home

A Day of Protest

By TChris, Section Other Politics
Posted on Fri Oct 06, 2006 at 07:58:38 AM EST
Tags: (all tags)
Share This: Digg! StumbleUpon del.icio.us reddit reddit

by TChris

The Bush administration has given us plenty to protest. Yesterday, in a day of protest organized by The World Can't Wait, people gathered together in more than 200 cities to express their displeasure with the Bush Administration. In New York:

Thousands of protesters clogged New York City's streets as they marched from the United Nations headquarters. Some people lay down in the middle of the street, while others carried signs saying "Expose 9/11" and "This war should be over." They also handed out fliers reading, "Drive out the Bush regime."

In Washington D.C.:

Hundreds of people called the Bush administration's policies a crime and held up yellow police tape in front of the White House on Thursday amid a nationwide day of protest against the president.

In Los Angeles:

Hundreds marched in Los Angeles, carrying caskets draped in U.S. flags to a federal courthouse, where protesters held a mock marriage of church and state.

More from Seattle, Reno, and Santa Fe.

< The Border Fence: Another Republican Lie | Dred Scott,Originalism and a Living Constitution >

  • The Online Magazine with Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news

  • Contribute To TalkLeft


    • Display: Sort:
    A Day of Protest | 32 comments (32 topical)
    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#2)
    by theologicus on Fri Oct 06, 2006 at 09:13:40 AM EST
    This is an appealing initiative -- on the surface of it. Howver, I have been told by more than one peace activist colleague that this group is a front for the Revolutionary Communist Party. If true, one would want to proceed with caution.

    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#1)
    by kdog on Fri Oct 06, 2006 at 09:59:48 AM EST
    I was marching on 2nd Ave. yesterday...it was good to see so many people out to support the traditional American ideals of habeaus corpus and the like. I never thought I'd see the day that we had to.

    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#3)
    by Lww on Fri Oct 06, 2006 at 09:59:48 AM EST
    Be careful what you wish for. Some people are saying the anthrax attacks can be linked to Israeli intelligence by the FBI. Can anyone say Able Danger?

    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#4)
    by scarshapedstar on Fri Oct 06, 2006 at 09:59:48 AM EST
    Howver, I have been told by more than one peace activist colleague that this group is a front for the Revolutionary Communist Party. If true, one would want to proceed with caution.
    You know, having watched the plutocrats rape and pillage this nation on a scale that hasn't even been imaginable since the Gilded Age, I've gotta admit that a Communist revolution wouldn't be so bad. And, yes, that statement probably jeopardizes my current employment with the State of Georgia.

    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#5)
    by Sailor on Fri Oct 06, 2006 at 10:41:39 AM EST
    Theo's McCarthying the group.
    Steering Committee: Father Luis Barrios, New York City Mark James, Los Angeles Rev. Deborah Elandus Lake, Chicago Allen Lang, New York City Prachi Noor, New York City Debra Sweet, New York City
    Advisory Board: Lynne Stewart, attorney Rosemary Candelario, pro-choice activist Boots Riley, hip hop performer Gore Vidal, writer Warren Hern MD, Physician and pro-choice activist Sunsara Taylor, writer Mark Crispin Miller, professor & writer Tomás Olmos, attorney Mark Leno, CA State Assembly Howard Zinn, historian
    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#6)
    by Che's Lounge on Fri Oct 06, 2006 at 11:35:28 AM EST
    Howver, I have been told by more than one peace activist colleague that this group is a front for the Revolutionary Communist Party. Please do not post gossip. Especially that. What's the point, other than to play down the significance of what is being done here? Besides, Bush is taking us to totalitarianism faster than any Stalinist "commie" ever could. Theo, I thought you were wiser than that.

    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#7)
    by theologicus on Fri Oct 06, 2006 at 11:57:43 AM EST
    I believe that the people who spoke to me are credible. They are not neophytes nor are they MaCarthyite, or I wouldn't have mentioned it. Caveat emptor.

