[Oct. 17 Seattle] Re Sept 16th
Eric Gordan
ejrd1993 at hotmail.com
Fri Sep 4 02:30:27 EDT 2009
On the subject of the meeting on the 16th, we went by Kaladi Coffee last night, and it was shut up tight, so I don't think it will work for an evening meeting.
> Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 20:19:17 -0700
> From: iskra at riseup.net
> To: antiwar at lists.hcoop.net
> Subject: Re: [Oct. 17 Seattle] Report, one mass-work thread
>
> 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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> >
> >
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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.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > University District:
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > 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).
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > In total, 97 leaflets passed out.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >
> > 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
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > 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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> >
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> >
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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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> >
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> >
> > On that walk, I had several good conversations, one with an
> >
> > 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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> >
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> >
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> >
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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?
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > 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.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Frank
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >
> >
> >
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> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >
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> >
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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>
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