Have a problem with ANSWER? No Worries! - PLEASE READ this:

[meganmonkey]

There have been several threads lately discussing the multi-issue approach of the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition in their marches and rallies. Some posters have implied that don't want to participate in an ANSWER-sponsored march, or that they would like to get ANSWER out of the forefront.
Before we get too excited about who is actually organizing and sponsoring these events...
let's get our facts straight.

ANSWER is just one of MANY, MANY organizers of the events in DC next month. They have been successful in securing some permits and are responsible for most of the chartering of buses for the weekend.

United for Peace and Justice(UFPJ) is another of the most prominent organizers of the events. They are organizing a march, rally, the Operation Ceasefire concert, and various actions on the 25th and 26th of September as well.

They are not co-sponsoring events together (as of this date), apparently for many of the same reasons folks here are skeptical of ANSWER.

Here are links to both organizations statements regarding this issue:

http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=2966
http://www.internationalanswer.org/ (the link to the FAQ about this issue is on the top right of the homepage - the link is weird)

Although these organizations are not exactly co-sponsoring the same events, they are cooperating with each other for a common goal - ending the war in Iraq. They both have goals other than this one, but they all come together against this war, along with thousands of other groups from around the country, big and small.

Please go to the websites of both of these organizations for a better understanding of their agendas and goals.

And PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE go to DC. For your own sake and for the sake of the country. Obviously many people simply can't go for many reasons. No worries. But to those of you who have to think for more than 5 seconds about your excuse not to go, or who are using ANSWER as an excuse not to go, PLEASE RECONSIDER. This event is VITAL to the movement against the war. And the movement is building in strength and in size, and we need to make the most of the momentum coming out of Crawford and the thousands of vigils last night.

Let's not fight about this any more. If ANSWER and UFPJ have found a way to make this work, so can we here at DU.

I love you all and I want more than anything to meet you in DC. Well, okay, I want the war to end AND I want to meet you all.

So I'll see you there, right?

:patriot:

[G_j]

1. & if you want to support Cindy, GO!

for she has asked people to join her there also.

[meganmonkey]

2. That is a very good point

Thanks for adding it.

I tried to throw that post together pretty quick so I think I missed a lot of important points :)

[meganmonkey]

3. Shameless self-kick

let's stop the fighting, please? We have nothing to fight about

:shrug:

[mongo]

4. You'll see me there

and I'm trying to round up some local folks and get one of the buses out of Columbus to stop here (we're on their way) and pick us up.

Wish me luck - organizing progressives is like herding cats.

[meganmonkey]

5. Excellent!

If you are going to be there Fri or Sat night, check out the DC forum for DU events. I think there is a DU meeting spot for the march itself as well...

:patriot:

[mongo]

23. i will be there for the Sat night party

I wouldn't miss it for the world. I think the bus that I am trying to talk into picking me up leaves DC at 4am Sat.

[meganmonkey]

24. Sleep? Who needs it!

splendid - I'll see you there!

:kick:

[Mnemosyne]

7. But it CAN be done mongo,

and here's proof!
http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2666557

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[meganmonkey]

6. One last kick

My mind boggles that people want to argue about this, when it really isn't that complicated. I posted this info on the thread full of arguing, and no one responds. I give it its own thread, and almost no one responds.

Yes, I am aware that I am talking to myself at this point.

:shrug:

[latebloomer]

8. kick

I'm very disturbed that people would boycott the march because of ANSWER.

I marched in the 60s, and it's always been like this-- a variety of different agendas, uniting for one great purpose. You can't censor it, and say the Mumia people or the Right of Return people shouldn't be allowed to proclaim their causes-- or I'm picking up my marbles and going home.

If enough of us flood in there, the primary message will be the one that we all agree on-- ending this senseless bloodbath.

Please, people, we need this to be MASSIVE!! We need to pick up on all that Cindy energy and magnify it a millionfold.

[KG]

9. ANSWER is icky. let me know when the DLC sponsors a peace march

so i know it's safe to go. :eyes:

[LincolnMcGrath]

10. BAM KG kicks it up a notch!

:hug: :yourock: Thank You for putting words to my outrage!

[latebloomer]

14. LOL!!

I'll let ya know.

It'll be happenin-- sometime this eon!!

[Tinoire]

16. Go into the other thread

Plenty of brethren there agitating against ANSWER. I'm thinking that at least one of them would be willing to suggest this to Will Marshall? :shrug:


ANSWER and UfPJ ROCK!

