[Reader-list] NYTimes Edit: Global Anti-war sentiment: A stirring in the Nation

[Lehar ..]

friends,
stirring. while we sit silent in the Land of Swaraj. 

----

NEW YORK TIMES EDITORIAL ON JANUARY 18 DEMONSTRATION
> > >
> > > The political impact of Saturday's massive
anti-war
> > > demonstrations organized by International
A.N.S.W.E.R. can
> > > already be seen. Today's New York Times
editorial, "A
> > > Stirring in the Nation," (see below) reflects
that the
> > > anti-war movement represents millions of people
in the
> > > United States and cannot be discounted. The
movement has
> > > shattered the myth -- conjured by politicians;
by the
> > > media, who have dutifully echoed Bush's calls
for war; and
> > > by those who profit from war -- that there is a
consensus
> > > of support in the United States for Bush's war
of
> > > aggression against Iraq.
> > >
> > > Now, even the New York Times, which has an
editorial
> > > policy of support for the Bush Administration's
goals in
> > > Iraq, cannot deny the breadth and strength of
the movement
> > > that you and so many thousands have built.
> > >
> > > Today's NYT editorial signifies that a growing
section of
> > > the political establishment fears the dynamic
rise of the
> > > U.S. anti-war movement, and is deeply concerned
that
> > > Bush's rush towards war will have a
destabilizing impact
> > > on the political system as a whole.
> > >
> > > The editorial also reflects what we have said
all along:
> > > it is the opposition of the people of the United
States
> > > and the world that constitutes the single
biggest obstacle
> > > to the Bush Administration as it rushes towards
war.
> > >
> > > The rising tide of the anti-war movement cannot
be
> > > ignored. Half a million people braved the
coldest weather
> > > of the year in a march in Washington, D.C. Over
200,000
> > > demonstrated at the A.N.S.W.E.R. demonstration
in San
> > > Francisco, and large crowds gathered in local
January 18
> > > actions in cities including more than 20,000 in
Portland,
> > > 5,000 in Tucson, 4,000 in Albuquerque, and in
many other
> > > cities. Hundreds of thousands more joined
demonstrations
> > > in over 30 countries.
> > >
> > > Now is the time for the movement to intensify
activity at
> > > the local and regional level as part of
worldwide anti-war
> > > movement. On January 18, the A.N.S.W.E.R.
Coalition called
> > > for a nationally coordinated day of local
protests on
> > > Wednesday, January 29, the day following Bush's
> > > state-of-the-union address, which is likely to
be a 'war
> > > speech.'
> > >
> > > On January 18, the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition called
for the
> > > U.S. movement to support the call issued from
the European
> > > movement for mass anti-war demonstrations on
February 15.
> > > There will be demonstrations in thousands of
cities across
> > > the country and around the world on February 15.
> > > A.N.S.W.E.R. joins with UFPJ and hundreds of
other
> > > organizations who will be mobilizing for the NYC
action.
> > > The February 15 protest will be part of the Week
of
> > > Anti-War Resistance from February 13 to February
21 (go to
> > >
http://www.internationalanswer.org/campaigns/f15/index.html
> > > ).
> > >
> > > We need your help to keep this movement strong
as we build
> > > on the accomplishments of January 18. The
A.N.S.W.E.R.
> > > coalition relies on the generous donations of
individuals
> > > like you to sustain its campaigns. At this
critical
> > > moment, we ask that you contribute what you can
to keep
> > > the momentum that we have all build together. We
are
> > > making a difference. You can make tax-deductible
online
> > > donations to International A.N.S.W.E.R. at
> > > http://www.internationalanswer.org/donate.html
and to
> > > A.N.S.W.E.R.'s VoteNoWar Campaign at
> > > http://www.votenowar.org/donate.html. If you
prefer to
> > > contribute by check, our address is available at
the same
> > > web pages.
> > >
> > >
> > > ********************
> > >
> > >
> > > TODAY'S NEW YORK TIMES EDITORIAL
> > > January 20, 2003
> > > A Stirring in the Nation
> > >
> > > A largely missing ingredient in the nascent
debate about
> > > invading Iraq showed up on the streets of major
cities
> > > over the weekend as crowds of peaceable
protesters marched
> > > in a demand to be heard. They represented what
appears to
> > > be a large segment of the American public that
remains
> > > unconvinced that the Iraqi threat warrants the
use of
> > > military force at this juncture.
