I Was Sleepwalking Through the DC Rally-A.N.S.W.E.R. Me This

[buzzsaw_23]

It seems to me that there has been a disproportionate amount of attention focused on ANSWERs' influence and import in the most recent march as well as ANSWERs' influence in the anti-war movement.

Contrary to my opening statement I pay very close attention to every detail and attempt to be attuned to the overall "presence" or "spirit", if you will, of the protest and protesters.

During the rally this weekend I had numerous conversations with total strangers who I would now consider brothers/sisters in arms. I met a military man who is virulently opposed to the Bush agenda. He has served two tours of duty in Iraq and was taking buckets of photographs of the rally to show to his mates as he is on a crusade to educate them about the anti-war movement. Never did ANSWER come up in our conversation.

I had myriad conversations with people at the various tents about their (inter-related) causes, the war(s) and everything else under the sun. Never did the topic of ANSWER arise.

I had numerous discussions during the rally itself about topics ranging from organic agriculture, community based currency, low-scale energy systems, the neo-con agenda, water wars, etc. Never did ANSWERs' problematic role in the organizing of the marches ever come up.

I rode there and back on a packed bus with a group of very intensely politically oriented folk. Discussions about every possible political topic seemed to arise but never the topic of ANSWER.

In fact it wasn't until I arrived on the DU discussion board that I learned that ANSWER was such a "force" and such a "problem".

Yes of course ANSWER played a vital role in organizing the rally and some of the speakers
spoke to their agenda. But ANSWERs' overall import is minor. What matters is the people who go to dissent; the people who go to commiserate; the people who go to be with others unified against this administration and their insane policies; the people who go to speak truth to power;the people who dare stand up to the machine; the people who go to feel the spirit of a shared humanity; the people who go to gain ideas and momentum to carry back home.

I've been to all the major rallies and numerous smaller ones since this latest version of the "War on Iraq". This one was qualitatively different. ANSWER was a mere blip in the proceedings. It was the massive and multi-faceted group of outraged, hopeful, concerned, humorous and intense people who held the day.

See you at the next anti-war rally, sadly we'll probably have more, no matter what acronym organizes the demonstration.

[tlsmith1963]

1. Maybe the Problem Really Was C-SPAN

If they had shown the protest the way it really was, maybe I wouldn't have become so upset about ANSWER. Their coverage made it seem like ANSWER was the whole show. I would have loved to have seen it the way you saw it.

Tammy

[crispini]

2. Yes, it appears to be the view of the stage.

It seems that most of the posters who watched C-SPAN have one view of the event, many of the participants another. I think that the broadcast of what was on the STAGE contributed a lot to the various perceptions we have here.

[Old and In the Way]

3. I think think that's the point.

It was probably a minor distraction at the rally, all things considered. But for those that tuned in, we got lots of quality time listening to all of the speakers dishing out 70's style rhetoric. Really, for me, it was a time warp back 35 years when I was hearing this exact same revolution-speak at rallies then. It really didn't bother me, but I'm not the one we need to reach. Most people probably understand that ANSWER is a small minority of who attended. But it was kinda tiresome listening to the litany of boutique causes unrelated to the core purpose of the rally. A more mainstream theme (Gold Star Families, IVAW) should have been given a lot more prominence.

[sniffa]

4. here here

the groups that i remember from my time there were iraq vets against the war, goLd star moms for peace, the raging grannies, the budhist monks (didn't catch their name), and a group of nuns who sat next to us and asked us to bLow our smoke in another direction.

i aLso remember a few persistant dicks, i mean weLL meaning voLunteers who insisted on teLLing me about a capitaList conspiracy and asking me for $.25, or $.50 or whatever i'd Like to donate so i couLd then own a newspaper expLaining this conspiracy to me.

i remember a woman on stiLts, and a group with those weird scuLptures they made dance/bounce in the air as they waLked.

