too.
i took photos today but my cable to upload seems to not work so i ordered a new one.
the protest is good. it worries them.
November 3rd, 2005 at 7:39 am
In the beginning when I began protesting I was more scared and I also didn’t take my digital camera. But there was actually a huge incidence of police brutality here involving a large number of protesters (this was when we first went to war) so organizers began encouraging people to bring their cameras so that there might be evidence if it happened again and also as a possible way of deterring that sort of thing.
I think there are indeed some cops who agree with us but they sure do a good job of shuffling us off to the back streets away from Michigan ave, the big shopping area of the city and last march, I as one person, was not allowed to walk down the Michigan with a single sign that said to stop the occupation. I feel freedom of speech is at risk.
In any case, the police presence is usually overkill imo. Thanks for your comments.
November 17th, 2005 at 11:37 pm
Can anyone seriously argue that the country has not become fascist over the last four years?
bush and Chaney an the liars scared and telling more lies…people aren’t buying it, the news channels are laughing at the republicans opacity, there’s more truth on comedy central
cheers for Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa.
and for The senators: Republicans Larry Craig of Idaho, John Sununu of New Hampshire and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Democrats Dick Durbin of Illinois, Russ Feingold of Wisconsin and Ken Salazar of Colorado.
We need more people like them, willing to make the separation of [powers mean something.
IMPEACH BUSH AND CHENEY NOW
!
November 18th, 2005 at 7:25 am
well what bothers me is that even so there are still things that reek of this administration’s poor policy that are sliding under the cracks-for instance suspending habeas corpus for Guantanamo detainees. I know that it wasn’t Bush’s idea specifically but I just feel like that kind of thing might not happen in an ethical administration and it bothers me that more media sources aren’t talking about it,
Ultimately, I think what ends up happening is that the media follows popular opinion because ultimately it has become a dog and pony show to sell ads and products. So there is a chance of accountability if Bush’s approval rating keeps slipping (personally, I think he should make history as the first president ever who has a single digit approval rating) but that is what my main hope is.
November 18th, 2005 at 5:18 pm
It Bothers me too. I agree with you about habeas, it is significantly a better and more fair process than the republican alternative. I agree too about the polices, just because something must pass through congress doesn’t mean Bush has no influence on it. Presidents always ask the congress to pass bills, and when their party has the majority it must be significantly easier. The Patriot act is a clear extension of the Bush administration
I hope the country becomes enraged by what these people have said about Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa.. the evil ones are launching a counter-offensive. It makes me want to puke how badly the majority of republicans value the party above the country. And it is time for the democrats to fight back, and fight for us the people instead of the depraved people that have been driving these elitist policies of blunder, plunder and desperation.
This administration is not ethical and you are right about that, and the policies coming out of Washington are a reflection of Bush, his administration and his party. Sometimes republicans sound like Nazi apologists, “oh but congress passed that not bush, what does bush have to do with it? oh but Ashcroft and Gonzalez wrote that not Bush, Bush doesn’t rule on that. Oh that was FEMA not Bush, the was Diebold not Bush, it was irresponsible soldiers that did that not Bush, it was Libby, Rove, Cheney, Riceâ€..etc etc etc.
I feel now that anyone who makes these apologies any longer is essentially so depraved that they are on the level of the holocaust deniers. I mean why engage and speak with these folks? The sick thing is that there must be millions of them warming their cockles on the glow of the tv broadcasting fox news nightly. It makes me want to bang my head against the table at times.
The Americans Public doesn’t want to be occupiers. And we want our rights back. I have to believe in the people of this country, I have to hope and pray that we can take back the country. We were too nice, to polite and a little forgetful, about what happens when you give the right wing republican an inch they will roll right over you with a tank battalion. The people are waking up now, the people are pissed off. The important thing is for people to talk to their friends, neighbors and co-workers. Then they will see that they are actually not out of touch. Then we see how false the right wrong propaganda is, because they speak for an actual minority of minds, ansd they are sick, and must be fought at every turn.
IMPEACH BUSH AND CHENEY NOW
http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/pa12_murtha/pr051117iraq.html
November 18th, 2005 at 5:48 pm
I think you would really identify with this if you haven’t seen it already:
http://www.workingforchange.com/comic.cfm?itemid=19887
November 19th, 2005 at 1:16 am
Brilliant! Thanks, no I had not seen it, I love tom, and the other guy can’t think of the name, but I often forget to look at it, so much to do see and read and hard to keep up, but maybe I can read through some right now.
November 19th, 2005 at 11:40 am
He’s my favorite penguin.