So I was watching the coverage on CSpan....

[WCGreen]

For about half an hour....

A lot of talking from the podium, not so much movement...

But the speakers were all touting their agenda...

I thought this was an Iraqi war protest....

Not a get out of Gaza or free the Cuban five or a Palestinian debate....

All of the causes are good and need to be discussed, but to me, they dilute the message.....

I'm just sayin'

I slept in late, bad night, and couldn't get going early enough to see the kick off stuff....

I hope there was more eyes on the prize stuff early and not the dilution that I saw later...

[CanuckAmok]

1. I agree...

Particularly when discussing Israeli/Palestinian issues, which can divide even the Lefties.

Ultimately, most of the issues being discussed are a direct or indirect result of US Corporate nation-building, but the focus should remain on Iraq, particularly if the intention is to get moderate conservatives to allign with us on that issue. Diversifying the causes just gives the RW pundits more ammo to talk about how each march ends up being the platform for "every bleeding-heart, loony-lefty cause" (their words, not mine).

[WCGreen]

6. I read a piece about an Oklahoma retired teacher

organizing a bus load of folks from her small town to come to DC and protest the War....

Now if she comes and hears a lot of, let's face it folks, Fringe causes.... then she may not be around for the next one...

Mrs. WCGreen said it perfectly way back when the Greens started to organize in Cleveland....

She got up in front of about 250 people and said

"we have to make sure the grandma sitting on her porch is going to hear our message...."

Forget about conservatives or liberals for a moment, and think about that grandmother on the porch....

Cause when it is all said and done, having her on our side is going to bring us home a victory......

BTW, the word fringe does in anyway diminish the cause these folks are fighting for... But when you have a winner take all political system, like ours, the fringe can not dominate.... Fact of political life....

[ikojo]

18. The fundie Christian fringe of the Republican

party seems to be doing a good job of dominating government....1994, 1996, 2000, 2002, and 2004 are some recent elections that come to mind.


Sure Clinton won the presidency in 1996 but he had to face the Republicans and their fringe.

[RevCheesehead]

2. I hate to say it, but...

they remind me of the DNC - can't stay focused.

Looks like the crowd is leaving.

[jane_pippin]

3. Have you been over to GD at all? A few threads are going on this.

I've been watching it since 11:30ish (central time) and it's been nothing but speakers.
I'm all for letting people have their say, but this is getting a bit much. It should have been a few people at the beginning representing the major organizing groups, and the speakers should have stopped at Cindy Sheehan. Then on to the march. It should have been much tighter than it was. At the same time, at least it's happening in the first place.

[warrior1]

4. Is it possible

that Cspan is missing the other get the troops out Iraq on purpose? I mean I thought this hold rally was anti-war and not these other agenda's. It's kind of disappointing.

[WCGreen]

8. From what I gather, there were so many people there

that they people left in the staging area couldn't get out and march...

Still, they should have brought some music out or something cause free the cuban five might not play so well with the folks there to protest the war....

[AlCzervik]

5. i gave up as well, i thought it would be the protest in NYC

[WCGreen]

7. Your avitar wa the only good thing I thought about MADTv

It just wasn;t aimed at my generation...

[AlCzervik]

9. i used to have another avatar, much better imo but i was asked to remove

it after having it for a year because it offended "someone"

[WCGreen]

10. Maybe the offended party can get a place on stage

at the washington rally

[AlCzervik]

11. snicker. You would have liked it i bet

i should pm it to you.

[WCGreen]

12. Do it.....

[AlCzervik]

13. sent.

[In_The_Wind]

14. We were 1/2 a million strong in DC yesterday!

I had the pleasure of watching Operation Ceasefire as we marched on Washington.

I provided security for some of the 'on the site donation barrels' that everyone passed within 1/2 mile of the beginning of the march.

BTW ... I was fashionably attired in a pink DU shirt under my bright pinkish orange vest.

[WCGreen]

15. Great color combo Joani

[In_The_Wind]

16. It was the DU shirt that says "Check us out before the feds shut us down"

We may have new DU members soon because one of the security team that was trained on Friday night went home from the class and lurked on for a while.

BTW - she was impressed!

[WCGreen]

20. Cool.....

[GreenPartyVoter]

17. Have you been to the rally super thread yet? We have the nitty gritty

best of the best over there:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4870788

[bleedingheart]

19. Exactly what my mom said....she asked me what was the deal...

[samplegirl]

21. When they ask for money at the war rally

its not a good sign. I was disappointed in the coverage period.
We all knew Rita was going to take precendence over this rally.
If not Rita...another missing girl.