I love Protesting! I think Answer is full of kooks but protesting is vital

[Melodybe]

to the health of our democracy.

Protesting helps turn the tide of public opinion, in this case public opinion has already turned and now we just need a few focused leaders to help blast that message through America.

I passionately disagree with anyone who thinks that we should just stop protesting, give me a fucking break, y'all.

You have no idea how great it is to protest in Oxford, MS with about 150 other people, the looks on some of the freepers faces, is just priceless.

Protesting this Saturday in Washington was beautiful and cathartic, in spit of the ANSWER kooks. Nothing was better than walking next to a nun holding a "Who would Jesus bomb?" and a punk kid with tangerine hair and a pierced face. Nothing was better than reading the signs of my fellow demonstrators or repeating the chant "Shame on You!" to the 40 freeptards.

Nothing was better than looking at the actual Constitution and Bill of Rights with my own two eyes. I teared up, cause that was what I was fighting for, that is why I was there.

Our founding fathers gave us the right to demonstrate because they know that a large group of people with righteousness on their side is a political force to be reckoned with.

Protesting Bush is too important just to give up cause some kooks took over the march with their fringe agenda.

Which to be honest there are a few of those fringe causes that I actually agree with, I hate that the US is behind such evil and despicable acts. My main argument against ANSWER is that stopping Bush and stopping his illegal war must be priority number 1! End of story, none of those other atrocities will even begin to get the attention they deserve until Bush is gone.

Priorities folks.

[kansasblue]

1. well Answer put it together.

the marches are very costly. Others should lead if they are upset at Answer.

[derby378]

2. United for Peace and Justice put it together

ANSWER merely hijacked it.

[Melodybe]

4. United for Peace and Justice seems like a pretty good organization

I haven't heard much about them, but I sure did like their signs this weekend.

[deutsey]

5. UFPJ is the best...they should organize w/o ANSWER in the future

ANSWER should keep doing what they do (I do appreciate the fact they were fighting Bush even during the months after 9/11), but I would prefer doing my anti-war activism with UFPJ.

Frankly, I was disappointed when I heard ANSWER and UFPJ agreed to do 9/24 together. The original plan was for two rallies: one by ANSWER on the Ellipse, the other by UFPJ by the Washington Monument. Then the two rallies would march together.

IMO they should have kept the rallies separate.

www.unitedforpeace.org

[Melodybe]

3. Agreed, someone needs to take over, I think that the Vets and their famili

es should get that honor.

money will come.

[Melodybe]

6. I love that Veterans for Peace got arrested in front of the Pentagon

I wish that Cindy and the Vets could get all the focus at anti-war marches.

[bemildred]

7. Wikipedia on ANSWER:

A.N.S.W.E.R. (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism)—also known as International ANSWER and ANSWER Coalition and sometimes written as "ANSWER"—is a protest organization established by the International Action Center, which was founded by former United States attorney general Ramsey Clark and has taken a leading role in the post-9/11 antiwar movement. The organization characterizes itself as anti-imperialist, and its steering committee consists of socialists, civil rights lawyers, and progressive organizations from the Muslim, Arab, Palestinian, Filipino, Haitian, and Latin American communities.

It has organized many of the largest anti-war demonstrations in the United States since the September 11, 2001 attacks, and has also organized activities around a variety of issues, ranging from Palestine, to immigrant rights, to Social Security, and the extradition of Luis Posada Carriles. Though its national headquarters are in Washington, D.C., where it organizes its national antiwar demonstrations, the coalition's influence is seen as being strongest in San Francisco, and increasingly, in Los Angeles.

A.N.S.W.E.R. was one of the first organizations formed to protest the policies of the Bush administration in the wake of the September 11 attacks. Their first major action was a September 29, 2001 "Anti-War, Anti-Racist" political rally and march in Washington, D.C., primarily in protest of the then impending U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. An estimated 8,000 people participated; other rallies organized by ANSWER in protest of both that conflict and the 2003 invasion of Iraq have been even larger.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ANSWER

[NMMNG]

8. Well said!

Like you I think we need to keep up the fight. I'm hoping to be able to join one of the WorldCan'tWait marches on 11/02/05. I want the Bushitler regime dethroned.

[Melodybe]

9. kick