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: Ben Seattle=20

To: antiwar at lists.hcoop.net

Sent: Sun, 18 Oct 2009 04:51:59 +0000 (UTC)

Subject: [Oct. 17 Seattle] (hours after the demo is over) the seaimc editor=
 puts the announcement in the center column

Now (hours after the demo is over) the seaimc editor puts the

announcement in the center column.

Somehow I am not suprized.

-----Original Message-----

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

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antiwar mailing list

antiwar at lists.hcoop.net

https://lists.hcoop.net/listinfo/antiwar

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<P>[I think that I just sent this to Anton only, so here it is again.]<br><=
br>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 that can=E2=80=
=99t be skipped over, as individuals or groups I think we=E2=80=99ll also b=
e pondering 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: Ben Se=
attle <strongOX601P at WEAPONOFTRANSPARENCY.COM><br><br>To: antiwar at lists.hcoo=
p.net<br><br>Sent: Sun, 18 Oct 2009 04:51:59 +0000 (UTC)<br><br>Subject: [O=
ct. 17 Seattle] (hours after the demo is over) the seaimc editor puts the a=
nnouncement in the center column<br><br><br><br>Now (hours after the demo i=
s over) the seaimc editor puts the<br><br>announcement in the center column=
.<br><br><br><br>Somehow I am not suprized.<br><br><br><br>-----Original Me=
ssage-----<br><br>From: "Ben Seattle" <strongOX601P at WEAPONOFTRANSPARENCY.CO=
M><br><br>To: <ANTIWAR at LISTS.HCOOP.NET><br><br>Subject: [Oct. 17 Seattle] Q=
uick summary of Oct 17 action (weaimc - 3rd<br><br>comment)<br><br>Date: Sa=
t, 17 Oct 2009 17:07:36 -0700<br><br><br><br>http://seattle.indymedia.org/e=
n/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><br><br><br><=
br>_______________________________________________<br><br>antiwar mailing l=
ist<br><br>antiwar at lists.hcoop.net<br><br>https://lists.hcoop.net/listinfo/=
antiwar<br><br><br></body></html>
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