No subject
Wed Oct 7 13:31:28 EDT 2009
ass character, i.e., most people were not long-standing members of the vari=
ous sects in the city. And perhaps the largest group there, VFP, itself has=
quite a broad political character.
Personally, I thought that the march was incredible. Three miles of constan=
t slogans. And if people with bullhorns let up for a minute, then someone e=
lse would jump in to lead. More, I thought 90% of the chants and slogans we=
re politically strong. You had to love, humbly respect, and be inspired by =
this crowd that marched with us for more than an hour.=20
Returning to our overall united-front effort, I think that we did really a =
lot that was right, and very few things that were wrong. (Comrades may thin=
k of some of the latter for Wednesday night, but right now I can only think=
of the most minor things.) It was an learning experience that I hope stand=
s us in good stead for future collaborative efforts.
Frank
----- Original Message -----
From: Anton Black=20
To: antiwar at lists.hcoop.net
Sent: Sun, 18 Oct 2009 03:42:50 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Re: [Oct. 17 Seattle] Quick summary of Oct 17 action (weaimc - 3rd=
comment)
1-- James-- sorry I messed up and didn't get to you on the speaker's list.=
List was on first page of outline, I was on second-third pages at Westlak=
e
2-- Meeting is posted on blog
3-- lets all check over summation, ad any thoughts and I'll post it tommorr=
ow night. We can also comment on it once posted.
--Anton
protest U.S. war on Afghanistan October 17! Seattle info:
http://october17antiwarseattle.blogspot.com/ For updates please
subscribe to our announce list at:
https://lists.hcoop.net/listinfo/antiwar-announce
--- box601p at WeaponOfTransparency.com wrote:
From: "Ben Seattle"=20
To:=20
Subject: [Oct. 17 Seattle] Quick summary of Oct 17 action (weaimc - 3rd =
comment)
Date: Sat, 17 Oct 2009 17:07:36 -0700
http://seattle.indymedia.org/en/2009/10/274267.shtml
Quick summary of Oct 17 action
Posted by: Ben Seattle at Oct 17, 2009 16:21=20
1. My assessment was that the march was a big success. Approximately 60
enthusiastic marchers from many corners of the movement (including a
number who have not marched before) walked down Broadway to Jackson and
then to 1st Avenue (downtown) and along 1st Ave. to Pike Street and then
to Westlake Plaza.=20
I was pleasantly suprized by the militancy of the action as reflected in
support for the many anti-imperialist slogans and chants that were
given. I have been on many marches which to a large degree took place in
silence. This was certainly not a silent march. The slogan I personally
liked best was: "The Democrats won't stop this war--Let's take the fight
to their front door!"=20
2. Pedistrians and people in cars who saw the march took notice. My
estimate is that:=20
(a) 20 percent or more of onlookers gave signs of supporting the march
(with their hands or enthusiastic voices)=20
(b) a larger section (maybe 50 or 60 percent) studied the march
intently. For many of these people this was their first exposure to mass
opposition to the imperialist war in Afghanistan or to anti-imperialist
politics. The high level of interest in the march was evidenced by many
dozens of people taking photos or videos with their cell phones (this
also gives a hint of how the emerging revolution in communications will
amplify the reach of the mass movements in society).=20
(c) 5 or 10 percent of the onlookers most likely opposed the politics of
the march. This shows that the politics of the march were clear.=20
Also of note was something I have not seen before: more than once
Seattle cops were taking careful count of the exact number of marchers.