> > >
> > > Denouncing the war plan as an administration
idée fixe
> > > that will undermine America's standing in the
world, stir
> > > unrest in the Mideast and damage the American
economy, the
> > > protesters in Washington massed on Saturday for
what
> > > police described as the largest antiwar rally at
the
> > > Capitol since the Vietnam era. It was impressive
for the
> > > obvious mainstream roots of the marchers -- from
young
> > > college students to grayheads with vivid protest
memories
> > > of the 60's. They gathered from near and far by
the tens
> > > of thousands, galvanized by the possibility that
President
> > > Bush will soon order American forces to attack
Iraq even
> > > without the approval of the United Nations
Security
> > > Council.
> > >
> > > Mr. Bush and his war cabinet would be wise to
see the
> > > demonstrators as a clear sign that noticeable
numbers of
> > > Americans no longer feel obliged to salute the
> > > administration's plans because of the shock of
Sept. 11
> > > and that many harbor serious doubts about his
march toward
> > > war. The protesters are raising some nuanced
questions in
> > > the name of patriotism about the premises, cost
and
> > > aftermath of the war the president is
contemplating.
> > > Millions of Americans who did not march share
the concerns
> > > and have yet to hear Mr. Bush make a persuasive
case that
> > > combat operations are the only way to respond to
Saddam
> > > Hussein.
> > >
> > > Other protests will be emphasizing civil
disobedience in
> > > the name of Martin Luther King Jr. But any
graphic moments
> > > to come of confrontation and arrest should be
seen in the
> > > far broader context of the Capitol scene:
peaceable
> > > throngs of mainstream Americans came forward
demanding
> > > more of a dialogue from political leaders. Mr.
Bush and
> > > his aides, to their credit, welcomed the
demonstrations as
> > > a healthy manifestation of American democracy at
work. We
> > > hope that spirit will endure in the weeks ahead
if
> > > differences deepen and a noisier antiwar
movement
> > > develops. These protests are the tip of a far
broader
> > > sense of concern and lack of confidence in the
path to war
> > > that seems to lie ahead.
> > >
> > >
> > > *********************
> > >
> > > JANUARY 18 COVERAGE AND EXCERPTS
> > >
> > >  From The Washington Post
> > > EXCERPT - Thousands Oppose a Rush to War
> > > Chill Doesn't Cool Fury Over U.S. Stand on Iraq
> > >
> > > By Manny Fernandez and Justin Blum
> > > Washington Post Staff Writers
> > > Sunday, January 19, 2003; Page A01
> > > See full article at
> > >
> 
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A12152-2003Jan18?language=printer
> > >
> > > Tens of thousands of antiwar demonstrators
converged on
> > > Washington yesterday, making a thunderous
presence in the
> > > bitter cold and assembling in the shadow of the
Capitol
> > > dome to oppose a U.S. military strike against
Iraq.
> > >
> > > Throughout a morning rally on the Mall and an
afternoon
> > > march to the Washington Navy Yard in Southeast,
activists
> > > criticized the Bush administration for rushing
into a war
> > > that they claimed would kill thousands of Iraqi
civilians,
> > > spell disaster for the national economy and set
a
> > > dangerous and unjustified first-strike precedent
for U.S.
> > > foreign policy.
> > >
> > > They delivered that message on a day when being
outdoors
> > > tested everyone's endurance. Men, women and
children
> > > fought off temperatures no higher than 24
degrees in ski
> > > masks and goggles, stashes of hot soup in
containers in
> > > their backpacks. Many sneaked away momentarily
to warm up
> > > on an idling bus or to grab a cup of coffee.
> > >
> > > "The world is cold, but our hearts are warm,"
Jesse
> > > Jackson told the crowd to applause. He was one
of many
> > > speakers, who included civil rights leader Al
Sharpton
> > > from New York, actress Jessica Lange and Rep.
John Conyers
> > > Jr. (D-Mich.).
> > >
> > > Organizers of the demonstration, the activist
coalition
> > > International ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and
End Racism),
> > > said the protest was larger than one they
sponsored in
> > > Washington in October. District police officials
suggested
> > > then that about 100,000 attended, and although
some
> > > organizers agreed, they have since put the
number closer
> > > to 200,000. This time, they said, the turnout
was 500,000.
> > > Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey would not provide
an
> > > estimate but said it was bigger than October's.
"It's one
> > > of the biggest ones we've had, certainly in
recent times,"
> > > he said.
