[Oct. 17 Seattle] Real Change Ad, etc.

[iskra at riseup.net]

I think the suggested slogan change is a step in the wrong direction.

1. I don't think Ira's first point comes across whatsoever.  Ask anyone 
outside of the movement.  And, even if it did, I think it would be 
incorrect to try and make it the basis of an anti-war broad united front.

2. As for "now," I think it is good to underscore our opposition to 
phony "phased withdrawal" schemes that liberal imperialists sometimes 
float (although that is far from their current agenda in Afghanistan). 
This becomes all the more important given the widely-held and 
reality-defying view that Obama is going to "eventually" end the war. 
(I have had many people "correct" me when I mentioned Obama's surge in 
Afghanistan, as if I was just making it up or something.  Of course this 
is despite his repeated election promises to escalate the Afghan war, 
and the widespread reports of his follow-through in the mass media.)  I 
am not aware of a better word to do this than "now."

Plus, I think the suggested change is unwieldy and stylistically odd. 
No gain, all pain.

--Edward


ira jones wrote:
> It occurred to me that the slogan
> 
> US Out of Afghanistan Now!
> 
> could be improved by changing it to
> 
> US, Get Out of Afghanistan!
> 
> for two reasons.  First, I think that the change better accentuates the 
> concept that although we are live in the US, we are implacably opposed 
> to the US government.  Second, I don't like "now" as a way of 
> accentuating militancy since WHEN (and if) the US gets out depends 
> totally on the balance of forces, i.e., how desperate the US is to 
> prevail there vs. how strong the movement here is (not very, frankly) 
> and how strong the armed struggle is in Afghanistan.
> 
> This idea just popped into my head, so if it would be too disruptive to 
> change the main slogan, that's cool.
> 
> Other subjects:
> 
> 1) I'll definitely be going in to hear Dahr Jamail on Sunday 
> ($15/ticket, fundraiser for Coffee Strong) at Univ. Temple United 
> Methodist Church (1415 NE 43rd, Seattle) and I intend to leaflet it a bunch.
> 
> 2) For what it's worth, Malalai Joya, the Afghani "MP" will be in 
> Seattle on Nov 11.
> 
> 
> 
> On Wed, Sep 23, 2009 at 10:32 PM, Helen <helen1913 at mac.com 
> <mailto:helen1913 at mac.com>> wrote:
> 
>     I spoke to the editor of Real Change and he said I should send an ad
>     to the calendar editor that says who, what, why, where, and when.
>     They may (there is discretion) print it the week or ten days before
>     the event in their calendar, for free.  They usually print an event
>     ad only once, but you can purchase a classified ad (another place in
>     the paper?) for about $30-40.
> 
>     For the calendar listing, I propose the following:
> 
>     US Out of Afghanistan Now!  Demonstrate Saturday, October 17, at 1p.m..
>     March begins at Seattle Central Community College and ends at Westlake.
>     Sponsored by October 17 Antiwar Mobilization and endorsed by numerous
>     anti-war groups and individuals.
>     ___________
> 
>     This is short because I don't believe the calendar allows that much
>     detail.  Feel free to make suggestions.
> 
> 
>     --Hn
> 
> 
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