Code Pink and the anti-war Left

[Bronyraurus]

I thought I'd throw an idea out to you folks concerning the recent dust-ups involving Code Pink and their ostentatious theatrics. I recently had a chat with a friend who marched in the anti-war march during the GOP convention in NYC in 2004, and was generally uspet by the "freak-out" nature of it all: the over-the-top street theater, the costumes, the banners with curse words, etc...

These tactics, and those used by Code Pink, are defended on the basis that they are meant to get attention, from the media and passersby. Do any of us think, though, that 500,000 well-dressed and well-behaved people in the street, or 10,000, or even 1,000 people, would go unnoticed? Wouldn't such a demonstration garner more sympathy from the public?

There is a story told about Richard Nixon. His limousine was being driven near a huge protest during a campaign year (either 68 or 72), and he ordered his driver to plow right into the protests, so the news cameras would get the freaky types assaulting Nixon's car. In the public at large, this increased sympathy for Nixon as the law 'n' order candidate, not the white, dred-locked doofuses who looked like extras from Battlefield Earth.

Is it impractical to organize a march that consists of people who don't make Joe and Jane Sixpack instinctively clench their anuses?

[wtmusic]

1. Impractical

because that would mean setting rules, and when people are this pissed off there are no rules.

The people who don't make the Sixpacks tighten up are sitting at home on their own anuses, not doing a damn thing. You are suprised that activists don't look like ordinary sedate Americans?

[Bronyraurus]

9. It's a fair point

I think you're probably right. It's the nature of the beast, anuses be damned!

[Warpy]

2. Yes, have them all dress like they're going to church

If they all look like solid citizens and potential members of the better off white collar class, it'll pack a serious wallop.

All of those who cling to their individuality by wearing ultra casual clothing, don't bother to flame. I know you choose your clothing carefully. I'm the original slob, myself.

If I manage to get healthy enough to march, you can bet I'll dress like a banker.

Well, except for the shoes. I'm wearing flats.

[Bronyraurus]

11. Ha!

I'm not sure what to make of your post, but it was funny.

[Spiffarino]

68. You may be onto something. Seriously. n/t

[noamnety]

3. a nondescript crowd would not get attention, no.

Things that are out of the ordinary attract attention and press, obviously.

One set of tactics for talking one on one with people - be like them.
Another set of tactics for media attention - become a story.

That might mean street theatre (Operation First Casualty).
It might mean a conceptual art installation (Eyes Wide Open).
It might mean flags or banners.

[Bronyraurus]

12. That's all well and good

but isn't a massive demonstration a "story" regardless of what the protesters are wearing? My point is that people will be much more inclined to dismiss a protest as a bunch of loonies if the protesters, in fact, look like a bunch of loonies.

[noamnety]

29. In theory, yes. Given our press, no.

Massive demonstrations occur with pretty much no media attention to speak of.

Compare that to Operation First Casualty, which was 13 vets and a few volunteers. Their street theatre got a WaPo story and video. Much better bang for the buck. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/19/AR2007031901558.html

[Bronyraurus]

35. Holy moly

I've never seen those guys. That's pretty powerful.

I don't know if I agree that thousands of people in the street will go unnoticed.

[noamnety]

49. Some excellent photos from it here:

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/03/19/18379446.php

[PassingFair]

31. A million people can show up.

And even the New York Times can FAIL TO REPORT IT.

That morning, the New York Times said that EIGHTY people
had shown up. EIGHTY.

30,000 or 300,000

http://www.counterpunch.org/taibbi02012003.html

[Bronyraurus]

36. I don't get your post

and I doubt that the NYT misreported a million-person march as an eighty-person march.

[PassingFair]

59. As I recall...

They filed their "article" before 11:00 am.

They were forced to print a retraction article the next day.

Jerks.

[bling bling]

73. The NYT is a piece of garbage. It's exactly the type of thing they do. All.the.time.

Just as I've been waiting for years for Americans to realize their government has been corrupted by the oil-tycoons, I'm waiting for the baffling and undeserved credibility and respect the NYT gets to finally die out once people realize that it's a bogus rag posing as a serious news organization.