> > >
> > > Local and federal police presence was light, and
Ramsey
> > > said there were only a couple of minor
incidents. A U.S.
> > > Capitol Police spokeswoman reported two arrests,
one for
> > > disorderly conduct and one for writing graffiti
on a
> > > Library of Congress building.
> > >
> > > D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services
Department
> > > officials said three people were taken to
hospitals,
> > > including a woman who had a seizure. The health
problems
> > > were not believed serious and were not
weather-related,
> > > officials said.
> > >
> > > Thousands attended similar rallies in cities
including San
> > > Francisco and Tampa as well as in other
countries.
> > > Organizers selected yesterday for protests
partly because
> > > of the approaching Jan. 27 deadline for the
first major
> > > report by weapons inspectors in Iraq, a date
many
> > > activists said could trigger war. The events
were also
> > > meant to mark the Martin Luther King Jr.
holiday, and many
> > > speakers invoked his legacy.
> > >
> > > Regardless of the exact number, the crowd
yesterday on the
> > > Mall was the largest antiwar demonstration here
since the
> > > Vietnam era. For the 11 a.m. rally, much of four
long
> > > blocks of the Mall was packed,
shoulder-to-shoulder in
> > > many sections from Third to Seventh streets SW
between
> > > Madison and Jefferson drives. The first marchers
stepped
> > > off about 1:30 p.m., and when many had begun
reaching the
> > > Navy Yard more than two dozen blocks away about
an hour
> > > later, others were still leaving the rally site.
> > >
> > > Those who hoped that President Bush and much of
Congress
> > > would witness the thousands in the streets of
Washington
> > > were out of luck; the president was at Camp
David, and
> > > most members of Congress were away for the
weekend.
> > >
> > > It hardly mattered to some. Marchers spoke of a
surging
> > > grass-roots political power.
> > >
> > > "The antiwar movement is now at a whole new
level," said
> > > Tony Murphy, a spokesman for International
ANSWER, which
> > > was formed three days after the Sept. 11, 2001,
terrorist
> > > attacks as a response to the Bush
administration's war on
> > > terrorism at home and abroad. "Now we're talking
about a
> > > force that can really stop the war. It's not
just a
> > > hopeful attitude. It's a real sense that it's
possible,"
> > > he said.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >  From The Los Angeles Times
> > > EXCERPT - Antiwar Activists Join Forces
> > > See full article at
> > >
> >
>
http://www.latimes.com/templates/misc/printstory.jsp?slug=la%2Dna%2Ddemos19j
> > an19001523&section=%2F
> > >
> > > WASHINGTON -- Tens of thousands of protesters
gathered
> > > peacefully Saturday in bitterly cold weather
here to
> > > denounce President Bush's preparations for a war
against
> > > Iraq. The demonstrations were replicated in San
Francisco
> > > and on a smaller scale across the nation and in
Europe,
> > > the Middle East and Asia in what antiwar
activists hoped
> > > would mark a turning point in rallying public
opinion
> > > against a possible war.
> > >
> > > The coordinated protests came as the Bush
administration
> > > continued a military buildup in the Persian Gulf
and
> > > expressed confidence it can make a "persuasive"
case by
> > > the end of January that Saddam Hussein is not
cooperating
> > > with United Nations weapon inspections.
> > >
> > > The largest turnout was in Washington, where the
rally and
> > > march attracted a wide spectrum of
demonstrators, from
> > > sign-toting grandmothers to college students to
gay
> > > activists to parents with babies in strollers.
Organizers
> > > estimated that more than 200,000 people
converged on the
> > > Mall. Authorities would not confirm that number
but said
> > > the crowds were larger than last fall's antiwar
protest
> > > here.
> > >
> > > Regardless of the exact numbers, the scale and
the passion
> > > -- given the 20-degree conditions -- evoked
strong
> > > emotions and memories of the anti-Vietnam War
movement.
> > >
> > > Many of the demonstrators and most of the
speakers --
> > > including the Revs. Jesse Jackson and Al
Sharpton, Vietnam
> > > War veteran Ron Kovic and former U.S. Atty. Gen.
Ramsey
> > > Clark -- were united in questioning Bush's
motives for
> > > threatening a new war. "This is a great day for
America,"
> > > said Kovic, who was carried to the open-air
stage. "I lost
> > > three-fourths of my body [in Vietnam]. You will
find
> > > strength. You were born to take this country
back! ... No
> > > blood for oil."
