Edward and I met and leafletted at Virginia Mason, 9th between Spring and Seneca, from 3:00 to 4:30. I passed out 38, and Edward estimated that he did 40. The period from 3:30 to 4 seems to be a shift change there, and the foot traffic is pretty good. We both got a few more hostile comments than we usually get on Broadway, for example, but we had more engagement of all kinds.
I was approached by by one security guard early on, but his heart didn't seem to be in it, and he let me be after a minute or so. Then, later, he and another guard approached first Edward and then me. The second guard tried to hassle me enough that I would leave. She said that they had "gotten complaints", and that I couldn't be "obstructing" the entrance I was near. They finally left, after I asserted that I was on a public sidewalk, and that nothing I was doing was obstructing anything.
We're meeting tomorrow at the same time at Harborview, for anyone who can join.
From: ejrd1993 at hotmail.com
To: antiwar at lists.hcoop.net
Date: Tue, 22 Sep 2009 23:51:01 -0700
Subject: Re: [Oct. 17 Seattle] Report, one mass-work thread
5 to 5:30 on Broadway, 18 leaflets. One man said about the war "it's never going to end, it's all about the dollar, and the little folks never get any". Two people came back to get one after initially refusing it, once the topic sank in, and several indicated support, thanks, etc.
Date: Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:26:33 -0700
From: phil_west at comcast.net
To: antiwar at lists.hcoop.net
Subject: Re: [Oct. 17 Seattle] Report, one mass-work thread
I went to the Health Care for All rally today downtown, and handed out
about 42 leaflets. I met Meghan Cornish from RW/FSP there and also Dan
from SA, and asked both of them if their organizations were going to
participate in October 17, and they said they believed so. I asked
them to raise the question of an endorsement, and they said that they
would. Both of them were friendly. I also saw that MoveOn.org, which
was one of the co-sponsors of this rally, had a small PA system that
they said they bought from Best Buy for around $100. It looked like a
step above a bullhorn, portable and rechargeable/battery powered. If
we cannot get larger system by renting it, it might be a good idea to
buy one. The rally was about evenly divided between supporters of a
public option such as Medicare for all, and supporters of single payer.
Phil W.
Eric Gordan wrote:
Saturday:
Helen, Edward and I went out postering and leafletting. Helen passed
out 20 leaflets, while E and I put up the half-sheets as posters in the
ID, and on Jackson, Boren and Yessler, around the projects. We failed
to count the half sheets that we put up, but it was a good number of
them, probably 60 to 75.
Date: Sat, 19 Sep 2009 22:13:18 +0000
From: chr2eemail at comcast.net
To: antiwar at lists.hcoop.net
Subject: Re: [Oct. 17 Seattle] Report, one mass-work thread
Phil, Alex and me handed out 143 leaflets on northern Broadway. Lots of
positive responses.
We also had signs with a slogan against the wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan on one side, and the demonstration information on the
other. Many people looked at these, and I think that this helped raise
interest in the leaflet.
Total as of Saturday afternoon: 2413. (This
does not count the small stacks of flyers that comrades have left in a
few establishments.)
Frank
----- Original Message -----
From: Eric Gordan
To: antiwar
Sent: Wed, 16 Sep 2009 06:21:45 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Re: [Oct. 17 Seattle] Report, one mass-work thread
Yesterday, 3:30 to 5:00, I distributed 44 leaflets, mainly at 23rd and
Jackson, and 5th and Jackson. I had two conversations, one with an
East African man who wavered between agreeing with me that the US was
not in Afghanistan for humanitarian reasons, and being reluctant to
support US withdrawal, because he "wished" that nations would act in
humanitarian ways, and because he thought that the terrorists would
regroup and attack if the US left. The other was with an Black
American Shi'ite Muslim, who was arguing that, unlike any of the other
major religions, Islam really was about liberation and
self-determination.
I also stopped at the coffee shop which a few weeks ago happily
took 20 - 30 half-sheets to put on their very small counter. They were
again happy to take more half-sheets, so I left 40 this time. They put
them on the counter right where customers stand to pay.
Today, Phil and I leafletted the Israeli war resisters talk at
the AFSC. The traffic flow in to the event was slow, too slow for two
to leaflet, so Phil went in to the event. I passed out 72 leaflets
there. N. L. was friendly, and took one. A few others who I last saw
during the O27 organizing coalition a few years ago took one. The
older woman, S., took one with a quizzical but not unfriendly
expression.