The anti-imperialist movement is still small--but it has potential to
grow and the political establishment wants to ready with both force and
the tactics of co-option when it does.=20
I am sure that more complete, all-sided and political summations will be
posted later today or in the days ahead.=20
Summation Meeting:=20
------------------=20
Also: A meeting to sum up the march and the recent campaign for it will
be held at the Panama Hotel (in the International District) this
Wednesday (I think) at 7 pm. For more info check:
http://october17antiwarseattle.blogspot.com/=20
Ben Seattle=20
http://struggle.net/Ben/=20
_______________________________________________
antiwar mailing list
antiwar at lists.hcoop.net
https://lists.hcoop.net/listinfo/antiwar
_______________________________________________
antiwar mailing list
antiwar at lists.hcoop.net
https://lists.hcoop.net/listinfo/antiwar
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Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<html><head><style> body {height: 100%; color:#000000; font-size:12pt; font=
-family:Arial;}</style></head><body><font size=3D3>
<P>Dear comrades,</P>
<P>I agree that the march was a big success, and would add that the whole c=
ampaign was a success---an issue that I=E2=80=99ll return to. But the reall=
y intriguing question is that while this was the largest anti-war mobilizin=
g effort in a number of years, the turnout was 50-60 people. What=E2=80=99s=
behind this?</P>
<P>Pouring-rain in the morning doesn=E2=80=99t explain it because good weat=
her would probably have only doubled the crowd-size. Some problem with the =
SAIC appeal doesn=E2=80=99t explain it because there were a number of other=
appeals made by quite different voices. Boycott by a couple of Trotskyist =
groups and most of RCP doesn=E2=80=99t explain it because they=E2=80=99re n=
ot big. Nor does some kind of deep demoralization among the masses seem to =
explain it. No, during mobilization we had tons of people expressing suppor=
t for the effort, with numerous people wanting extra leaflets, and so on. W=
e even got to talk with several Afghan and Pakistani people who were milita=
ntly on our side, and who took extra leaflets. And during the march itself =
there was a lot of support from the sidewalks. (And I=E2=80=99ve never seen=
so many people snapping pictures of a march.) </P>
<P>So my not-so-brilliant explanation is that while the masses don=E2=80=99=
t like the war, they don=E2=80=99t want to go to demonstrations against it=
=E2=80=A6but they support those who do! And this presents an intriguing puz=
zle insofar as divining tactics with which to advance the situation.</P>
<P>Of course one always-necessary thing needing to be done is work to raise=
the mass political consciousness (which is why SAIC mainly relied on a lea=
flet that dwelt on matters in some depth), and I think that our experience =
with the turnout shows how absolutely essential this hard-to-measure work--=
-which few do---is. But besides this always-necessary work, work that can't=
be skipped over, as individuals or groups I think we=E2=80=99ll also be po=
ndering other tactics to use in the present situation for some time.</P>
<P>From the angle of who came, I was excited by the turnout because it had =
a mass character, i.e., most people were not long-standing members of the v=
arious sects in the city. And perhaps the largest group there, VFP, itself =
has quite a broad political character.</P>
<P>Personally, I thought that the march was incredible. Three miles of cons=
tant slogans. And if people with bullhorns let up for a minute, then someon=
e else would jump in to lead. More, I thought 90% of the chants and slogans=
were politically strong. You had to love, humbly respect, and be inspired =
by this crowd that marched with us for more than an hour. </P>
<P>Returning to our overall united-front effort, I think that we did really=
a lot that was right, and very few things that were wrong. (Comrades may t=
hink of some of the latter for Wednesday night, but right now I can only th=
ink of the most minor things.) It was an learning experience that I hope st=
ands us in good stead for future collaborative efforts.</P>
<P>Frank</P></font><br><br>----- Original Message -----<br><br>From: Anton =
Black <ANTON666 at OZ.NET><br><br>To: antiwar at lists.hcoop.net<br><br>Sent: Sun=