[Leopolds Ghost]

58. What a Wonderful Article by Matt Tabibi! You should post it as a separate thread.

[bling bling]

76. I totally agree. Unfortuantely, it's SOOOO good that nobody will read it.

And it will sink like a stone.

That's how things work around here. Its disheartening and frustrating, just like the article was. How ironic.

[SaveOurDemocracy]

4. I understand what you're saying ...

and agree that it's questionable whether anything positive is gained by dressing up in absurd costumes ... but ... I'd recommend you duck and head for the bunkers now.

[Bronyraurus]

13. Ha! I can take it

I've been taking it since I joined this delicious site. I enjoy mayhem of all kinds!

[nosmokes]

5. i love code pink and all the dread locked *weiredos that seem to repulse you

at least they're off their ass and out on the streets and taking action. sorry they don't get your good housekeeping seal of approval, but that ain't the point. the point is to bring home the troops and end this illegal immoral war. WTF did you do today to stop the war?

[Bronyraurus]

16. Today? I made a movie date and talked to my cousin

It was about as successful in stopping the war as the protests have been thus far.

Zing! Take that, Nosmokes!

[cali]

6. No, sorry and there's nothing wrong with street theatre

and costumes. I've marched with Bread & Puppet many times. I look forward to doing so again.

[Bronyraurus]

17. Bread & Puppet? Damn, girl,

why didn't you say so?

I just checked out their website. I'm all for cheap art, but I don't know if clowns on stilts will change any minds in rural Florida. For the better, that is.

[cali]

32. Well, they live and work just a few miles down

the road for me. And if you never went to their pageant and circus, you missed a treat.

[EFerrari]

33. The Anti war left got you the majority, stilts and all.

But today, we're badly dressed traitors.

:wtf:

[Bronyraurus]

38. Traitors? No. Badly dressed? Heh.

And I strongly disagree. The stiltsmen didn't get us the majority. The Bush Administration and the GOP Congress got us the majority. The guys on stilts just walked around on stilts.

[ScottytheRadical]

7. That idea is really silly

Why exactly should we all dress like Republicans, again? I don't know about where you're from, but in Portland, OR, people are never "well dressed". We wear our blue jeans and t-shirts out everywhere. And when we have a protest here, there's a WIDE cross-section of society represented, and everyone from the young families with children to the punk-rock activists with green and pink hair are represented. Because that's whats representative of our society here.

And Portland currently has the most successful anti-war movement in the country - we had 15,000 people marching on Sunday! Our city council has passed multiple resolutions against the war, our congresspeople oppose the war, and the Oregon State Legislature is currently taking up a similar anti-war proposal. Obviously, the government officials in my state are supportive of the movement. But when you see pictures of protests in Portland, you see every type of person represented, street theatre and performances (I especially liked the Bush Adminstration-as-Rocky-Horror at the last protest), and even, *gasp*, flag-burning.

So really, I think what your saying is wrong. Protests work when they include everyone, INCLUDING the most radical and outrageous, and when they aren't just a bunch of yawn-worthy wanna-be Republicans.

[Bronyraurus]

19. "Dress like Republicans?"

I don't think you have to be a Republican to not look like you got kicked off the set of Mad Max for outlandish accessories.

And by well-dressed, I'm not talking about suits and ties. I AM talking about blue jeans and t-shirts. You know, the kind of clothes you don't have to go to St. Mark's Place to buy.

I agree with your last point, which is to say that to get the most people at an event, you must accept everyone, even the guy that sports a railroad spike on his forehead.

But my larger question is: will a cleaned-up protest get the most sympathy from the straight men? And: if you nix the (admittedly large) population of people who wear giant genitalia costumes, do you cut so deep into your protest pool that the media will lose interest?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

8. Dress codes for protesters? Tell it to the guys who held the Boston Tea Party.

They certainly didn't dress like respectable English Gentlemen.

