[Oct. 17 Seattle] Report, one mass-work thread

[iskra at riseup.net]

Here's how today's healthcare rally went:

I passed out 150 half-sheets in under 1.5 hours.  I was actually 
surprised at how many people were extremely supportive of the flyer's 
headline.  There was only one sort-of-hostile comment, and only two 
others who said they disagreed.  Of course, not everyone wanted a 
leaflet, and many of these people may have either been outright 
supporters of the Afghanistan war or undecided (or opponents of the war 
who didn't see the point in going to a march).

Some highlights:
*A Quaker read the leaflet and came back to say he'd put it up at their 
meeting house in the U District.  I asked if he wanted a few more flyers 
to pass out and he took about 10.
*I asked an FSP woman if they were going to be there and she said "yes," 
and I said I'd be sure to email the next meeting information to them. 
(Actually, they have been getting it all along.)
*A VFP guy said he'd be there and that he had been getting the mailings 
(from Anton or Marty I assume).  He said he had been too busy to make it 
to our meetings so far but I said he'd hear about the next one on 
September 16 as soon as we had the location confirmed.  (I hope this is 
in progress.)

--Edward


chr2eemail at comcast.net wrote:
> The protest against torture-Judge Bybee was attended by about 10-12 
> people. My main objective was to talk with people---particularly 
> groups---about getting behind building for October 17. And this was easy 
> to do in such a small crowd. But WCW, of course, already knew all about 
> it, while the PDA circles were polite but non-committal. An unconnected 
> guy said that he would be at the demonstration. I passed out 15 leaflets.
> 
> Total reported by all to date: 1333.
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> 
> From: chr2eemail at comcast.net
> 
> To: antiwar at lists.hcoop.net
> 
> Sent: Mon, 31 Aug 2009 04:49:50 +0000 (UTC)
> 
> Subject: Re: [Oct. 17 Seattle] Report, one mass-work thread
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 23^rd and Jackson, Sunday, 8-29.
> 
> Passed out 40 leaflets advertising the event, which I think was good 
> considering that there were few people there. About 10 of these went to 
> the youth march which formed up at the same place. (There were about 
> 8-10 youths present, the majority of whom wanted leaflets. Of the 15 or 
> so adults, only a few wanted leaflets.)--Fk.
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> 
> From: Eric Gordan
> 
> To: antiwar
> 
> Sent: Sun, 30 Aug 2009 21:49:46 +0000 (UTC)
> 
> Subject: Re: [Oct. 17 Seattle] Report, one mass-work thread
> 
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> I was out doing mass work from 11:30 to 1:30 today, and I split my time 
> between three locations.
> 
> 
> 
> Broadway:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Foot traffic generally slow.  Rate of interest comparatively low 
> relative to the rate I had last weekend on the streets in the CD, but 
> not bad.  Only one negative comment, from someone who identified himself 
> as military, and disputed reasons for the war that I gave.  I gave one 
> to a young man who identified himself as an RCP supporter.  I recognized 
> him, but I don't know his name, and I didn't have a chance to converse 
> with him.  No other real conversations, but a good handful of comments 
> like "keep up the good work", "I support you all the way", and "the 
> President sure isn't going to [end the wars]".  Passed out about 15 
> leaflets with the demo announcement.
> 
> 
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> 
> University District:
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> 
> Foot traffic also slow, perhaps slower than Broadway.  I had one 
> conversation with an older man who agreed with the headline.  When he 
> said he thought it was because of "stupidity", I countered, describing 
> the bases for the wars as I understood them, and he agreed with that, 
> also, but he kept going back to "stupidity" as the root.  As we talked 
> more, it was clear that he had some strange ideas about things in 
> general.  Passed out only 10, partly as a result of this man.  
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 23rd & Union:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> At the same location where I leafletted several cab drivers last 
> weekend, there was a moderate-sized Muslim gathering breaking up, so I 
> paused to leaflet.  A young kid, probably 10, who was moderately fluent 
> in English translated for me to his father (?) explaining that the 
> leaflet was opposing the wars in Pakistan and Afghanistan.  The kid was 
> _very_ excited about the leaflet, and asked first for one, then for 
> four, and then for "a whole bunch", "to give to everyone".  I stayed 
> outside the gathering place, and leafletted people as they left, and he 
> ran inside to leaflet.  100% of those who passed by me took a leaflet, 
> and between the two of us, we passed out about 60.  
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Since I was bussing between the three places, I also leafletted the all 
> of bus drivers and a couple of the passengers.  I didn't have as good a 
> reception on the busses this time as I have other times I tried it.  I 
