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April 24, 2006
What if They Held a Protest and No One Came?
Seems that's happening, actually. Anti-war protesters are trying to figure out why immigration protests are huge, while their numbers are dwindling.
WASHINGTON — With recent well-attended immigration rallies showing the power of the people, a debate has been sparked over why more Americans aren't taking their wariness of the Iraq war to the streets.Honestly, I think if they want to attract more people to these anti-war rallies, there's a simple solution. Make them about the war.Numerous events across the globe marked the third anniversary of the Iraq war on March 20. But nowhere in the United States did the numbers of protesters surpass 10,000, according to news reports. That's a far cry from the immigration rallies earlier this month that were said to have attracted 350,000 protesters in Washington, 500,000 in Dallas and 100,000 in Phoenix, plus tens of thousands in many other cities.
Even those who oppose the war say that without more of a sustained demonstration against action in Iraq, the anti-war movement will remain in the shadows.
“It’s all about numbers and consistent showing,” said Rev. Byron Williams, syndicated columnist and pastor at the Resurrection Community Church in Oakland, Calif., who opposes the war in Iraq.
There are probably quite a few people who would attend these rallies if they knew they weren't going to be surrounded by nonsense like this. (content warning) More here.
These rallies are not anti-war. They are anti-Bush, anti-Israel, pro-Palestine and heaven knows what else. Looking at some of these photos, it's easy to see why reasonable people who oppose the war would not want to attend the orgy of hatred these rallies have become. It's another example of the left being harmed by its most radical elements. Get rid of the fringe, and you might see the numbers you want.
Posted by slublog at April 24, 2006 08:21 AM
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Comments
You are right on the money. I was (and still am) against the war, but I've not done any street-corner protesting like I did against the first Iraq war or the Bosnian action carried out by Clinton. In Belfast, ME I've seen signs that, in essence, equate Bush with Hitler, and even worse, that seem to call for Iraqis to kill U.S. troops. I'm against war, but I'm not an idiot. I won't stand next to those folks, because I don't want people thinking they speak for me.
Posted by: Tor at April 24, 2006 12:41 PM