> > > ...
> > > One of the day's loudest crowd reactions came
when a
> > > figure from the Vietnam era, former Atty. Gen.
Clark,
> > > called for articles of impeachment to be brought
against
> > > Bush. The president was at Camp David for the
weekend.
> > >
> > > "Let's impeach him!" shouted the 75-year-old
Clark, who
> > > served under President Lyndon B. Johnson and who
more
> > > recently has represented a string of
high-profile criminal
> > > defendants. Afterward, Clark said "the evidence
is there"
> > > for articles of impeachment but that he would
not
> > > "prejudge" whether it merited Bush's conviction
by the
> > > Senate and removal from office.
> > >
> > > The San Francisco crowd rivaled the Washington
showing,
> > > with throngs of noisy but peaceful protesters
converging
> > > on the Civic Center. Police estimated the crowd
size at
> > > more than 40,000, but Richard Becker, a march
organizer
> > > with Act Now to Stop War and End Racism, said
the number
> > > was closer to 200,000.
> > >
> > > Becker attributed the turnout to "a growing
disenchantment
> > > with the Bush administration [and] an urgent
situation,
> > > because Jan. 27 could be a deadline for war."
> > >
> > > A preliminary report by U.N. arms inspectors in
Iraq is
> > > due on that date.
> > >
> > >
> > >  From the San Francisco Chronicle
> > > EXCERPT - Huge protests for peace
> > > Tens of thousands in S.F. demand Bush abandon
war plans
> > > Suzanne Herel, Zachary Coile, Chronicle Staff
Writer
> > >
> > > See full article at
> > >
> >
>
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2003/01/19/MN196663.DTL
> > >
> > >  From San Francisco to Washington, D.C., from
Paris to
> > > Tokyo, hundreds of thousands of demonstrators
took to the
> > > world's streets Saturday to protest potential
military
> > > action against Iraq by the Bush administration
and its
> > > allies.
> > >
> > > In Washington, where temperatures hovered in the
mid-20s,
> > > as many as 500, 000 protesters rallied outside
the
> > > Capitol, while in San Francisco tens of
thousands of peace
> > > activists marched up Market Street from the
Ferry Building
> > > to City Hall.
> > >
> > > With the Pentagon stepping up military
preparations,
> > > including ordering more aircraft carriers to the
Persian
> > > Gulf, thousands of demonstrators in cities from
Moscow to
> > > London to Cairo called on the Bush
administration to find
> > > a peaceful solution to the Iraq crisis.
> > >
> > > The rallies drew people of all ages, races,
religious
> > > denominations and political persuasions -- many
of them
> > > saying that this was their first protest.
> > >
> > > In San Francisco, peace activists started their
march up
> > > Market Street at 11 a.m. and started arriving at
City Hall
> > > at noon to listen to speeches by local and
national Among
> > > them was Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, who has
gained
> > > allies and admirers since her vote on Sept. 14,
2001, as
> > > the lone dissenting voice in Congress against
giving
> > > President Bush open-ended authority to wage war
against
> > > terrorists.
> > >
> > > She took the stage to chants of "Barbara!
Barbara!"
> > >
> > > "The silent minority has become the vocal
majority because
> > > of you," she told the cheering crowd. Lee
invoked the
> > > memory of King, whose birthday is being
celebrated Monday,
> > > urging the crowd to help eradicate the "axis of
evil --
> > > poverty, racism and war. "
> > >
> > > "It's not too late for the administration to
heed our
> > > call," she said. "It takes leadership to resolve
conflicts
> > > peacefully. It does not take leadership to drop
bombs."
> > >
> > > *********
> > >
> > > If you want to help organize for the January 29
> > > demonstration, the day after Bush's
state-of-the-union
> > > speech, or join the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition's
> > > mobilization for February 15, go to
> > > http://www.internationalanswer.org.
> > >
> > > Participate in the anti-war referendum! Go to
> > > http://www.VoteNoWar.org
> > >
> > > Donate by clicking on
> > > http://www.internationalanswer.org/donate.html
> > >
> > > **********
> > > FOR MORE INFORMATION:
> > > http://www.InternationalANSWER.org
> > > http://www.VoteNoWar.org
> > > dc at internationalanswer.org
> > > New York 212-633-6646
> > > Washington 202-544-3389
> > > Los Angeles 213-487-2368
> > > San Francisco 415-821-6545
> > >


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