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Ear to the Ground

Emotions Run High at D.C. Rally

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Posted on Mar 18, 2007
rally
AP

Saturday’s antiwar demonstration in Washington, D.C., organized by activist groups to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the American invasion of Iraq, drew some 20,000 protesters and stirred up strong feelings from supporters and opponents alike. 


L.A. Times:

The most dramatic moment came when about 200 protesters, some calling themselves anarchists, tried to make their way up to the Pentagon, where security has been fortified since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

They pushed past the boundaries and were held back by police officers in gas masks and riot gear. Many of the protesters, most college age, seemed prepared for a confrontation. Some carried homemade plastic shields, and others wore gas masks or bandannas to protect their faces.

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By James Yell, March 19, 2007 at 8:11 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

For the “war supporters” whose feelings were hurt, think about this, when you are in a war zone Collateral damage is the death of your children, you parents, your spouse and your friends. When the cause of this is a foreign army induced into an invasion by LIES, GREED and ARROGANCE, with a dash of extreme Narcissus-tic personality defect by G. W./Cheney---How should you feel?

If you attack someone, because another person has told you that someone has done something against your interest and in the process you discover that person “Did Not Do This Thing"--How do you think you should be looked at if you continue to beat up on this person?

George Bush wants Americans to continue to die, impoverish themselves because he will lose face if we repudiate his lying us into war.

Well George most people with functioning brains recognize this War as a fraud. If we prevail, it will not be a Win, but just another form of defeat. You should resign in remorse for the people you have murdered. God did not tell you to do this!

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By Bill Blackolive, March 19, 2007 at 8:06 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Till the marchers speak out on the 9/11 coverup they are but chanters and the other side smirk.

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By David, March 19, 2007 at 5:29 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

No matter what form of verbal or written protest delivered, the government’s rebuttal will inevitably be something to the extent of, “See? That’s the great thing about America.  Freedom of Speech”.  Then they’ll go about their business.

Its all fine and good so long as the fear of upsetting the electorate to the point of revolt at the voters booth curtails their actions enough to truly influence their behavior, but when they can just steal elections as they did in ‘00 &’04 (Kennedy did as well from what I understand) without fear of consequence, there is merely the charade of democracy.  To what extent this is the case, I don’t know. All I know is that this is not the America I grew up in.  I guess I’m conservative.

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By Steve Hammons, March 19, 2007 at 3:10 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Many people who remember the Vietnam War years can hardly believe that we are seeing so many similar things today.

Protests, endless foolish and tragic war, corrupt government officials, government surveillance of citizens ... what’s next? Maybe the military draft and a Kent State shooting.

For more on this, the two articles referenced below may be of interest:

“Revisiting the Vietnam War era: The draft, casualties and the Kent State shootings”

By Steve Hammons
Columnist, PopulistAmerica.com
Populist Party of America
November 19, 2006

http://www.populistamerica.com/revisiting_the_vietnam_ war_era

- - -

“Military Draft Needed for War With Iran and Syria?”

By Steve Hammons
Columnist, PopulistAmerica.com
Populist Party of America
September 28, 2006

http://www.populistamerica.com/military_draft_needed_f or_war_with_iran_and_syria

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By Bukko in Australia, March 18, 2007 at 11:02 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Sounds like turnout was disappointing in D.C., at least according to the stories I read in the Washington Post. The Post did a shite job with its coverage. Half the story about the march was given over to quotes and coverage of the tinier counter-demo, and then the “Gathering of Eagles (Vultures!)” got an ENTIRE OTHER STORY just about them! What a bunch of suck-ups the Post has become.

Meanwhile here in Melbourne, turnout was pathetic for Saturday’s protest to mark the fourth anniversary of this dirty little war. There were barely more than 1,000 people in a town that put 250,000 people on the streets Feb. 14, 2003. It’s just a distant issue to the Aussies. Part of the problem was that this protest was organised by the local socialist group, which didn’t get any other groups involved with the publicity and bringing out members. But crap—if no one can be bothered to show up in public, the authorities will conclude no one cares, so they’ll just keep up with the killing.

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By pogblog, March 18, 2007 at 10:44 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

I wish we would start talking about pro-peace instead of anti-war.

The principle is the same as what’s called an embedded command. If you say, “Don’t fall off the ladder,” the embedded command is “Fall off the ladder” because in order to simply comprehend the statement, you have to quickly imagine falling off the ladder. So, instead you should say, “Hold on to the ladder.” Or instead of “Don’t forget to pick up the milk,” you say “Remember to pick up the milk.”

Pro-peace requires at least an instant of imagining peace in order to comprehend the phrase so you could say that it’s a micro-embedded command.

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By Gramma Concept, March 18, 2007 at 7:12 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Dear Friends Around The Globe.......

God Is (still) Love, (All) was is (still) hell.......Strive On!

Peace And Love For All,
GrammConcept

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By Chaseme, March 18, 2007 at 6:10 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

True Americans stand for what is right...for all. These are True Americans.

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By Christopher Robin, March 18, 2007 at 6:02 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

This is what it will come down to .

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By Quy Tran, March 18, 2007 at 2:30 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Bush/Cheney have orders to Home Security Department :"Hang them high ! Just hang all of them higher then Saddam”.

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By Fadel Abdallah, March 18, 2007 at 2:10 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Only about 20,000 protestors out of a population of 300 million is indeed a sad story and an indication that America is a nation in speedy moral decline, if compared with the atrocities committed in their names and by their taxpayers money, based on lies and deception.

Even Iranians could do better, when in 1979 they poured into the streets, at what was then estimated 2 million people, who without any bloodshed were able to topple the evil Shah, one of the worst dictators modern history has known. Yet he only had very little blood on his hands, as compared to the untold thousands of Americans and Iraqis’ blood on the hands of evil Bush and gang!

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