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News: Protest Activity |
Poor Turnout, Among Other Things, at 4/27 Protest
by Andrew Finnerty
Email: Meddlingelf (at) hotmail.com (unverified!) |
Current rating: 0
27 Apr 2003 |
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Few people showed up at the 4/27 protest and there was some bad news from the KC Iraq Taskforce. |
Compared to previous protests at the JC Nichols Fountain, including the one the day after the war began, in which 1600 protested and marched, and the Sunday after, where 1500 protested and marched, very few people showed up at the 4/27 one and there was no march. I'm not good at estimating crowd sizes, but my estimate is that there were 250 or less there, the lowest turnout since January. But my estimate is probably wrong.
Two very annoying pro-war guys were there. One of them is the same guy who comes to every Tuesday protest at 63rd and Mission with his "Caution: Idiotic Peaceniks Ahead" sign. The other was a guy who held a sign that I couldn't read. Both of these guys apparently come to most weekly protests with their signs and attitudes.
They both kept harrassing anti-war demonstrators and were doing things that would have gotten anti-war demonstrators arrested for disorderly conduct. They even tried to disrupt the speakers by shouting stuff and when an anti-war veteran told them that he, too, had served in the military, the pro-war Marine veteran replied that the man "didn't learn a damn thing" in the military.
And the news from the KC Iraq Task Force was that they will now be sponsoring and organizing only one Sunday JC Nichols Fountain protest per month. But I heard from several people that they will continue to come every Sunday, so the protests aren't really ending, they just won't be sponsored by the KC Iraq Task Force. It's good that people won't stop coming, because, in my opinion, we need these protests to be every week to show the people of KC that not everyone supports the policies of the Bush regime and we are willing to publicly protest these policies frequently.
We need to increase the number of people attending the protests, so people will see that a large number of people are against Bush and his policies, not just a small number of hardcore anti-Bush leftists. The people who used to come to these rallies should return, because Bush is not going to stop with Iraq. He's going to take Syria, Iran, and our civil liberties next.
Andrew |
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Commentary: Protest Activity |
Re: Poor Turnout, Among Other Things, at 4/27 Protest
by jan
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
28 Apr 2003 |
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Just curious. Why did the KC Iraq Task Force change to one protest per month? Is there still a pro-war rally at 3?
The big Rolling Thunder event will be happening in the near future. |
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Commentary: Protest Activity |
Re: Poor Turnout, Among Other Things, at 4/27 Protest
by Andrew Finnerty
Email: Meddlingelf (at) hotmail.com (verified) |
Current rating: 0
28 Apr 2003 |
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I think they are changing to only one protest per month because the war is over, which is stupid because the occupation is beginning and Syria and Iran will be next.
And I don't think there's a pro-war rally at 3, because I arrived at 3:45 and the only pro-war guys were the two pro-war guys who counter-demonstrate at nearly every anti-war protest. Also, a man who regularly attends the Sunday anti-war protests told me that the pro-war guys haven't counter-demonstrated in large numbers since the week before Easter.
Andrew |
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Commentary: Protest Activity |
Re: Poor Turnout, Among Other Things, at 4/27 Protest
by jan
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
28 Apr 2003 |
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Found this recent message on a board, written by a Navy serviceman. At least for me, it clarifys reasoning for continuing visibility.
"What is the value of protesting?
Well, it tells people that there are some who object to this war. For some, it tells them they are not alone, and encourages them to protest or write or (most importantly) VOTE for a change. It also shows the wafflers, the 'well, I'm not for it, but...' types that there IS an alternative. It gives those that think a look at alternate thought patterns, something they won't get on CNN, Faux, or MSNBC. And while the freepers and Replutocan mouthpieces will do their best to minimize the protests, it is not because the protests have no effect, but because they DO have an effect. You don't minimize opponents who are ineffective, you ignore them.
Should is stop once we are engaged?
NO! Look, there are always troops 'engaged' somewhere. To stop because the troops are 'engaged' is to give our opponents aid and comfort for DOING WHAT WE DON'T WANT THEM TO DO! If you stop protesting once 'engaged', they'll distort it to state that 'America supports the war, see, even the anti war nuts have shut up'.
" |
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Commentary: Protest Activity |
Re: Poor Turnout, Among Other Things, at 4/27 Protest
by Roberto
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
29 Apr 2003 |
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A protest not sponsored by the KC Iraq Task Force would make me start coming back. |
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Commentary: Protest Activity |
Re: Poor Turnout, Among Other Things, at 4/27 Protest
by Andrew Finnerty
Email: Meddlingelf (at) hotmail.com (verified) |
Current rating: 0
02 May 2003 |
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Yeah, I like the KC Iraq Taskforce, but sometimes they piss me off. Like when they try to keep everything legal and prevent people from marching in the streets at the Sunday protests. It's like they haven't heard of the concept of a breakaway march.
Andrew |
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Commentary: Protest Activity |
Re: Poor Turnout, Among Other Things, at 4/27 Protest
by chris
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
03 May 2003 |
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This is the wrong time to stop resisting, low turnout is expected but its the few of us that keep the message clear and ready for the times when a huge turn out will be necessary. The Iraq Taskforce still has a purpose to sponser these protests, the occupation of Iraq is Now and Running, the Iraqi civilian body count is sTill rising and US Corporations are getting richer with Billions of Taxpayers Dollars to pay for their form of lasse-fair liberation, BUSH is being shown as mighty Caeser in the fascist media while civil rights to dissent his regime are under attack by Ashcroft and Ridge. The idea of the task force moving to once a month protesting is a cop out. Keep Showing Dissent to the BUSH Regime every Sunday until he is gone.. |
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