    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#8)
    by theologicus on Fri Oct 06, 2006 at 12:56:46 PM EST
    Infoshop, which describes itself as "your online anarchist community," posts this analysis: Understanding World Can't Wait and the Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP) Beware of Anarchist McCarthyites.

    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#9)
    by Che's Lounge on Fri Oct 06, 2006 at 02:28:19 PM EST
    Theo, Thanks so much for the link. Much to follow up on and I'm at work but I've been looking for info like this. Can't give you any discussion yet but thanks again.

    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#10)
    by theologicus on Fri Oct 06, 2006 at 02:51:59 PM EST
    Thanks, Che. I appreciate it. Of course, even if WCW is a front for RCP, that doesn't mean that these protests aren't important or that they should be shunned. It just means that one has to keep one's eyes open. Much as with A.N.S.W.E.R.

    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#11)
    by Sailor on Fri Oct 06, 2006 at 04:00:41 PM EST
    I believe that the people who spoke to me are credible.
    And now you know they aren't. Seriously, check the link I gave and see if you think your 'sources' are credible.

    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#12)
    by Patrick on Fri Oct 06, 2006 at 07:40:34 PM EST
    The protest was a flop in my neighborhood...One school got a big writeup for students organizing a walkout, and it never materialized...Or if it did, it was so small no one noticed. Keep up the good work.

    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#13)
    by Che's Lounge on Fri Oct 06, 2006 at 09:33:32 PM EST
    Theo, It just means that one has to keep one's eyes open Yes making a change can sometimes lead to the pendulum swinging too far, as we are experiencing now, only now it's to the right. That seems to be what happened in Iran. Many people who supported the overthrow of the Shah were later themselves purged by the Islamic fundmentalists for holding "western" or communist viewpoints (secular). They had moderated some in the 90's, but as the US becomes more aggressive in the region, the religious hardliners only gain influence.

    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#14)
    by Andreas on Sat Oct 07, 2006 at 12:33:01 AM EST
    The WSWS writes:
    Socialist Equality Party US Congressional candidate Jerome White spoke before students at Wayne State University in Detroit on Thursday as they gathered to participate in a protest march against the Bush administration's war policies and attacks on democratic rights. The demonstration, which was part of a series held around the country, was organized by a coalition of liberal academics, actors and radical protest groups allied with a section of the Democratic Party under the heading "World Can't Wait." ... In opposition to the political outlook advanced by the World Can't Wait organizers--that a Democratic victory in the November mid-term elections would reverse the militarist agenda of the US government and stop the attacks on civil liberties--White argued that working people had to break with the Democratic Party and build an independent socialist movement to oppose the profit system and the two parties that defend it.
    At "World Can't Wait" protest Michigan SEP candidate exposes Democrats' complicity with Bush 7 October 2006

    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#15)
    by Sailor on Sat Oct 07, 2006 at 01:50:13 AM EST
    Understanding World Can't Wait and the Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP)
    there was nothing in that article that linked WCW to RCPO except ther headline and some anarchist's screeching about how those groups are bad for the revolution.

    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#17)
    by theologicus on Sat Oct 07, 2006 at 07:36:07 AM EST
    Well, the possibility of "purges" would not be high on my list of concerns just now. The immediate question concerns tactics. A.N.S.W.E.R., for example, does at least as much harm as good, in my opinion. I would agree that a Democratic victory in November is not going to "reverse" the militarist agenda. But I think it might put some brakes on it. The civil liberties situation would have an even better chance of being improved, though fully undoing the damage of the Bush administration is not something that should be taken for granted even if the Democrats win. I did not find Nancy Pelosi's recent statement about "draining the swamp" to be entirey encouraging in this regard. It was silent, in the reports I saw, about US foreign and military policy. But the polls show that Iraq is uppermost in the voters' minds. Nor did I see anything from her about civil liberties. I consider the Democratic Party to be a party of the center-right. At the present time we don't have a progressive party or even the makings of a serious progressive movement. But (sorry Andreas) the RCP, the SEP, etc. are no help at all.