[Bronyraurus]

20. Good point,

but they weren't trying to change an elected government's policy (and their fellow citizens' minds), they were essentially declaring a tax revolt. If you want to tell Uncle Sam that you're not going to pay income taxes anymore, then by all means, dress like an Indian.

[Warpy]

89. They HAD a dress code!

They were in Indian dress because they knew most people (including the British crew) only looked at dress, not faces.

[symbolman]

92. No

THEY dressed up like INDIANS SO THE INDIANS WOULD CATCH HELL..

Read some history..

It made me sick when I realised that they did it to screw the American Indians, why didn't they dress up like Colonialists?

Why Indians?

[John Q. Citizen]

10. Yes it's impractical. But perhaps you can pull it off. When and where?

[Bronyraurus]

21. Tampa, FL

tomorrow night, at MacDinton's on Howard. I'll be the guy in the oxford drinking the Boddington's. Who's with me?

[EFerrari]

14. Misrepresentation.

I was at a Code Pink action here on Wednesday -- with local progressive leaders from several parties and with progressive local city officials.

Most of us were women in sensible shoes and Code Pink t-shirts.

After the presser, we had a good Q&A with Nancy's senior staffer here in San Francisco.

Does that make your anus clench? If so, I think that's your problem.

[Bronyraurus]

22. Ha, no

it hangs open like the mouth of a dead dog. Thanks for checking.

I'm not referring as much to Code Pink's clothes (although I have seen some funny pictures). I am more referring to the generally disruptive tenor of their engagements that I've heard about.

[EFerrari]

(That's why we call it "civil disobedience")

:shrug:

[John Q. Citizen]

37. Isn't that same tactic that Martin King and Ghandi used so effectively to

create positive political change?

Of course we know how suspect those two rabble rousers were. Nope, bad idea. It will neeeever work. Turns off all the respectible folks.

[Bronyraurus]

39. They didn't dress like assholes

Ghandi did wear a diaper, but it was fashionable among the lower castes of India at the time.

[John Q. Citizen]

44. I can see your analysis isn't too keen here. I'm not surprised. n/t

[omega minimo]

65. You need to unclench your own and quit worrying about other people's "anuses"

[EFerrari]

72. "The waters of his soul wouldn't get your feet wet." n/t

[guruoo]

75. You don't need to win over people that already agree with you

Try targeting your message more towards those hearts and minds that need convincing.

[EFerrari]

82. Dupe.

[EFerrari]

83. People who fund this occupation obviously don't agree with us. n/t

[guruoo]

87. Well then party on dude...

:sarcasm:

[EFerrari]

98. Definitely. There is an action today in fact. n/t

[Beelzebud]

15. My beef with Code Pink is venue, not theatrics. Public Protest = Anything non-violent goes!

Valerie Plame finally getting her day to testify under oath in front of congress = Not a strategic time for theatrics.

Thats all. I love seeing Code Pink at the rallies. They kick ass. But at the same time, I don't think it's out of line to expect them to display some wisdom and focus.

[EFerrari]

18. Maybe our ideas of focus are different if overlapping.

Maybe our idea of focus isn't rounds of applause for Nancy but getting our troops home.

[Bronyraurus]

23. Agreed

generally. I don't think Code Pink are the most egregious fashion offenders.

[MadHound]

24. Oh great, now not only does the anti-war left have to fight the rabid right wing

But now are faced with attacks from Democratic party members who don't like how people dress, write, speak, act or protest. Just fucking wonderful.

Tell you what Brony, let's see you get that Brooks Brothers march going. I would actually love to see that, it would finally show that centerists and DLCers finally have the cojones to put their money where their mouth is.

But sadly, somehow I think I'll be waiting a long, long while.

I noticed that this was your friend who was upset. Where the hell were you? If you're so damned pissed about the movement's dress code, why the hell aren't you out in the streets, showing all of us poor damn souls how to be a proper clotheshorse at a march?