in short, i don't remember answer.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4905558&mesg_id=4907130

[soliddemocrat]

5. I think this is bullwash, again (groan)

Hello Everyone, The idea that the anti-war corporation ANSWER is a problem to the protesters is a thorn in my side. I for one get ANSWER e-mails on a daily basis and i do not see them as a problematic source of information. I personally feel that they want Bush Impeached as much as we do but obviously nobody on here has taken to the fact that ANSWER is the answer to our problems. When it comes to getting Bush out of office ANSWER would respond to the call. I do not see them as a problem and i personally find it offensive how people are blaming the corporation for being responsible for all these petty things that aren't true, when in reality President Bush is far more responsible for millions of other things that have gone wrong in this country and the world. We don't have time to be ditching democracy on a democratic discussion forum. If that's what your plans are then i suggest you go visit a republican forum and go find the answers to your questions over there where they'll have a much more conservative approach and you'll feel more at peace with yourself. I hope to hear from you soon,good luck in all you do.

[buzzsaw_23]

6. Maybe you misunderstood my post

Strange how it is that we are in agreement it seems and yet you are flaming me. I don't see ANSWER as a problem at all. I also don't see them as a solution. In my view I feel they play a helpful role and the perception most people have of ANSWER comes from managed ideals.

My point is that the stress placed on ANSWER, particularly the negative, is overrated.
No organization is going to topple this admin. If anything can it will be a massive uprising from the grass roots and we'll need plenty of help along the way.

I'm not blaming ANSWER for anything.

"My plans are"?

Read several of my other posts and you will find how "conservative" I am.

"Do not worry over the charge of treason to your masters, but be concerned about the treason that involves yourselves," he concluded. "Be true to yourself and you cannot be a traitor to any good cause on earth."
-Eugene Debs

[Scout1071]

10. I think telling other posters to leave who have a long history here is

rude.

[buzzsaw_23]

11. Thanks

Interesting to be lambasted by someone who it seems you are in agreement with. Maybe 'interesting' isn't the right word.

Anyway, the rally was extremely powerful and noone really paid much attention to who was "running the show" as it was clear the people who attended en masse were involved and focused on what the agenda and message would be.

Peace

[seabeyond]

7. that was the btch of it. from tv, it was all answer, not at all what you

experienced. i wanted to expereince your experience, not answers, wink.

[Blue_In_AK]

8. Hear, hear...

That was exactly my experience. I wasn't even there for the pre-march rally. We just jumped into the march when we couldn't find the other DUers, and traveled all up and down the length, absorbing the various energies of the different groups. To me the whole weekend was a major success, and who cares what C-Span showed or didn't show. What I was impressed with was the diversity -- old/young/in-between, multiple races and cultures, middle-class soccer moms, college students, veterans, old-time hippies, commies (booga-booga), hurricane survivors, even a "Republican for Impeachment" -- a marvelous cross-section of Americans who are FED UP TO HERE with GWB and his agenda. I found it extremely uplifting, and I'm still pumped. I didn't even realize there was an issue with A.N.S.W.E.R. (whoever "they" are) until I got onto DU today.

[Corgigal]

9. Yep

It was so nice to see all the different ages, colors and abilities all together. No one was violent and I too met some nice people on the bus and at the rally.

Answer talked too long but as you know we all together just left the area. It was refreshing to meet so many like minded people.

Everyone loved my teenagers teeshirt I hated Bush before it was cool. Lots of laughter.

[buzzsaw_23]

12. Scratching my head

as I wondered if I was at the same rally as some of those who were embroiled in the ANSWER brouhaha.



"Your honor, years ago, I recognized my kinship with all living beings, and I made up my mind that I was not one bit better than the meanest on earth. I said then, and I say now, that while there is a lower class, I am in it; while there is a criminal element, I am of it; while there is a soul in prison, I am not free."
-Eugene Debs

The Espionage and Sedition Act is still on the books today.