Fw: [A.N.S.W.E.R.] Thousands Protest Outside of Bush's Speech at RNC

["Nello peacelink" <n.margiotta at peacelink.it>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: A.N.S.W.E.R.-SF 
To: activist at actionsf.org 
Sent: Saturday, September 04, 2004 3:03 AM
Subject: [A.N.S.W.E.R.] Thousands Protest Outside of Bush's Speech at RNC


Over 10,000 Join Together in Militant Protest While Bush Speaks 

The demonstration called by the A.N.S.W.E.R. coalition drew 10-15,000 people 
directly outside Madison Square Garden last night. While Bush was being 
coronated inside, antiwar protestors filled the streets of Manhattan on the 
sixth straight day of round-the-clock mass actions. 

The spirit of last night's demonstration was noteworthy. The atmosphere of fear 
and intimidation created by the police in the last days only made the crowd 
more determined. Nearly two thousand people have been arrested in the last 
week, many in mass sweeps and in so-called "pre-emptive" arrests. But last 
night people showed that they were unwilling to be silenced. Thousands of 
riot-clad police surrounded the protest. In the adjacent blocks along 7th and 
9th Ave. police blocked access to the demonstration site. Many people reported 
that it took almost an hour to find their way to the demonstration. And yet 
they came, young and old.                  

The demonstration was also significant for the wide support and various 
community endorsements for the action as evident in the additional sponsors. 
See the list of co-sponsoring organizations below. Despite the fear and 
intimidation, this explicitly antiwar action that stood in support of 
self-determination was specifically supported by the Haitian, Arab American and 
Palestinian communities. 

Although Bush's acceptance speech was the main focus of the mass media, the 
protests last night at the convention could not be ignored. The surprising 
large night-time demonstration - that lasted till past 10:00 pm and clogged the 
streets of the west side of Manhattan - received widespread media attention at 
the very moment Bush was using the national spotlight to regurgitate his lies 
justifying the criminal invasion and occupation of Iraq. The New York Times 
reported this morning, "Outside Madison Square Garden last night, the antiwar 
group A.N.S.W.E.R. also drew thousands of people in a rally that stretched more 
than five blocks." The international media also gave wide coverage. 

This has been an incredible week. There is a great deal for the progressive 
movement to evaluate as we prepare the next steps in building the antiwar 
movement. It was clear this week that while the antiwar movement was united in 
the street actions there is a significant debate about political focus. Some 
focus on the slogan "Say No the Bush Agenda" rather than "End the Occupation of 
Iraq, Bring the Troops Home Now!" 

John Kerry and the Democratic leadership can say No to Bush or No to the Bush 
Agenda but they will not oppose the continued criminal occupation of Iraq. 
Kerry shares Bush's objectives of U.S. domination over the oil-rich Middle 
East. If elected, Kerry will continue this criminal occupation. Kerry will 
continue to send U.S. soldiers to die for corporate conquest, sacrificing the 
lives of those disproportionately from African American, Latino and other 
working class and poor communities. 

Another major debate has to do with Palestine. Kerry has announced that he 
supports the Israeli Apartheid Wall and will extend Bush's policy of 
wholehearted embrace of the Israeli government as it carries out the 
assassinations of Palestinian leaders and the mass arrests and torture of 
Palestinian political prisoners. The A.N.S.W.E.R.-initiated demonstration at 
Madison Square Garden last night was against the war and occupation of Iraq. It 
was also a conscious act of solidarity with the 4,000-plus Palestinian 
prisoners who started a hunger strike nearly three weeks ago to protest the 
brutal and anti-human treatment they receive in Israeli prisons. Likewise, last 
night's A.N.S.W.E.R. demonstration was an act of political solidarity with the 
Haitian people who were subjected to Bush's colonialist coup d'etat that 
overthrew the democratically elected government on February 29 followed by the 
installation of a U.S. puppet government. Kerry won't stand against the coup 
but the antiwar movement in the U.S. must continue to support the right of the 
Haitian people to self-determination. 