, 18 Oct 2009 03:42:50 +0000 (UTC)<br><br>Subject: Re: [Oct. 17 Seattle] Qu=
ick summary of Oct 17 action (weaimc - 3rd comment)<=
br><br><br><br>1-- James-- sorry I messed up and didn't get to y=
ou on the speaker's list. List was on first page of outline, I w=
as on second-third pages at Westlake<br><br>2-- Meeting is posted on blog<b=
r><br>3-- lets all check over summation, ad any thoughts and I'll post it t=
ommorrow night. We can also comment on it once posted.<br><br><b=
r><br>--Anton<br><br><br><br>protest U.S. war &n=
bsp;on Afghanistan October 17! Seattle inf=
o:<br><br>http://october17antiwarseattle.blogspot.com/ For updates please<b=
r><br>subscribe to our announce list at:<br><br>https://lists.hcoop.net/lis=
tinfo/antiwar-announce<br><br><br><br>--- box601p at WeaponOfTransparency.com =
wrote:<br><br><br><br>From: "Ben Seattle" <strongOX601P at WEAPONOFTRANSPARENC=
Y.COM><br><br>To: <ANTIWAR at LISTS.HCOOP.NET><br><br>Subject: [Oct. 17 Seattl=
e] Quick summary of Oct 17 action (weaimc - 3rd comm=
ent)<br><br>Date: Sat, 17 Oct 2009 17:07:36 -0700<br><br><br><br>http://sea=
ttle.indymedia.org/en/2009/10/274267.shtml<br><br><br><br>Quick summary of =
Oct 17 action<br><br>Posted by: Ben Seattle at Oct 17, 2009 16:21 <br><br><=
br><br>1. My assessment was that the march was a big success. Approximately=
60<br><br>enthusiastic marchers from many corners of the movement (includi=
ng a<br><br>number who have not marched before) walked down Broadway to Jac=
kson and<br><br>then to 1st Avenue (downtown) and along 1st Ave. to Pike St=
reet and then<br><br>to Westlake Plaza. <br><br><br><br>I was pleasantly su=
prized by the militancy of the action as reflected in<br><br>support for th=
e many anti-imperialist slogans and chants that were<br><br>given. I have b=
een on many marches which to a large degree took place in<br><br>silence. T=
his was certainly not a silent march. The slogan I personally<br><br>liked =
best was: "The Democrats won't stop this war--Let's take the fight<br><br>t=
o their front door!" <br><br><br><br>2. Pedistrians and people in cars who =
saw the march took notice. My<br><br>estimate is that: <br><br><br><br>(a) =
20 percent or more of onlookers gave signs of supporting the march<br><br>(=
with their hands or enthusiastic voices) <br><br><br><br>(b) a larger secti=
on (maybe 50 or 60 percent) studied the march<br><br>intently. For many of =
these people this was their first exposure to mass<br><br>opposition to the=
imperialist war in Afghanistan or to anti-imperialist<br><br>politics. The=
high level of interest in the march was evidenced by many<br><br>dozens of=
people taking photos or videos with their cell phones (this<br><br>also gi=
ves a hint of how the emerging revolution in communications will<br><br>amp=
lify the reach of the mass movements in society). <br><br><br><br>(c) 5 or =
10 percent of the onlookers most likely opposed the politics of<br><br>the =
march. This shows that the politics of the march were clear. <br><br><br><b=
r>Also of note was something I have not seen before: more than once<br><br>=
Seattle cops were taking careful count of the exact number of marchers.<br>=
<br>The anti-imperialist movement is still small--but it has potential to<b=
r><br>grow and the political establishment wants to ready with both force a=
nd<br><br>the tactics of co-option when it does. <br><br><br><br>I am sure =
that more complete, all-sided and political summations will be<br><br>poste=
d later today or in the days ahead. <br><br><br><br>Summation Meeting: <br>=
<br>------------------ <br><br><br><br>Also: A meeting to sum up the march =
and the recent campaign for it will<br><br>be held at the Panama Hotel (in =
the International District) this<br><br>Wednesday (I think) at 7 pm. For mo=
re info check:<br><br>http://october17antiwarseattle.blogspot.com/ <br><br>=
<br><br>Ben Seattle <br><br>http://struggle.net/Ben/ <br><br><br><br><br><b=
r>_______________________________________________<br><br>antiwar mailing li=
st<br><br>antiwar at lists.hcoop.net<br><br>https://lists.hcoop.net/listinfo/a=
ntiwar<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>_____________________________________=
__________<br><br>antiwar mailing list<br><br>antiwar at lists.hcoop.net<br><b=
r>https://lists.hcoop.net/listinfo/antiwar<br><br><br></body></html>
------=_Part_247211_1606523750.1255895947450--
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