Last DC protest thread! Tomorrow's the big day! Last chance!

[prolesunited]

We have more than 40 DUers who said the will be joining us for the protest on Saturday. The weather forecast is 65 degrees and cloudy — not too hot and not too cold.

I'm leaving at an ungodly hour this morning, so I'll be offline the rest of the weekend. If you have any questions, you can PM youngred, who will be happy to help you.

I'm not sure which is more exciting, protesting in DC or meeting all of you! I'll see some of you tonight for dinner and the rest on Saturday.

Until then! :hi:

[JohnKleeb]

1. See you on Saturday Proles

:hi: wont make the dinner but I got my plan ready to go.

[Katherine2]

2. Freepers say

they have some exciting plans for the anti-war protestors. I can't imagine what they could be. But they also said they are going to walk among you guys with signs making you look bad, like "Saddam only killed his own people", or that "We support our troops when they kill their officers". So don't let them get away with it. I wish I could go. Have fun.

[JohnKleeb]

3. they are just a bunch of fools

Besides do they really think we are that ignorant. Fucking freepers. Its their boy whos cutting the troops benefits, the ass who sent to the begin with, and they think we those who opposed the mission but hope for the troops safety are Saddam supporters and etc. I tell you they are a bunch of idiots. I pity them I really do.

[Atlant]

11. I think there's a typo in your subject line. You said "fools". :-) (NT)

[prolesunited]

4. Bring it on!

I'm sure we can deal with it. I know the people here so I'm sure the freepers will be easy to spot. No one here would even consider carrying a sign like that.

What you think we're going to say "Ooo,I'm so scared. I'm not going to go."

[JohnKleeb]

5. Of course we can

Have you heard about Jonnyblitz's sign? OMG it sounds hiliarious.

[thebigidea]

8. (rolls eyes)

Its all talk. The same 6 pathetic cases will be gathered around their porta-potties and faded flags.

But nice of them to want to swell the numbers. Makes for a more imposing aerial photograph.

Too bad there are so few of them.

[nostamj]

10. ha!

they'll be outnumbered 100,000 to 1

bring 'em on!

[prolesunited]

6. Well, time to go catch my plane

I'll be in DC by 9 a.m. See you all soon!

[Selwynn]

7. Will anyone be carrying signs with names of....

those they are walking for?

I heard on Mike Malloy that some people were going to be carrying signs that said something like "for every one of us here there's ten more who couldn't make it - these are the people I'm walking for:"

I thought that was a cool idea myself...

[youngred]

9. Anyone with Last Minute Questions can PM me

I have to be offline briefly this afternoon but should be on most of the day.

Hope to see you all soon

[diamond14]

25. Hi youngred....great to meet you at dinner in DC...see you soon!!!

nt

[The_Gopher]

12. here's what the Post's Dana Priest has to say about Jan/March protests

Rockville, Md.: You say that there was "Little dissent 'on the street.'"
Having attended the antiwar protests in D.C. in January and March, I would have to disagree. In March, particularly, there were millions around the world protesting a war that had not even started.
Furthermore, Bush is protested everywhere he goes. This seems fairly unprecedented in modern times.

Dana Priest: Little compared to Vietnam or even the globalization or pro-life/pro-choice rallies. I do think the Post underplayed some of the protests (and that's another "lesson" to learn), but they weren't big enough, long enough or disruptive enough to make a dent in the political dialogue going on in Washington.
-----------------------------------

your thoughts? was there really as much global protest against vietnam?
(i find it interesting that she apparently thinks being disruptive will further the cause)

[Mandate My Ass]

13. Not disruptive enough?!?!?!

WTF? And if we were disruptive and people got arrested en masse what would have been accomplished other than give them further ammunition with which to marginalize us?

These marches were HUGE and unprecedented because they preceded the outbreak of hostilities and spread around the world. What a pantload.

Washington simply chose to ignore it and that was not the fault of those who marched or how they marched or in what numbers they marched.

[The_Gopher]

14. "number of protesters...it's like deciding policy based on a focus group"

so i don't think numbers would have mattered to these criminals.

[nostamj]

15. has there EVER been a US "president"

that has received the sustained level of protest inside and outside of the country that * generates?

I'm nearly 50 and I cannot remember such utter HATRED.

the RWs may have hated Clinton, but did they EVER turn out in the numbers that turn out to protest pResident POS ???

[The_Gopher]

16. and clinton was loved in many places around the globe

.

[angka]

21. RWers taught to hate clinton

which is very different from our piercing conviction—the undeniable realization that helen thomas was telling the truth!

[leftchick]

17. For those that can not attend check C-Span at 11:00 AM!

I can't make it so I will be there in spirit and watch C-Span....wave your DU signs at the camera for us!! :hi:

[Lizz612]

18. I'll be there!!

But not till 11:30 or so.
Can you send me the PM you've sent around?
I'll be wearing Khakies a green tank, a blue backpack with LOTS of buttons and a Yellow sign that says WE LOVE PEACE and something on the other side but I don't know what yet.
I am so FREAKIN EXCITED!!!!!