I couldn't stay for the event, but Phil did.
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 2009 23:59:43 +0000
From: chr2eemail at comcast.net
To: antiwar at lists.hcoop.net
Subject: Re: [Oct. 17 Seattle] Report, one mass-work thread
So with Alex and my totals, we passed out 108. Alex said that he had 4
or 5 hostile comments mixed in with the “thank yous,“ and people coming
out of their way to get leaflets, etc. And although I don’t remember
anyone making hostile comments to me, I do remember perhaps half a
dozen people saying they supported the war. We both think that this
probably had to do with this being the day after all of the 9/11
propaganda, plus there being a lot of Cougar football fans in the area.
Total to date: 2129
----- Original Message -----
From: Phil West
To: antiwar at lists.hcoop.net
Sent: Sat, 12 Sep 2009 22:33:40 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Re: [Oct. 17 Seattle] Report, one mass-work thread (Plus
TOMORROW)
Frank and Alex and I were leafleting downtown at Westlake, after Frank
left at 1:30 I went to lunch and came back and leafleted some more,
finishing the day with a total of 26 leaflets passed out by 2:30.
Phil
chr2eemail at comcast.net wrote:
5th & Jackson and 23rd & Jackson.
Both are good locations at quitting time, and I passed out 36 leaflets
even though I was only able to be at them for a few minutes. Also ran
into I., who’s loosely around WWP. She now knows what’s up if she
didn’t before.
TOMORROW a few of us will be meeting at Westlake at NOON w/
leaflets, signs and a table. Please join us as we become fish in the
sea, patiently doing our work.
Cheers.
Total to date: 2021.
----- Original Message -----
From: chr2eemail at comcast.net
To: antiwar at lists.hcoop.net
Sent: Thu, 10 Sep 2009 21:49:15 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Re: [Oct. 17 Seattle] Report, one mass-work thread
{This aborted the first time I tried, so here it is again.Fk.]
Broadway, Thursday. 31 leaflets in about an hour. Three people wanted
an extra one or two, including an SCCC worker who always takes SAIC
leaflets.
Total to date: 1,988. (And we’re only starting, comrades!)
----- Original Message -----
From: Phil West
To: antiwar at lists.hcoop.net
Sent: Mon, 7 Sep 2009 21:22:20 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Re: [Oct. 17 Seattle] Report, one mass-work thread
I went to the King County Labor Council Labor Day picnic at Lower
Woodland and passed out about 24 leaflets, some to Boeing friends of
mine. I got into several very interesting conversations about events
at Boeing - the 787 project is way behind schedule, largely due to the
business model of outsourcing everything to suppliers who don't have
the experience or staffing to do things right. Makes you afraid to
fly. And Boeing has been trying to play hardball with SPEEA units, and
the SPEEA units are beginning to fight back. It was good to see my
friends. I got an information leaflet about an action by the UNITE
HERE union to promote organizing hotel workers starting September 13,
in the morning. It should be interesting to leaflet that event.
Phil
chr2eemail at comcast.net
wrote:
During the day Phil and I passed out about 250 leaflets. Anton
took over for “second shift” around 5:00, and he was already doing very
well when I left. Numerous favorable comments; and I think that four
people told me that they were for sure going to be at the demonstration
. Too many discussions with people to recount. Even had discussions
with a couple of pro-war people whose general line was that “if we
don’t fight them over there we’ll have to fight them over here.”
Palestine Solidarity Network set up at the same place as we, and
they had mobilized more than their usual number. So this gave us a
chance to again encourage them to get behind October 17, plus give
leaflets to those who’d not previously gotten it---all of whom were
happy to get it. J. S. carried around one of our signs for awhile.
Same plan for tomorrow!
[Total so far: 1733.]
----- Original Message -----
From: iskra at riseup.net
To: antiwar at lists.hcoop.net
Sent: Fri, 4 Sep 2009 03:19:17 +0000 (UTC)
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
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> 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?
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> 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.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> 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.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> 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.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> 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.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> 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.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> 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”.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> In all, I handed out 62 SAIC leaflets in about an hour.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
>
> 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
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
>
> Windows Live: Make it easier for your friends to see what you’re
up to
> on Facebook. Find out more.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
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>
------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> _______________________________________________
> antiwar mailing list
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