Walking it Off
I’m heading out to march against Bush and the Republican convention. It’s my first political demonstration in many years. Once I did protest politics more often; ultimately I became disenchanted, not with the causes but with the organizations (or, given the state of the anti-nuke movement in the 80’s, the disorganizations). It feels good to be joining up again.
This time I will carry no sign. My message is simple enough: Look out your window, George Bush. Look at us.
Water — check. Cloth bandana — check. TxtMob cell-messaging bulletin list — check. National Lawyers Guild contact number programmed into cell phone — check. Fingers crossed for a peaceful day — yep.
August 29th, 2004 at 16:01
Have you thought about just blogging about it instead? It’d be a LOT more fun, since we could bicker & argue in the comments :-)
Oh well. Just promise me you won’t block traffic. That’s just rude.
August 30th, 2004 at 01:24
Go New York!
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0829-10.htm
I root for the hometeam, though I’ve been away longer than I was there.
And if/when the election is stolen or in doubt? Do we then simply take to the streets?
http://www.counterpunch.org/jacobs08252004.html
August 30th, 2004 at 11:54
“Civil disobedience becomes a sacred duty when the State becomes lawless or, which is the same thing, corrupt.” Gandhi.
August 31st, 2004 at 17:20
No blocking traffic for me, Harvey — I didn’t go out to do Civil Disobedience this time. But when necessary, I block traffic with the best of them.
I was very careful in choosing my protests when I put my body on the line doing C.D. It’s not something to take on lightly, and it’s not something to do on someone else’s authority.
I blocked traffic at the Pentagon in 1980; my wing of the demo was set in front of the underground parking garage entrance, and that was our only role, essentially. Our message: “Sorry, Pentagon’s closed today, there’s people here.”
On the other hand, my group did not block the main town road at Seabrook when I protested up there. There was no point to it. We set up station on a side access road that went only to the plant site (disused entrance), and spent a couple of days chatting with the neighbors, who came out in the end to defend us when cops in riot gear wearing no badges — illegal, thanks — ripped through our lines.
Frann, New York misses you mightily. And as you know, the correct election word is probably “when.” Florida is already having its dry run now.
Wish you’d been here on Sunday, you would have loved it. It was downright inspiring.