I’ve read several reports describing yesterday’s U.S. demos as “smaller than” those held prior to the invasion but failing to mention that demos were held in “765 towns and cities, in all 50 states ( Map) – an unprecedented number -” or the probability they were a significant reason fewer people travelled to major cities.
The BBC reported:
“Thousands also took to the streets in several US cities. Some of them bore coffins draped with the country’s flag.
But correspondents say the US demonstrations were far smaller than previous protests against the war.
“I think Bush’s re-election took the steam out of the anti-war movement,” said New York activist Michael Letwin.
Demonstrators also gathered in San Francisco, Chicago and other cities to hear anti-war speeches.”
The SF Gate quotes a lawyer who blamed a splintering of the progressive movement for the smaller turnout in San Francisco, which according to the paper, was attended by several thousand.
“There are lots of small groups involved in their own issues, many of which are important and good, but it feels like there’s a lack of overall cohesiveness in uniting for the overall issue of stopping an extremely right-wing government,” he said.
The NYT‘s headline emphasises that smaller demonstrations took place around the country but concludes that protestors overall turned out in smaller numbers, despite their admission that, “Numbers were hard to gauge, but it seemed likely that tens of thousands took part across America.”
The Seattle Times also notes that smaller demos took place across the country and reported their city’s protestors were numbered in the thousands, a marked difference from the Seattle-Post Intelligencer reporting of hundreds.
Mercury News runs an AP wire that, like many reports, mentions the show of force in Chicago:
In Chicago, hundreds of police, some in riot gear, escorted about a thousand marchers down Dearborn Avenue to an afternoon rally at the Federal Plaza. Police were out in force to prevent a repeat of the scene two years ago when thousands of protesters caused a huge traffic jam during rush hour.
Demonstrators originally planned to march on Michigan Avenue, but with police threatening to arrest anyone who tried, the demonstration moved to a park a few blocks away.
“They don’t want to show the size of the opposition,” said protester Earl Silbar of Chicago. “It’s a free country if you agree with the government.”
I think these papers ignored that even though final tallies might show fewer people participated overall in these demonstrations, smaller protests in cities and towns is the only way to form real grassroots movements. Neighbours must discuss the issues that Sacramento lawyer David Mandel says have fractured the “progressive” movement, a divisive statement in itself. The antiwar movement isn’t owned by “progressives” or any other political group.
That seed was planted at the demo I attended. What I don’t know yet is if it happened at the other 764.