    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#18)
    by theologicus on Sat Oct 07, 2006 at 07:55:42 AM EST
    Looking back over Pelosi's "drainthe swamp" speech, I see that she calls for implementing the recommendaitons of the Sept. 11 commission. I think some of these have to do with civil liberties. Whether they would get to undoing the FISA abuses I'm not sure.

    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#16)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Oct 07, 2006 at 08:48:09 AM EST
    Sailor: Of course those groups are excellent for the revolution, what ever that is. Keep up the, uh, work communist front groups!

    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#19)
    by Che's Lounge on Sat Oct 07, 2006 at 10:07:27 AM EST
    A.N.S.W.E.R., for example, does at least as much harm as good, in my opinion. Theo, I read the bio's that Sailor provided, as well as your link, and found many leftist viewpoints but no references to The RCP (not that I expected them). If the RCP is using these organizations as front groups, they are doing a good job of hiding that fact. I don't think that the RCP has a snowball's chance in Heck of taking any significcant control of the country. Nevertheless, the application of socialistic concepts in our current "democracy", would benefit the working class greatly, as we are seeing (reluctantly) in South America. IMHO it is VITAL to our survival to remove the imperialistic plutocracy from power in this country. The idea that we still have a representative government in this country is laughable. Totalitarianism isn't always ugly, like the images of the Soviet gulags. We can still lose our rights and yet have lots of pretty things to keep us distracted (see plasma screens aka "telescreens") while our freedoms, and our powers as working people, are stripped away. If you don't agree with the methods of ANSWER, DU, and WCW, then I would be open to alternatives. The Dems are losers. They will only cave to the military industrial complex. Even if they win the House, they will screw it up. We can worry about the influence of the RCP another time. The world is on fire and Bush is standing here with a big can of gasoline. If the "RCP front groups" can hose him down before he opens the lid (again), then I'll support them... ...for now.

    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#20)
    by theologicus on Sat Oct 07, 2006 at 12:30:18 PM EST
    Che, Look, I'm a democratic socialist, or would be if I knew what the term meant anymore. I'm not afraid of joining in campaigns organized as front groups by radical leftys. I just think these people have serious flaws and that they are often counter-productive-- unattainable ideals being the enemy of the attainable and all that. I guess I was naive in thinking that my mention of the RCP would not be taken as a smear, but that wasn't how I meant it. People in the grip of ideologies often use tactics that drive other people away. They labor under the illusion that the "masses" are going to rise up and join them in smashing whever enemy it is that they have identified as being the cause of all our ills. They use one issue to gain a platform for a long and sometimes dubious list of related and unrelated grievances. Probably you know this. Or haven't you attended any big peace rallies lately?

    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#21)
    by Sailor on Sat Oct 07, 2006 at 03:57:28 PM EST
    I guess I was naive in thinking that my mention of the RCP would not be taken as a smear, but that wasn't how I meant it.
    I don't care how you meant it, it was a smear and wasn't true.
    Sailor: Of course those groups are excellent for the revolution, what ever that is. Keep up the, uh, work communist front groups!
    Which coward wrote that? See, theo, this is what happens when you report false rumors. You had no facts, no credible links and relied originally on hearsay from someone you say you trust for your info ... I hope you have learned better than to trust them in the future.

    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#24)
    by theologicus on Sun Oct 08, 2006 at 10:11:25 AM EST
    I sense something suspicious in Sailor's vehemence. He has no evidence that I posted a "false rumor," and what evidence I did present he goes to great pains to try to discredit. He has no independent information about the credibility of the two different activists who spoke to me. He dismisses the anarchist website as if anarchists would have no way of knowing what they're talking about. How can he be so sure that what I wrote is not true? To my mind he protests too much.