> think it depends a lot on the route, time of day, day of week, and how 
> crowded the bus is (the more crowded the better, up to a point).
> 
> 
> 
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> In total, 97 leaflets passed out.
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> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> 
> Date: Sun, 30 Aug 2009 00:07:57 +0000
> From: chr2eemail at comcast.net
> To: antiwar at lists.hcoop.net
> Subject: Re: [Oct. 17 Seattle] Report, one mass-work thread
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> University Ave., early-afternoon Saturday:
> 
> 
> Phil and I passed out about 70 leaflets with advertisements for O-17. 
> After first rejecting it, several people came back to get a leaflet when 
> it registered on them what it was about. When intently reading it as he 
> walked away, one guy exclaimed, “totally!” re: something he’d read.
> 
> 
> Phil had 2-3 quite wide-ranging political discussions.
> 
> 
> I talked with an older guy who’s around FSP. He hadn’t heard about the 
> demonstration, and was enthusiastic for it. But he thought that FSP must 
> be part of the Oct.17 Mobilization and just hadn‘t spread the word yet. 
> I explained that it wasn’t, and told him about the meeting, etc. He 
> replied: “Yeah, we should be part of that. I’ll talk to Chris.“
> 
> 
> So we’ll see what happens. (FSP and Radical Women people have received 
> all of our e-mailings, by the way.)
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> 
> From: Eric Gordan
> 
> To: anntiwar
> 
> Sent: Sun, 23 Aug 2009 09:12:23 +0000 (UTC)
> 
> Subject: Re: [Oct. 17 Seattle] Report, one mass-work thread?
> 
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> I wasn’t able to get to the demo downtown today, but I was
> 
> able to get out for a while later, around 5.  I almost didn’t get out, 
> because my time was tight, and the
> 
> printer kept jamming, but I did finally get 100 SAIC leaflets printed.  
> I still had about 50+ of the coalition
> 
> half-sheets.  I went to the
> 
> Garfield “community” event, which was very small, maybe 75 people there
> 
> total.  It was just a lot of booths
> 
> advertising replacement windows, Pepsi, etc.   There were also a few 
> non-commercial booths, like a woman
> 
> with some org that wasn’t familiar who was trying to get Single Payer 
> “on the
> 
> table” in DC, and some kind of foster care agency, and others. 
> 
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> I had a couple of conversations there. One clean cut young
> 
> guy selling something took a leaflet and started asking questions -- 
> what does
> 
> this title mean? Isn’t the US removing troops from Afghanistan? Why is 
> the US
> 
> there?  The older man he had been
> 
> talking to when I came up jumped in and explained that it was for 
> control of territory,
> 
> no, it wasn’t about helping the Afghan people, etc.  He had some facts 
> wrong (like he thought there was
> 
> significant oil there), but he understood US motives well.
> 
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> After about 20 minutes there, though, I had made the circuit
> 
> and offered everyone there a leaflet. 
> 
> So I circulated through the neighborhood, walking along 23rd, across
> 
> Cherry, up to Union.  There are a
> 
> number of coffee places along there that cater to cab drivers and there are
> 
> other small storefronts.  
> 
> There were a moderate number of people out on the streets, and a high
> 
> percentage of them took leaflets. 
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> On that walk, I had several good conversations, one with an
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> Asian woman behind the counter at a coffee place.  When I offered her a 
> leaflet, she took one, and asked what
> 
> is this about.  When I explained
> 
> (there was a little language barrier) she said, “yes, why not!  The 
> soldiers should all get out of
> 
> there”, and she volunteered to put a poster up.  I gave her a small 
> stack of the half-sheet flyers, and she
> 
> said she’d put them out.
> 
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> I also talked with a man for a long time, who wavered
> 
> between understanding that the US was in Iraq and Afghanistan/Pakistan 
> because
> 
> it served the whole ruling class -- when I said this to him, he agreed 
> -- and
> 
> talking about the wars as “Bush’s mess”, that he started the Iraq War 
> because
> 
> Saddam had tried to kill his father, etc.  He was very mad about the 
> wars.  The conversation was quite
> 
> friendly.  He read the first
> 
> paragraph while I was there, and he argued that it was beside the point that
> 
> the drone attacks into Pakistan were “cowardly”, what was important was that
> 
> they were killing civilians.  It
> 
> wouldn’t be any better if it was troops the imperialists were sending across
> 
> the border to kill.  He agreed when I said the motivation behind the 
> drones was to avoid US casualties, and limit domestic
> 
> opposition to the wars.
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> I also swung by the cab stand around 24th and Union, and
> 
> every cabbie there took one, thanked me, etc.  I talked with one man 
