Largest Convention Protest ... Ever

That's what the New York Times is saying:

In the largest demonstration ever at a political convention, people swarmed through the midtown area of Manhattan in a march organized by United for Peace and Justice, passing by Madison Square Garden, where this week's Republican National Convention starts on Monday. ... At the height of the march, it took more than an hour to move one block.

I can't believe that some reports are saying there were "tens of thousands" of people at the demonstration. There were tens of thousands of demonstrators like there are minutes in a day.

I started out at the "Not In Our Name" pre-march rally at Union Square. Good music, and speakers included F. Murray Abraham (who woulda thunk it?) and Saul Williams. The entire square was filled (but not crammed) with demonstrators - and that was just one of numerous feeder marches into the United for Peace and Justice event, which started at noon. When we left the square to head north, to the main march, gridlock ensued pretty quickly. On 7th Avenue near 14th Street, the crowd was averaging about a block an hour, because there were SO MANY PEOPLE! Even with the sun beating down on us, people maintained a good sense of humor. I heard one person advise a neighbor, "Better make the most of it. Who knows whether we'll ever get the chance to hang out in the middle of 7th Avenue again?"

There were radical cheerleaders, a really good marching band, several Lady Liberties (one blue stiltwalker and several pink versions), a one-person hip-hop band (via his bullhorn), a dancing Lion and Lamb exhorting Bush to re-read his Bible, a procession of 1000 flag-draped coffins, great homemade signs and shirts and lots of other fun and imaginative things my sun-addled brain can't remember right now. One choice moment is when I was interviewing the Lady Liberty stiltwalker and in the middle of the interview, a police officer came over to tell her to move from where she was sitting. Liberty, begone!

Nearly everyone I asked said they were demonstrating out of a sense of duty - a deeply-felt need to do something, anything to help change the direction the country's going in. Many people said the Iraq war was the issue most concerning them, though several said they were alarmed at pretty much everything the Bush administration has done. In contrast to the DNC2RNC folks, who feel neither major party has any legitimacy, many of today's demonstrators sported pro-Kerry signs and T-shirts (in addition to "Anybody But Bush" signs and shirts) and talked about the importance of voting Bush out of office.

Not many people were arrested at today's UfPJ rally, but over 260 bicyclers were arrested at Friday's Critical Mass (not sure if they're still in detention), and there were reports of more mass arrests today at Times Square, where some demonstrators were taunting / hassling RNC delegates going out on the town. I talked to some legal observers who thought the day had gone very well, but expressed concern for what might happen later this week, when smaller demonstrations, mostly non-permitted and many including nonviolent direct action, are planned.

After the UfPJ march, thousands of people headed to the Central Park's Great Lawn. UfPJ had tried for over a year to get a rally permit for the Lawn, but was denied because the city didn't want the grass trampled. Throughout the day, rally speakers and marchers slammed the city's decision, saying free speech is more important than manicured lawns. The phrase "See you in the Park!" became a subversive invitation to reclaim freedom of speech and assembly. It was kind of funny, then, when I arrived at the Lawn to see demonstrators stretched out in the shade, chatting and selling T-shirts and buttons - more like a picnic than the rabble-rousing I had been expecting.

Most of the people I talked to were from out of town, but lots of people who lived along the march route had draped peace flags, anti-Bush signs and other anti-RNC stuff out their windows. On the subway ride home, an older man asked a woman with an anti-Bush sign across the aisle from me if she had been involved with the protests. Yes, she said, she had come from Vermont for the protests. Well, I've been busy with other things, he said, but I'm really glad the protests are happening.

Support for the demonstrations has been evident all over town this week, which - along with the near-continuous, imaginative events - has really given the city a festival-like atmosphere. Going into the RNC itself tomorrow will be an interesting change of pace!

Diane

Cautious Optimism...

Here in New York, the RNC protests are off to a good start. Yesterday was the first major action, a non-permitted rally and 54-city-block-long march (yes, my feet are still sore). The police - though numerous - peacefully accompanied. According to NYC Indymedia, "There were several arrests throughout the day, but none directly related to the march." Another report said the march was so large that it took up "about 20 blocks through downtown Manhattan." Sounds about right to me...