    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#25)
    by theologicus on Sun Oct 08, 2006 at 11:33:57 AM EST
    FAQ. From the "World Can't Wait" website Q. But aren't there communists in World Can't Wait?
    A: Yeah, there are. Supporters of the Revolutionary Communist Party helped initiate it. They're in it because they think it's absolutely urgent to get rid of this regime, that it would both lift a huge burden from the world and would also give people a sense of their own potential power, and they think all that would open up avenues to get to the kind of society they want. Same as a whole lot of other people in World Can't Wait which, by the way, includes Greens, Christians, Republicans, anarchists, Muslims, Jews, feminists, Democrats, pacifists, and people who claim no affiliation also think it's urgent to drive out the Bush Regime and also think it can help lead to bigger changes that they want in society, coming from their own viewpoints.
    Hmmm.

    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#22)
    by jondee on Sun Oct 08, 2006 at 12:07:06 PM EST
    That infallable, unimpeachable, "anarchist" makes me wonder about his or her possible affiliation with that branch of anarchism that runs in the same direction as the libertarian right. Also, have there been any major organized demonstrations against the policies of current administration in the last six years that weren't "reliably" rumoured to have been organized by some very questionable fringe group?

    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#23)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Oct 08, 2006 at 12:07:06 PM EST
    Of course no ones saying that all those involved in these demonstrations (or any other demonstrations), have publicly declared their deep, abiding, hatred of America and all that it stands for. Theres, at this time, no proof to substantiate that. How do these rumours get started?

    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#26)
    by Sailor on Sun Oct 08, 2006 at 05:52:21 PM EST
    I sense something suspicious in Sailor's vehemence.
    Yeah, I hate liars and swiftboaters ... and you're trying to do the same to me with your new mongering. You wrote:
    this group is a front for the Revolutionary Communist Party.
    and
    He has no evidence that I posted a "false rumor,"
    Yes, I do, you said they were a front, I proved you wrong by posting the steering committee and advisors. Obviously they aren't a 'front' for the rcp, you are just trying to discredit them. Seems like scummy tactics to me, and especially when you try to discredit my motives with the same tactic. Che, what do you think? I value your opinion of his posting and this exchange.

    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#27)
    by theologicus on Mon Oct 09, 2006 at 08:32:37 AM EST
    Sailor, All I can say is that you are very quick to impute motives and also to jump to conclusions. I am not worried about your motives. I'm distrustful of your mindset, of your reasoning. I imagine you won't see the difference.

    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#28)
    by Sailor on Mon Oct 09, 2006 at 09:47:01 AM EST
    theo, do you still contend that WCW is a front group for rcp?

    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#29)
    by theologicus on Mon Oct 09, 2006 at 03:08:13 PM EST
    Sailor, WCW admts significant RCP involvement, both in its inception and in its ongoing activities. If you take a strict definiiton of "front group," I think it's hard to say. If you take a looser definition, then the case may fit. I'm not so concerend about the term. WCW seems to be a vehicle that the RCP hopes to use to advance its own agenda. I don't think, and never did, that this discredits WCW. I only think that it bears watching. RCP elements could very well undermine any good that WCW might do. There are multiple problems here. The current crisis tending toward presidential dictatorship, the failures of the Democratic party, the marginalizaiton of a more democratic Left, and the vacuum created that groups like RCP can then fill. Since WCW doesn't hide its conneciton with the RCP, I think that makes the point I was trying to get at, along with a call for vigilence. I'd hate to see WCW undermined by the agenda of fringe elements.

    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#30)
    by Sailor on Mon Oct 09, 2006 at 03:49:07 PM EST
    Theo, it's a simple question, do you still contend that WCW is a front group for rcp?

    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#31)
    by jondee on Tue Oct 10, 2006 at 02:46:50 PM EST
    Hmmm indeed. Give the corporate oligarchy another decade or so and anyone to the left of a Lieberman will be part of an "agenda driven, fringe element".

    Re: A Day of Protest (none / 0) (#32)
    by Sailor on Tue Oct 10, 2006 at 07:52:38 PM EST
    Theo, it's a simple question, do you still contend that WCW is a front group for rcp?

    A Day of Protest | 32 comments (32 topical)