> (again there was a language barrier)
> 
> who I think was trying to ask me “Are you arguing that the US is there 
> to bring
> 
> peace?”  When I did finally get it
> 
> across that no, the US isn't bringing peace, it is dropping bombs on 
> civilians, he smiled and shook my hand
> 
> vigorously, “yes, they are dropping bombs on the people”.
> 
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> In all, I handed out 62 SAIC leaflets in about an hour.
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> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Date: Sat, 22 Aug 2009 20:59:10 +0000
> From: chr2eemail at comcast.net
> To: antiwar at lists.hcoop.net
> Subject: Re: [Oct. 17 Seattle] Report, one mass-work thread?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The VFP action (10-15 people) was probably the biggest since Folklife 
> weekend. Three ANSWER people were also there. One person told me that 
> Marty and Anton had gotten the Oct. 17 info into the VFP minutes, which 
> is good; and nearly everyone I talked with about the demonstration was 
> aware of it.
> 
> 
> While there, I passed out 62 more leaflets (most lySAIC). 3-4 pro-war 
> comments were a good reminder that the battle for the hearts and minds 
> of the masses continues. Also talked with someone about putting the 
> demonstration info on stickers (he likes to put up political stickers 
> around town), and I’m pretty sure that he'll do it. 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> 
> From: chr2eemail at comcast.net
> 
> To: antiwar at lists.hcoop.net
> 
> Sent: Fri, 21 Aug 2009 03:15:48 +0000 (UTC)
> 
> Subject: Re: [Oct. 17 Seattle] Report, one mass-work thread?
> 
> 
> 
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> University Avenue, Thursday evening---
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Passed out 52 leaflets in about 1 hour 20 minutes. One young guy had 
> already gotten it at Hempfest, and said he liked it. Another young guy 
> was very happy to get the leaflet, but very unhappy that he’s going to 
> be in Portland on the 17^th . Wondered if I knew if there was going to 
> be an eighth anniversary demonstration there, but I couldn’t answer. A 
> young woman wanted three leaflets.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Frank
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> 
> From: chr2eemail at comcast.net
> 
> To: antiwar at lists.hcoop.net
> 
> Sent: Thu, 20 Aug 2009 02:50:57 +0000 (UTC)
> 
> Subject: [Oct. 17 Seattle] Report, one mass-work thread?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 1) I passed out 60 of some combination of the SAIC and “Mobe” flyers on 
> Broadway this evening. Best response was from a woman my age who said “I 
> agree w/ that TOTALLY” when she saw what the leaflets were about. She 
> was in a rush, but upon returning from her errand she thanked me some 
> more. The only negative comment was from a guy who asked, “What are you 
> going to do when they land at Alki?”
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ran into several anti-war people who I already know, and gave them 
> details about the September 2 meeting: They included:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> --The owner of a bookshop who said that she would clear space on her 
> bulletin board to post the flyer, which she did.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> --WWP’s Jim M. First words were to ask about the demonstration. (I was 
> worried that WWP hadn’t gotten the invitation to the first meeting 
> because we didn’t have a good address, but it turned out that he’d seen 
> the Indymedia announcement. Now also have his phone number.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> --PM of the old SCCCAWC. Unhappy that there’s no longer a mass anti-war 
> organization at SCCC. Very happy to hear the news of the demonstration 
> and the formation of this mobilizing effort. (Of the people who I talked 
> with about the 2^nd , I think that he’s most likely to attend.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> --M, originally of IVAW. Another person who expressed enthusiasm about 
> the demonstration, which he’d heard about through our e-mailings. 
> Unfortunately, he’s soon moving to California.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 2) Reports of leafleting experiences have begun to be posted here, which 
> I think this is just what we should do. It gives us a concrete picture 
> of what we’re doing, where we might pick up slack, and so on. 
> Additionally, I think that news of articles, postings, radio 
> announcements, etc., should also be posted here. For example, SDS Tacoma 
> today posted the information from the flyer on its website. Further, 
> SAIC has had experience in trying to keep reports of leafleting, 
> postering and so on all in one thread. I think that this is a convenient 
> way of keeping track of this info that seems to work well for us, and 
> can work well for this united front effort.
> 
> 
> 
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> Cheers,
> 
> 
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> 
> Frank
> 
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> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> 
> 
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