Rocky cries 'no more' to the Iraq war - SLC mayor joins big-name speakers to stir up crowd

[helderheid]

By Thomas Burr
The Salt Lake Tribune
Salt Lake Tribune

Article Last Updated:01/28/2007 03:15:01 AM MST

WASHINGTON - Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson demanded an end to the war in Iraq and rallied tens of thousands of protesters to scream "no more" on Saturday at one of the largest anti-war rallies in the nearly four-year-old conflict.


Anderson, who joined other politicians and celebrities in addressing a sprawling crowd on the National Mall, called the protesters "true patriots" who are outraged at President Bush, a "complacent" Congress and a "dismal" news media that have caused millions of people to suffer pain and tragedy.


"That is not what we, as Americans, stand for," Anderson said, sharing the stage with a flag-draped coffin topped with combat boots for a fallen Massachusetts Marine. "That is not what our country stands for. And we want the world to know it. Blind obedience to bad leadership is not patriotism."


The mayor, a vocal Democratic activist who emerged onto the national anti-war scene during protests against Bush's two visits to Utah in the last two years, blasted a litany of government actions, including "unconstitutional wiretapping" and torture.
"No more Iraq war," Anderson belted out to an audience quickly willing to recite "No more" with him.
"No more God-is-on-our-side religious nonsense to justify this immoral, illegal war."

Organizers expected more than 100,000 people to attend the rally, which stretched several blocks from the Capitol vicinity toward the White House.


Police declined to give a crowd estimate, but the Washington Post and The Associated Press estimated the crowd at less than 100,000.


Protesters came from across the country to speak out against the war and also against Bush's planned increase of more than 20,000 troops to help curtail the escalating violence in Iraq.


Anti-war luminaries, such as presidential candidate Rep. Dennis Kucinich, the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Vietnam War anti-war poster child Jane Fonda, took a turn at the microphone to rally supporters. Hollywood names including Susan Sarandon, Sean Penn and Rhea Perlman also made appearances.


Many hoisted signs bashing the president, calling for an end to the Iraq occupation or other causes. Several flew U.S. flags with a peace sign replacing the 50 stars. "No more lambs to the slaughter," said one poster.


A handful of Utahns joined in the protest, including 17-year-old Tess Harper, who held a sign emblazoned with a drawing of Utah and the words "We the people have spoken, 'Bring our heroes home!' ''



"This war will be affecting my generation," said Harper, a Salt Lake City resident and East High graduate whose father, Steve, brought her to the rally. "My generation will have to pay for this. We'll have to deal with all the consequences they created."

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[acmavm]

1. More people get their news form the internet. The MSM can under-report

the numbers of protesters as usual. People will go to the net to find the truth.

Hell's bells, the internet is what finally gave us the truth about what the bush** administration was really up to, about the lies and deceit of these traitors. If not for the internet, the NYT would still have Judy Miller on staff.

[Rock_Garden]

2. That's so true.

That's exactly where I went yesterday to get the march numbers - to the net!

[helderheid]

3. what was the total?

[BayCityProgressive]

4. I was there

THIS PISSES ME OFF TO NO END! There were hundreds of thousands of people!!!! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

[helderheid]

5. any idea how many?

[Rock_Garden]

13. Unfortunately, I never got a definitive total, even on the Net.

Estimates varied wildly, from 40,000 to 120,000, so I have no idea of the true total, helderheid. From reading threads in DU, it seems that it may have been even bigger. Hope so.

[Captain Hilts]

15. I'd guess 200K or so. A good size for a January rally. And FAAARRR larger...

than Monday's anti-choice rally.

[Captain Hilts]

6. At least Rocky was something new. The speakers were lousy. We've heard them at enough rallies...

already and they needlessly shouted.

The anit-war movement is diverse, yet the speakers were not.

[helderheid]

7. I watched c-span and my husband commented that all they did was yell

[countingbluecars]

8. I was there and I thought the speakers

were great-Maxine Waters, John Conyers, Dennis Kucinich, Rocky Anderson, Jesse Jackson, Lt. Watada's parents, speakers representing military families to name a few. It seems to me you have to shout when you are speaking to a crowd of several hundred thousand!

[Captain Hilts]

9. Their voices came off as distorted to the crowd. Some were holding their ears.

But the speakers, themselves, could have been chosen to more accurately reflect the diversity of the anti-war movement rather than just the liberal wing .

[countingbluecars]

10. They sounded great

from where I was standing-center stage, several yards back from the stage.

Could you explain what you mean about the diversity of the anti-war movement? This was an anti-war protest, so I don't understand what you mean. What did you want to hear?

[Captain Hilts]

11. Murtha, Shoshana Johnson, Duckworth, Hackett...

People against the war - from the beginning - include everyone from Jane Fonda/Sean Penn on the left to William F. Buckley and Milton Friedman on the right. Pat Buchanan and George Will also. There was a whole lot of middle of people from the political middle of the road that weren't represented on the speakers' platform.

[countingbluecars]

12. I would have liked to hear

some that you mentioned. Do you think they would have been refused a spot on stage if they had asked to speak? Maybe we hear the same speakers at these protests because they are the strong ones willing to give their time, energy and passion to the cause.

[Captain Hilts]

14. I think Webb would have refused and that Fonda's presence would have kept Murtha off.

It's hard to say.

[WindRavenX]

16. When I move to UT, I think I'll hang out with these people NT

NT

[helderheid]

17. Come hang with us!

www.udpc.org

[Clinton_Co_Regulator]

18. Yo Rocky!

This Anderson guy is something special.