Gee, I'm so sorry that we offend your delicate sensibilities with our antics and attire. But you see, the thing is we're the ones out there doing the goddamn work. Centerists, DLCers and such like are much too proper to get out into the streets. They would much rather stay up on that fence and see which way the wind blows. Well pal, we've blown up a gale, and more and more peope are coming down against the war. So what the hell are you whining about. We've done the heavy lifting for you, we've helped sway the masses. But now that the end is(hopefully) in sight, you have the fucking gaul to criticize how we dress and how we act? Fuck that!

Get your goddamn Brooks Brothers out into the street pal, put up or shut up. Until then, you really have no place to speak. We're the ones who are helping to stop this goddamn war, all your fucking doing is sitting on the sideline writing a fashion critique. Oooo, tough fucking guy:eyes:

[Bronyraurus]

26. I did!

I was the guy in DC wearing spats!

[Name removed]

28. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

45. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Spiffarino]

69. Nice

Would you burn down a house because you don't like the drapes? Make your point and save your venom for the Bushies.

[MadHound]

71. Sorry, but when the anti-war movement is getting attacked for of all things, fashion,

I tend to get a bit pissed. Don't like it, oh well. After over four years of being ridiculed, attacked, shit thrown at me, names, curses, insults by all manner of rednecks and dickheads, only to turn around and find somebody who is nominally supposed to be an ally going off over fashion, well yes, I will blow.

Especially somebody like this who is a johnny come lately, sweeping in after all the heavy lifting has already been done. I feel very little compunction in such situations to play nice.

[David__77]

25. Well why aren't they coming.

I'm very conventional looking but I go to these things and get looked at like I'm a Young Republican or something (not too young, admittedly lol). I praise anyone who's engaging in activism. You can't exclude people, but you have make your base bigger and do that through addressing them in their own language.

[Bronyraurus]

27. I think they are

I've seen plenty of protesters who don't look like a Tod Browning wrap party.

[John Q. Citizen]

40. Man that Ghandi fellow looked so ridiculas wearing that ancient robe stuff

in the middle of 20th century India.

He would have been far more effective if he'd only had your insight. He was fighting the British, and he should have dressed like them so he'd be taken seriously.

[Bronyraurus]

43. He dressed like a poor Indian

and he was taken seriously.

[John Q. Citizen]

46. Only after he started scaring the crap out of the power structure with civil

disobeidence and dressing like everyday folk.

Which was exactly what you were complaining about as I recall.

Tell you what. When you get a half a million folks out in the streets in upscale clothes dressed like Republicans, let us know.

Until then, it looks like you'll just have to be content criticising other people for doing something.

[Bronyraurus]

96. "Dressed like Republicans"

That's the dumbest phrase in this thread, and you're not the first to use it. Are blue jeans and t-shirts Republican-wear now?

[Peace Patriot]

30. Well, the "dred-locked doofuses" are doing something right. 75% of the American people

agree with them.

I think you may have no idea what is locked in the hearts of the American majority, after six years of fascist rule. A little rude street theater probably gives them much rebellious joy. They're THINKING bad words about the Bush Junta, if they're not saying them.

And who are going to be the thought police and the costume police that enforce your rules? I'm reminded of the Catholic nun at my high school who really did--no kidding!--condemn those patent leather shiny shoes cuz anybody can look up your dress (via the reflection!), and who measured our skirts for appropriate knee-covering length.

Repression generally has this absurd aspect to it. Who is going to tell people to put a lid on their anger or their creative outrageousness?

And please know that I know what you're saying. I remember hearing that the early organizers of civil rights sit-ins (in segregated restaurants) and other such activities enforced a dress code, for the very public relations reasons that you are discussing. They didn't want any scruffy-looking students getting photographed and being used to dis the civil rights movement, or to fire up more hatred for African-Americans. But what those folks were doing was far more dangerous--and far more unusual--than what antiwar protesters are doing today. There was no national consensus on the civil rights movement in the '50s and early '60s--not until around 1965-66. The current antiwar movement, on the other hand, is in agreement with 75% of the population. And, in this context, anyone who would be put off by a few bad words on signs, or wild costumes, would not likely be winnable to the antiwar view anyway. Why worry about what the rightwing prowar 25% thinks of protesters? We need to worry more about the clown in the White House than the one on the street.