[mb7588a]

19. Bush isn't even going to be in town.

I didn't go to any of the others downtown before the war. I regret it now, so I am going to this one!


But anyway, I heard on the radio today that Bush is spending the weekend in Camp David. Rest after a long "business trip" apparently. No, he's running from the protest. I'm quite certain there hasn't been a single one of these large protests when he was ACTUALLY in the White House and able to look out and hear the chants. And that sucks... a lot.

[calimary]

22. He may get a good view from the news coverage, though.

Just underscores the Chickenhawk's heart that beats within him.

[Solomon]

20. I just might mosey on down dere meself.

Tell me where people are meeting and how will DUers recognize each other. I mean, are people going to be brave enough to wear "DU"?

[Jack Rabbit]

23. Consider this

When we marched ahead of the war last winter, we said that the war was unjustified, that inspections were working and that the reason they weren't finding and biochemical weapons is that Saddam had few if any, that the invasion was really about oil and making Bush's cronies more rich than they already are, that it would cost more than the junta was saying, that the Iraqis would view us as colonialists and resist occupation, and that Bush was lying about Saddam's association with al-Qaida and 9/11. At that time, no one wanted to believe us.

Tomorrow, about six months after Bush declared major combat operations at an end, we march again. The war was not justified, no trace of any biochemical arsenal has been found, the oil fields and oil ministry were secured during the invasion and the hospitals were allowed to be looted, Bush's cronies were awarded lucrative no-bid contracts, the cost of the war is billions a day, American troops are being attacked dozens of times every day, there still isn't any convincing proof to connect Saddam with al-Qaida and Bush has finally admitted that Saddam had nothing to do with 9/11. At this time, no one can believe Bush.

What a big difference in such a short time.

I'll be marching in San Francisco, with you guys in spirit.

[diamond14]

24. we had a GREAT DU dinner Friday night in DC....there will be DU

signs (5 signs,,,,white with black letters -Democratic Underground .com on both sides, about 18 inches by 24 incheswith little American flags...)....look for the DU signs and you'll find us...then you can come to the 'after-March' party at the hotel, which is only a few blocks from the WH.....

come meet with DUers at the Washington Memorial tomorrow starting at 10 AM....you can't miss it...the stage is GIANT with great big speakers, white tents....lots of stuff there where volunteers have been working all day Friday to set up and will be working early Saturday morning....

17 th and Constitution...DC is bolted down, because bush* is SO AFRAID of WE THE PEOPLE....bush* has the entire Washington Monument area blocked off with giant wooden walls...except for our corner at 17th and Constitution...there are blockaids right up 17th Ave to the White House, and of course, around the White House it is majorly blockaded...keep on the route, we have a PERMIT to March and WE THE PEOPLE will march tomorrow, peacefully and in major numbers....

come join us.....MARCH for America....

[mb7588a]

26. blockades are nothing new, in fact...

...The "Jersey Block" is the new national object for peace. Weren't you told?

But yeah, if you haven't been to D.C. since 9/11 its so amazingly different. Barely worth the trip to some places. Like the capital - you could just walk right in the front door the first time I went, 6 or so years ago I'd say... Now you gotta get tickets for a piss-poor short tour. Every building you enter searches your bags. Cameras everywhere, all over the streets. I was in the Archives 2 weeks ago, which was just renovated, amazing amount of security. I wish I knew more about that building. Probably one of the most secure places in the world.

I'm surprised Bush hasn't closed the Vietnam Veterans' and Korean War memorials. I'm also VERY surprised that one can just walk into the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials.

But don't take all this at face value, just like the case with the failed TSA, if someone really wanted to do damage, it wouldn't be difficult.

[VolcanoJen]

27. Can't wait to see the news in a few hours. DUBYA LUVS FREE SPEECH!!

It's been ages since I've been able to say that, so thank you, DC (and everywhere!!) Protesters!!

The whole world is watching, and I'm with you in mind and spirit.

Cheers! And my best wishes for great weather and no hassles!!!

ON EDIT:

AND DON'T FORGET: Chimpy Luuuuuuuvs Free Speech!!! He said so, in Australia... :-)

http://www.motherjones.com/news/dailymojo/2003/43/we_595_05b.html

"I love free speech," said George Bush, smiling between gritted teeth, as Australian M.P.'s heckling his speech to the Australian parliament were booted out into the street, and as street protesters against his war in Iraq struggled to make themselves heard from behind a far-distant police cordon.

Bush was down under for about 20 hours to thank the Australian for its support government in the war on terror and capping a lightning tour of Asia. A short time for a visit, but compared to other legs of the whistlestop (a couple of hours here, an afternoon there), it was pretty lengthy, reflecting, surely, his expectation that this ally would give him a warm welcome.

[JohnKleeb]

28. Kick

:kick: I just woke up.