Thoughts on DC

I’m back from the DC protest. It was great to see the massive numbers in the streets – before a war has even started. That’s what is significant about this antiwar sentiment. It’s already at a fever pitch and at a level of resistance that elites have to take notice of. Whether they Stand Down because of this is, of course, another matter entirely. One thing is for sure, though: the pressure needs to be maintained.

As expected, it was a diverse gathering of people. The age range – from young tykes to 70-somethings in wheelchairs – was probably what was most striking to me. The rally was quite diverse in other ways, too – along racial, ethnic, class, and especially political lines. You had soccer moms, anarchists, grandmas, businessmen, Maoists, Greens, war veterans, etc. all in one place, united under the same banner of “no war!”. This diversity and juxtaposition of differing peoples and viewpoints is what I’ll remember most about today.

Estimates of the rally range from 100,000 – 500,000. ANSWER claimed 500,000. Most folks I talked to estimate it closer to 200K, although I cannot even begin to make an approximation. I just know it was huge. A few of the people I was with said today dwarfed last fall's October 26th rally, which was estimated at 100K+.

Favorite sign: “We have our own empty War head!” – adorned with a pic of Bush. Clever.

And, I’ve always been partial to the sentiment expressed here.

One other thing. Compare and contrast the lead in both of these stories:

More Than 100,000 in Venezuela Protest
By JORGE RUEDA, AP Writer
CARACAS, Venezuela - At least 100,000 anti-government protesters staged a candlelight march in Caracas late Saturday, converging on a city highway waving national flags, flashlights and flaming torches.

Thousands Rally in U.S. Against Iraq War
By CALVIN WOODWARD, AP Writer
WASHINGTON - Tens of thousands rallied in the capital Saturday in an emphatic dissent against preparations for war in Iraq, voicing a cry — "No blood for oil" — heard in demonstrations around the world.

Interesting contextualization. The first headline emphasizes “more than 100,000” for the Venezuelan situation, and leads with that number. The second headline emphasizes “thousands” for the DC protest and only offers “tens of thousands” to start off its own inverted pyramid. Slanted reporting? You be the judge.

I don't have much to say beyond the rather haphazard remarks above. Again, check DC IMC, SF IMC, and global IMC for more on the protests. Also see a quick summary of what else went down around the world, as well as an informal tally of total global protesters.

There are some nice pics from the DC demos at News From Babylon (note: long load time).