[Bronyraurus]

41. Fair points

but I think the more effective mover of public opinion is a lot of people dead in Iraq and no one in charge seeming to know what they're doing.

[Peace Patriot]

48. Just an added note about the variety of human experience. I'm a veteran of antiwar and

civil rights marches in the '60s, and anti-globalization and anti-war marches in the '90s-'00s, and I am very straight, personally, but very liberal in tolerance. And I have always greatly enjoyed street theater, and I love the color and imagination and spirited protest of all that I have seen in many marches. It could be quite amusing to do an all-straight costumed antiwar protest--everybody in upscale clothes and banker's suits, and maybe arriving at the protest in limos. You should organize it. But I wouldn't sacrifice the beautiful variety of protesters--unless there was a radical purpose to it, that I agreed with. Why suppress variety and color--to appeal to a phantom "mainstream"?

Also, has it not occurred to you that there ARE many, many straight-looking people in every major protest--in fact, the "straights" way outnumber the "clowns"--but that the war profiteering corporate news monopolies don't show them?

I think you may be falling prey to how the war profiteering corporate news monopolies want us to THINK of protesters--as bizarre, as out of the mainstream--when, in truth, MOST protesters are "straight" (both in appearance and in their lifestyles) and the clowns and costumes folk are representative of a certain segment of the population (people who like to put on a show), and are actually approved of by those who ENJOY a show, and they are at least as relevant as the fascist clowns and liars we see on TV purporting to be "news" reporters and commentators. Far more relevant, if the truth were known. OUR clowns express true American opinion. Theirs are diabolical clowns representing the vampires and ghouls in the White House who are killing innocent people, torturing prisoners and looting us blind. I'll take OUR clowns any day.

[alcibiades_mystery]

34. When YOU get together 500,000 "well dressed" people, please let us know

Thanks.

[Bronyraurus]

42. I will, dogg. I will.

[alcibiades_mystery]

47. Uh huh

Let us know, now.

You should get organizing immediately. You don't want to be taken for a do-nothing complainer, now, so you really have to go and organize your own protest, dress-code mandatory, and no wackiness. Perhaps you should even provide uniforms, and have your sharply dressed protesters march about in the street. All very tight and orderly, for the benefit of Joe and Jane Six-Pack. And for God's sake, no drumming. It is known to turn off Mary Jane Pfeifer of Granville, Ohio, whose vote we desperately need.

[RandomKoolzip]

51. Dude! You know Mary Jane?!

We went to Junior College together! Howzabout that?

Last I heard, she don't vote, though. :shrug:

[alcibiades_mystery]

53. Mary Jane gone apathetic as a result of Code Pink antics!

Goddamn it, Charlie.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

50. Your Concern is notable.

[omega minimo]

63. Trallala

:thumbsdown:

[KG]

52. why bother marching at all? really, just write a polite letter to your congress critters.

everyone knows how letter writing campaigns get their attention.

then put on your dockers and docksiders and have a nice lunch at an outdoor cafe, warmed by the spring time sun and that feeling of satisfaction knowing you've given your best shot to speak truth to power and end the occupation.

there, that should unclench your anus.

[Forkboy]

54. With the shit we're already getting an unclenched anus might not be in our best interests here.

:)

[AllieB]

56. Hee

:spray:

[KG]

57. oh, snap!

:hi:

[EFerrari]

61. lol

[AllieB]

55. Hi Bronyraurus

I've read your posts on this thread, and your voice sounds like someone who I used to have discussions with on another website. Do you have the same user name there? He was from Central Florida also, and a huge University of Florida fan. I have been wondering what happened to him, as I haven't frequented many websites lately.