Part of the debate about political focus and whether to have meaningful 
political slogans and discourse also relates to the nature of the actions 
undertaken. The government and the media criticize the antiwar movement for 
staging loud and angry protests. The response by some is to tone down the 
message and the spirit of the movement, and to capitulate to police directives 
even where they are contrary to the fundamental First Amendment rights of the 
people. When thousands of people are being killed in Iraq and elsewhere we 
believe that the people must act, as they did during the Vietnam era, making it 
clear that they cannot be silent in the face of U.S. government atrocities. 

The protests of the last week prove that the antiwar movement that took shape 
after September 11, and announced itself as a mass phenomena when more than 
200,000 took to the streets on October 26, 2002 followed by ever growing 
protests in the subsequent months, continues to have great potential. The 
political orientation of the movement becomes now, just as it was in September 
and October 2002, all important. At that time, some said the most important 
task was to convince the Democrats in Congress to stand against Bush's push 
toward war. A.N.S.W.E.R. focused on building a mass movement of the people, in 
the streets and independent of both parties. 

The movement that has developed has shown that it cannot be ignored as an 
independent political force in U.S. and world politics. Already across the 
country people are starting to mobilize to turn out for a groundbreaking 
demonstration bringing together the progressive labor movement and the antiwar 
movement on October 17th in Washington, DC. This rally called by the Million 
Worker March will be held at the Lincoln Memorial. 

Both major political parties have stated their intention to prolong the 
occupation of Iraq by foreign troops and the ongoing slaughter of Iraqis, and 
to continue to send the sons and daughters of the U.S. to die in the Middle 
East for a long term plan of colonial occupation of sovereign lands. The 
A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition has initiated the Counter-Inaugural demonstration for 
January 20, 2005. No matter who is elected, thousands of people are coming to 
Washington, DC to demand from the very first day of office that the troops be 
brought home now! 

The many A.N.S.W.E.R. volunteers who worked tirelessly to make this past week's 
events so successful deserve great thanks. And many are already working to 
mobilize and organize for the October 17th and Counter-Inaugural 
demonstrations. If you have wanted to get involved in this powerful peoples 
movement - become a volunteer and organizer. Contact information is below for 
the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition and we urge you to join us in building a real force 
for change. 

Thanks also to the many generous supporters who have donated the urgently 
needed funds to keep operations running, to pay for the tens of thousands of 
leaflets, signs, banners, placards, the rally sound and set up, and all the 
many expenses that really add up. We could not accomplish this without you. If 
you have donated before, we urge to consider donating again, and if you have 
never done so now is the time. We need your help to build from the great 
momentum of this week. You can donate online using a secure server by going to 
www.ANSWERCoalition.org. If you wish to make a tax-deductible contribution of 
$50 or more, mail a check payable to A.N.S.W.E.R./AGJ to: A.N.S.W.E.R., 1247 E 
St. SE Washington DC 20003. You can also make a tax-deductible credit card 
donation of $50 or more by calling 415-821-6545. 

The September 2 demonstration was initiated by the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition and 
sponsored by progressive and community organizations including the Free 
Palestine Alliance, Haiti Support Network, Al-Awda: The Palestine Right to 
Return Coalition, The Palestine Right of Return Congress, NYCLAW (New York City 
Labor Against the War), Muslim Students Association - National, Muslim American 
Society Freedom Foundation, Global Women's Strike, African Services Committee, 
James Earl Chaney Foundation, Alliance for a Just and Lasting Peace in the 
Philippines, Nicaragua Network, Mexico Solidarity Network and others. It was 
also endorsed by the National Council of Arab Americans (NCA). 


A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition
Act Now to Stop War & End Racism
www.ANSWERcoalition.org
info at internationalanswer.org
National Office in Washington DC: 202-544-3389
New York City: 212-533-0417
Los Angeles: 323-464-1636
San Francisco: 415-821-6545
For media inquiries, call 202-544-3389. 

___________________________________



To subscribe to the list, send a message to:
   <activist-subscribe at actionsf.org>

To remove your address from the list, just send a message to
the address in the ``List-Unsubscribe'' header of any list
message. If you haven't changed addresses since subscribing,
you can also send a message to:
   <activist-unsubscribe at actionsf.org>

For addition or removal of addresses, We'll send a confirmation
message to that address. When you receive it, simply reply to it
to complete the transaction.


---- Msg sent via Comchannel - http://www.comchannel.com/