Yesterday's action was organized by Democracy Uprising, a month-long community-building effort by close to 100 (mostly young) activists that started in Boston during the Democratic Convention in late July. As they walked the 258 miles from Boston to New York, the Democracy Uprising folks interacted with local groups along the way, supporting community gardens, raising money for at-risk youth programs, and participating in various teach-ins. The participants I spoke to stressed the importance of community organizing to social change, and pretty much dismissed the upcoming elections. From their website:

Rather than representing the interests of the people, both Democrats and Republicans choose to build systems of violent exploitation. We have walked 258 miles from the Democratic National Convention and now we arrive at the Republican National Convention to say "Ya Basta!" Enough is Enough! As a symbol of reclamation of our city space, and as a gesture of solidarity with those silenced and oppressed, we will march for those who cannot be present, we will give a voice to the voiceless, a face to the faceless, and struggle to build direct democracy. In the spirit of Zapatismo we seek dignity, justice, housing, autonomy, education, health care, work and food for all.

It reminded me of the Republican's "Compassion Across America" month-long community service/ photo op - the Bizarro version, with dreadlocks.

Earlier yesterday, I went to a press conference held by the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign, who have erected a "Bushville," a poor people's camp, in Brooklyn. The conference announced their formal request for a hearing, filed yesterday with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of the Organization of American States:

They are asking this international body to conduct a hearing and investigation on the failures of the United States government, to fulfill its obligations under international treaties and conventions to ensure the fundamental rights to social security (welfare), health care and housing for residents of the United States. ... The American Declaration on the Rights and Duties of Man (sic) requires the United States to progressively realize economic and social rights. Recent policy decisions in the United States undermine these rights and are causing regression, with regards to the right to social security, health and housing for the low-income families in the United States. "Our government's policies on welfare, health care and housing are worsening the situation for the poor every year. The result is more poor people are dying every year, in the richest country in the world," said Cheri Honkala who is National Coordinator of the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign.

OK, I need to start my day (with a big, crusty NY bagel - mmmmm).

Diane

What Would Gandhi Buy?

Yes, it's true -- satyagraha has its privileges:

In a transparently mercantile bid to keep protesters from disrupting the Republican National Convention later this month, the Bloomberg administration will offer "peaceful political activists" discounts at select hotels, museums, stores and restaurants around town during convention week, which begins Aug. 29. Law-abiding protesters will be given buttons that bear a fetching rendition of the Statue of Liberty holding a sign that reads, "peaceful political activists." Protesters can present the buttons at places like the Whitney Museum, the Museum of Sex, the Pokemon Center store and such restaurants as Miss Mamie's Spoonbread Too and Applebee's to save some cash during their stay.

You'll be happy to hear that our kindred sisters were there, raising heck:

Four members of Code Pink, a women's protest group, were arrested for trying to dangle a 40-foot-long banner from their ninth-floor window ... across from Mr. Bloomberg's news conference.

And what did the banner (and the women) say?

The women were in the process of unfurling a 40 foot long pink banner reading "You Say Welcome, We Say Where -- 8/29 Central Park?" ...

"By presenting a pink slip to Mayor Bloomberg, CODEPINK wanted to draw attention to the discrepancy between the Mayor’s words in front of the TV cameras and his actions behind closed doors," explained Jodie Evans, one of the founders of the organization.  "Requests for permits to rally peacefully in the park have been categorically denied.  We do not need discounts at Applebee’s; we need an administration that sets a course for peace and respects our right to speak."

I guess the shopping's not so good in the park...

Diane

PS - According to Israeli writer and peace activist Uri Avnery, Israeli government policy may go from bad to worse this year:

The months before the American elections are a kind of open season for Israel. The basic assumption is that no candidate for the White House would dare to provoke the American Jewish voters at election times. ... Israeli governments naturally time their most controversial moves to coincide with the American elections. The more closely fought the elections, the more attractive it is for Israeli planners and adventurers.

But there's some good news as well -- according to a new Zogby poll, 51% of likely American voters and 70% of registered Democrats believe that John Kerry "should adopt an entirely new policy, different from the present administration, towards Israel." Now if he'd just get the message.

Helen Thomas Interview

Ran into this interesting bit today:
From The Progressive magazine, an interview with Helen Thomas

For decades, Thomas could be seen sitting in the front row during Presidential press conferences, often asking the first question. In her memoir, Front Row at the White House, she writes, "When it comes to the Presidential news conference, I have never lost my sense of awe that I am able to quiz a President of the United States--politely I hope, but if necessary to hold his feet to the fire." Elsewhere in the book, she quotes Richard Nixon as telling her, "You always ask tough questions, tough questions not in the sense of being unfair, but hard to generalize the answers."

Thomas has built a remarkable career as a journalist. She rose through the ranks to become UPI White House bureau chief. She's covered the day-to-day workings of the White House longer than any other correspondent. And she was the first woman to hold posts in the White House Correspondents' Association and the National Press Club. She left UPI in 2000 and now writes a syndicated column twice a week for the Hearst newspapers.