Anyway, the media does tend to focus on people that the minority of narrow-minded Americans would label freakish. Have you looked at the way teenagers dress these days? It doesn't matter if you're in upstate NY or downstate Louisiana, they all dress alike, and it ain't pretty. I have been to many protests, and the majority of people dress like 'normal' Americans, or what you would consider normal. Probably what is normal to you in rural Florida, I would consider tasteless and unfashionable up here in the Northeast. I think that your post reflects the attitude of that less than 25% that still drink the Kool-Aid. Those people are sad souls who will always be afraid of anything idea different than what they're fed, or anyone that is different.

[Bronyraurus]

90. No, I'm not on any other sites

Good points, and howdy!

[Decruiter]

60. Demos stop some people in their tracks

Theatrics always have a place in politics. And these are political arenas, especially the streets.

There is a scene in The Fisher King that describes the mechanism that is triggered when shocking the audience
visually, aurally, contextually.
It becomes the electric charge that is needed to facilitate transformation in the group being protested, or in passersby.

The scene of Michael Jeter singing a telegram to Amanda Plummer in drag
makes her wake up to her secret admirer.




But another scene with Tom Waits as a disabled vet in a wheelchair begging for change in Grand Central Station.
When someone misses his donation cup, and the money falls to the floor, Robin Williams notices that "That guy didn't even look."
He tells Williams that his begging for change is like a stop sign, reminding people that here, but for the grace of God, go they.

"They pay so they don't have to look."

We make them look. They make donations so they don't have to look. This is the fight.

This is the construct that keeps humans from breaking through to really a superior species.

[Jcrowley]

74. Great post

Fucking great post.

Hope the OP reads it. Hope the OP really understands this.

[ClayZ]

80. Shift Happens!

The Weight of a Snowflake

"Tell me the weight of a snowflake," a coalmouse asked a wild dove.

"Nothing more than nothing," the dove answered.

"In that case I must tell you a marvelous story," the coalmouse said. "I sat on a fir branch close to the trunk when it began to snow. Not heavily, not in a raging blizzard. No, just like in a dream, without any violence at all. Since I didn't have anything better to do, I counted the snowflakes settling on the twigs and needles of my branch. Their number was exactly 3,471,952. When the next snowflake dropped onto the branch--nothing more than nothing -- as you say -- the branch broke off."

Having said that, the coalmouse ran away.

The dove, since Noah's time an authority on peace, thought about the story for a while. Finally, she said to herself, "Perhaps there is only one person's voice lacking for peace to come to the world."

[Bronyraurus]

91. That was a good post

not to mention my love of all things Gilliam.

[Decruiter]

102. Game Over. This post should have been noved to "The Lounge"

moments ago. You are screwed!@

[omega minimo]

62. This is disgusting

[mmonk]

64. So what are you doing to try and stop the war or do you support

its continuance?

[Swamp Rat]

66. "Joe and Jane Sixpack instinctively clench their anuses?" ....LOLOLOL!!!!

How do YOU know this??? :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:












:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Forkboy]

77. They review it at the monthly "Is your anus still unclenched?" meetings.

Usually over tea and biscuits.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

85. Don't you know how to pronounce anus?

Did you NOT see "Borat"???

It's pronounced ah-NOOSE. Watch out for those ah-NOOSES out there.

I like to use the plural "recta" or "ani" myself.

[Tuesday_Morning]

67. I think for every Joe and Jane who clench..

another dozen or so people are rooting street theatre on.

[guruoo]

79. Fine, but street theatre lovers aren't who we need to win over....

This is about ending the war, remember?

[Tuesday_Morning]

95. I remember.

But I think it's easy to underestimate the power of progressive political expression. It can be tremendously encouraging - especially if you live in an area that's reddish - to see people out doing political stuff. Political theatre also says to people: I can take action, I can support the progressive viewpoint even if I don't have all the answers politically. (There are mountains of things to know about what's happening politically in the world today and I think a lot of inaction is the result of people saying to themselves: I don't know the whole story and I don't have the answers so I can't do anything.)