[Tinoire]

11. Nope. No problems with ANSWER.

Check the post counts and posting histories of those having the biggest problem with ANSWER.

ANSWER and UFPJ formed a coalition to have strength against this war. Now who would work so feverishly to weaken that coalition?

Things that make you go hmmmmm...

Regardless, thanks for posting this. It's important to know how many groups are involved!

[AuntPatsy]

12. Needs another kick considering how easy misinformation is being

spun out of control.

[meganmonkey]

13. Thanks!

I am afraid people are being discouraged, that's all.

[Tinoire]

15. Not to worry. The turn-out to these things is always increasing

It going to take a lot more than a little red-baiting to discourage people from attending the antiwar protests ;)


You just keep on rocking & speading the word!

[meganmonkey]

17. Thanks, you too!

I'm pretty excited, if you can't tell :)

[Tinoire]

19. You're going to love it!

Is this your first one?

If so, you're going to LOVE it! Never mind any nay-sayers or people trying to discourage others from attending.

Just the feeling of being among other progressives intent on making a change will invigorate you! You realize how NOT alone you are and how much power you have to change things!

I'll bet you anything that when you come home that night, no one will have to 'force' you to feel optimistic ;) You'll be brimming with optimism and hope, happy to know that so many others are working with you to change things!

If it's not your first one, forgive me for assuming... I'm happy to know you're excited! I'm always excited before them, always happy to know that for a few hours, I'll be with like-minded people who are determined to see things change.

[meganmonkey]

20. Not my first, I've been to several

3 in DC and a bunch in Michigan and Ohio. It is an amazing experience and I can't wait to do it again! Usually I take the bus and only get to stay for the day, but this time I will be there for several days so I'll get to party with some DUers too!

I just don't want to see people who haven't been before get discouraged from going.

(You threw me off with the optimism thing - it took me a second to figure out what you meant :) )

Anyway, hopefully I'll see you there!

:patriot:

[Tinoire]

21. :)

I was so excited for you when you were talking about the excitement. It made me remember the first time a yound friend of mine at DU went so I was getting all excited for you lol.

I understand you totally about not wanting people who haven't been before to get discouraged and that's one reason I get particularly nasty with the coalition-breaking nay sayers who usually have very low level counts or a very anti-Palestinian agenda. They come here like clockwork before every big march and try to discourage people from attending. The names change but their stories are always the same... Communists, anti-Semites. What is hysterically funny is that the majority of low-count posters pretending to be be "committed" "activists" as they rush over here to warn everyone about ANSWER are soon never to be seen again, most of them tombstoned because they can't keep the charade up too long.

But darn, I was hoping it was your first protest! Was all excited for you! Though I guess, I should be happier it's not!

Either way, enjoy & peace!

[Donailin]

18. I live ten miles away from the WH

Will be there all weekend with a party of about 15. I'm telling everyone I know besides. There are a whole lot of people who don't care who sponsors the event, they only care that they are pissed enough to demonstrate their dissatisfaction of the asshat.

[funkybutt]

22. PEACE TRAIN will be there! that'd be about 80 of us (at least)

boarding the Crescent Amtrak route heading from New Orleans to D.C. on Thursday the 22nd - it's been renamed the "peace train". Cindy Sheehan, Lauren Moret (Depleted Uranium Activist) and many MANY others will be riding.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22
7:20 AM New Orleans, LA
8:16 AM Slidell, LA
8:38 AM Picayune, MS
9:43 AM Hattiesburg, MS
10:17 AM Laurel, MS
11:17 AM Meridian, MS
12:51 PM Tuscaloosa, AL
2:31 PM Birmingham, AL
4:04 PM Anniston, AL
7:40 PM Atlanta, GA
9:03 PM Gainsville, GA
9:44 PM Toccoa, GA
10:20 PM Clemson, SC
10:57 PM Greenville, SC
11:43 PM Spartanburg, SC

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
12:43 AM Gastonia, NC
1:25 AM Charlotte, NC
2:36 AM Salisbury, NC
3:17 AM High Point, NC
3:35 AM Winston-Salem, NC
3:42 AM Greensboro, NC
4:44 AM Danville, VA
5:54 AM Lynchberg, VA
7:07 AM Charlottesville, VA
7:59 AM Culpeper, VA
8:33 AM Manassas, VA
9:27 AM Alexandria, VA
9:50 AM Washington, DC!!

www.newdemocracyrising.com