We are told a number of things about about those who would protest the war.
We are told that they hate our country. I saw no evidence of that yesterday. I saw evidence that people were disappointed in some of the choices their country has made, but not evidence that they hated our country. That said, it's clear that President Bush is a rallying figure for many in the crowd (posters included "Depose King George" and "W = Worst President Ever", which is only a problem if you believe that opposing President Bush is the same thing as hating America.
We are told that they hate out troops. This is patently nonsense. I saw several posters that made their position clear. Although they don't approve of the policies that have led our troops to Iraq (almost), they do wish our troops well.
We are told that they are all burnouts and hippies, the dregs of society. Well, there was some of that element there, but it was swallowed up by the mass of normal people, concerned with where our country is going.
We are told that they are all brain dead students, mindlessly following their professors. I talked to several students, and all seemed aware and certainly able to think for themselves. They all expressed different viewpoints, but expressed them reasonably well.
We are told that the anti war movement has been hijacked by the Stalinists and Maoists of ANSWER. The Rally hear did not have any involvement from them. I did see two ANSWER posters (see above), but the couple explained they had received them at another rally in Orlando (I believe). The rally Saturday was organized by Students for Peace, the National Organization of Woman, Vietnam Veterans against War, and others.
Honking for peace is easier than working for peace, I noted. Lots of people did honk for peace.
The rally seemed more serious this time around. The first rally I attended (almost by happenstance) was much more in your face. There were several placards that were very aggressive, that expressed more anti-American views. This time around they seemed like they were more interested in educating than in protesting, which is certainly a positive change.
Said Gabriel "Gabe" Pendes, one of the organizers of the rally, when asked if he saw this movement as working towards any long term goals, "You're organizing against the war, and you also want to . . . these are the kinds of things that really politicize individuals. It forces you to make political decisions. Once you cross that line, once you become aware of your surroundings, it is very difficult to go back and be like, 'Well I just don't care now.'"
Adam Smith (pictured above), commented on his poster, saying, "It's a slogan that's been thrown around. I've heard it at a few rallies, seen it on a button, on a website. . . . [it refers to] the similarities between his regime, his administration and a military coup. They are forwarding war at all costs, and that is their mission statement." Mr. Smith made it clear that he opposed the war at least in part, because of the unilateral way we were pursuing it. He was also concerned that issue was taking precedence over the real danger of nuclear war in Korea.
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