Salon.com has a good writeup about the March on DC here. It points out many of the groups that engaged in civil disobedience Saturday were not the usual left "wingnuts" and hippies:
"Regardless of size, the protest felt different. The demographics of the crowd had changed. As opposition to the war in Iraq mounts, sparked by the president's decision to send 21,500 more troops, protesting against it has become mainstream. There were plenty of professional protesters in evidence Saturday, the kind for whom protests are a lifestyle choice, but there were also more yuppies, more families with small children, more older people and even a fair number of stylishly dressed young girls in North Face jackets and Ralph Lauren sunglasses. Just as important, the confused, off-topic rhetoric of so many past protests was noticeably muted."
Salon then goes on to point out the diversity of the speakers but puts it in a negative light, as if its a bad thing. They also poke fun at the extremists or "wingnuts" in attendance.
I have a problem with this because the peace groups and activists are not about narrow vision. We, in the anti-war movement, welcome everyone that agrees on one thing: GET OUT OF IRAQ NOW! If they bring their own causes to the march, so be it. Some people don't like that the left welcomes people of dubious mindset, and some think this detracts from our message. I do not think it does. I think it shows that we welcome diversity and even if some folks don't agree that freeing "Mumia" is the right thing to do..we agree on a bigger issue that affects every man, woman and child..the War in Iraq is wrong.
Nonetheless, it is a good article to read, it has interviews with first time protesters, and one point is very clear..The President is helping our numbers grow. His escalation of the war in Iraq is bringing out more people who have never protested before and from all walks of life. For an independant POV on the March, along with some great pics, DCIndyMedia has a good read as well.
So, like Bush did in Iraq, he does here at home..he has created a situation that sparks involvement and people are not afraid to speak out, they feel they must speak out and I agree with that assessment completely. Bush is his own worst enemy. Thanks, you jackass.
Tags: Politics, Bush, Iraq, March+on+DC