Politically theatre is also encouraging to folks that are already out there. You go to a protest and afterwards say: Did you see Billiionaires for Bush? Did you see Dick Cheney in Chains? Wasn't that great? It's easy to undervalue the need many of us have had for encouraging signs in this weird, dark time.

Plus, y'know, there are plenty of people protesting who look just like us...many of whom are doing a great job winning over their friends, family and neighbors one person at a time.

[guruoo]

99. Than you for the rational response n/t

[Hissyspit]

70. And look what happened to Nixon.

With all due respect for your opinion and the spirit of civilized discourse, in all truth I have to say that, AT THIS POINT, I really don't give a runny bowel movement what Joe and Jane Sixpack do with their bigoted anuses.

[guruoo]

78. It would garner more sympathy from those that we need to win over

Exactly - What good does it do to target one's message to a segment of the
audience that is already in total agreement?

"Do any of us think, though, that 500,000 well-dressed and well-behaved people in the street, or 10,000, or even 1,000 people, would go unnoticed? Wouldn't such a demonstration garner more sympathy from the public?"

[uppityperson]

81. All sorts of people protesting in all sorts of ways are needed.

End the occupation of Iraq. Investigate, Impeach. End of message.

[kdpeters]

84. ARE YOU out there talking to Joe and Jane sixpack?

I am and I have a MUCH more immediate and powerful impact by my presence but Code Pink is a conversation starter. Back off and let them to their thing. They do good work. Keep it up women. I'm behind you all the way!!!

[Forrest Greene]

86. No Experience In Life

...surpasses that of being yourself.

How long will the rest of us have to stifle & repress the beauty we could be in response to the never-ending fear of those with too much respect for authority & too little imagination? Was it ever worth it?




Edited a typo.

[symbolman]

88. I've got a REAL Problem

with a Sequined Covered Coffin, as a Veteran, I find it Abhorrent..

People wanna be freaky they got that right, doesn't mean I'll be standing next to them, and I've said for years that we NEED TO TAKE THE FLAG BACK!

Each time there is a protest we should see a MILLION FLAGS being waved, THAT is what the Public wants to see..

I'm confused by Code Pink now, I thought they'd created their group to Give BUSH THE PINK SLIP.. and it was cute, but I can't agree with inserting themselves into any process where a Democrat is WORKING within the parameters allowed, UPHILL, and against so many ODDS, when it looks like they are only at this point fighting for ATTENTION in the Media.

Why not start an IPOD Program, an online Radio show, just for CODE PINK so they can air their grievances.. getting arrested all the time is NOT condusive when it's Constant, to PR.

Sorry, but these are basically PR wars in these days, so let's get some Better PRESS GOING, Please? I don't want to see their fan base Melt away, and have them turn into the Pink Hat Lady League who live only for the Cameras, that would be SAD.

[Bronyraurus]

93. Agreed

and you're the man.

[symbolman]

94. I'm The MAN?

That's supposed to be a BAD THING, isn't it? :)

As in "You can walk around Crying all day long, but the minute you start Laughing THE MAN will come and Take You AWAY.. " :)

[Bronyraurus]

97. That's right!

But only in the Martin Lawrence sense of the word.

(Fun fact: Otto von Bismarck seems to be the first person to use that particular formulation. He said of Benjamin Disraeli, "Die alte Jude, das ist der Mann." Meaning, that old Jew, that is the man! He was giving well-due props to Disraeli's diplomatic skillz.)

(Forgive me if you knew that already.)

[cassiepriam]

100. They said the same thing in the '60's. The protesters are freaks and hippies.

The boys should get a hair cut, and the girls should put on bras.

But we learned that it doesn't matter one bit what people look like.
They can wear green garbage bags for all I care. Or be stark naked.

Protest is protest. And the "hippie freaks" changed the world.

[bananas]

101. "Banning Tie-Dye in Crawford"

and Willie Nelson should cut his hair, the goddamn hippie...
"Banning Tie-Dye in Crawford"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4399632&mesg_id=4399632