Thomas no longer sits in the front row during Presidential news conferences, a privilege traditionally reserved for wire service reporters. When I caught up with her in Washington, D.C., in April, I asked her if she missed asking the first question. "No. I just want the questions to be asked," Thomas replied. "It doesn't matter whether I ask them. No leader should get off the hook when they take people to war."

Venezuela's Continuing Struggle

Today is Venezuela's recall election, and serious shenanigans have already surfaced. Excellent independent journalist Justin Podur, who is blogging from Venezuela, writes:

A fake tape recording of the president of the National Electoral Council, Francisco Carrasquero, was discovered. On it, a voice impersonating Carrasquero's announced that the SI forces [voting yes to recall President Hugo Chavez] got 11,436,086 votes and that thus Chavez was revoked. The real Carrasquero said at a press conference that they are doing an "exhaustive investigation" of this "serious electoral crime."

Ugh. But there is some moderately good news, too. From Venezuelanalysis.com, another great website:

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States and former President Jimmy Carter of the Carter Center also reported that in their meeting with the opposition coalition Democratic Coordinator (CD), that the CD agreed not to publicize its results, presumably on the basis of exit polls, prior to the electoral council's (CNE) announcement of the referendum's result. However, the CD reserved the right to publicize its results should the CNE delay announcing its results "unduly, such as by more than three days."

Independent observers had been worried that the CD would release its own unofficial results before polls closed, exaggerating their support, as a way to challenge the official final tally as "manipulated" should they wind up losing.

A bit more Venezuela news of particular interest to Women for Peace:

In 1999, the year following Chavez's election, "four months of continuous lobbying got women the constitution they wanted. Among its anti-sexist, anti-racist provisions, it recognizes women's unwaged caring work as economically productive, entitling housewives to social security. ... In a country where 65% of households are headed by women, it is they who are the majority in government education and health campaigns: who are users as well as those who nurse, train and educate. Again, women are the majority in the land, water and health committees which sort out how the millions of people who built homes on squatted land can be given ownership, how water supplies are to be improved, and what health care is needed."

Go, companeras!

I probably don't need to remind you, but the U.S. government, through the Orwellianly-named National Endowment for Democracy (and likely other channels), supported the brief April 2002 coup against Chavez and continues to fund anti-government groups in Venezuela - including SUMATE, the group that instigated today's recall.

Keep an eye on the situation. And, just for kicks, imagine what the U.S. response would be if the tables were turned.

Diane

No more thought control...

Particulary timely in light of the Iraq PM's decision to close Al Jazeera offices, the documentary film Control Room begins playing in Madison today.

Through the deceptively simple practice of watching, listening and editing, Jehane Noujaim captures the complexity of reporting, and has a great deal to say about truth, democracy and the ambiguous status of the free press in the modern world.
- A.O. Scott, New York Times

Control Room will be playing at The Orpheum Theater, 216 State St., 255-8755, through Thursday August 19.

Jennifer

Be Prepared!

Be prepared!
Did you know that September is being designated as National Preparedness Month?

You probably wouldn't, as the official kick off isn't slated to happen until Thursday, September 9, 2004.

Tom Ridge is prepared to make the official announcement two days before the 3rd Anniversary of the destruction of the World Trade Center on September 11th.

I originally heard about this at Tom Tomorrow's fantastic site, where guest blogger Bob Harris laid it out (and updated recently with more details).

Jennifer

Don't They Already Have FOX?

In the I-can't-believe-I-just-read-that category:

Time Warner Cable announced today it will begin rolling out the Pentagon Channel, the Defense Department's news and information network for the military, this month. The Pentagon Channel, which previously existed as an information channel within the Pentagon and on military bases, will now be distributed 24 hours a day, seven days a week to all of Time Warner Cable's digital television customers.

I wonder if this is the American Forces Radio and Television Service, expanded. AlterNet suggests the channel might provide military families separated from loved ones a "Rumsfeldian haiku to ease the pain." (Hmmm, a new communication tactic: Soldiers in Najaf/ Fighting the Mehdi Army/ It will make us safe.) I guess it kind of makes sense... We are the COPS of the world, after all. Do you think the channel will carry Rush Limbaugh?

Diane

Code Blog

Welcome to our new homepage and blog! When we saw all the attention the bloggers were receiving at the DNC, we said, heck, we can do that, too. Several Women for Peace members will be posting links to stories of interest and sharing their thoughts in this space. Stay tuned...