Thousands rally for peace in San Francisco
KAREN GAUDETTE, Associated Press Writer
Sunday, October 6, 2002
©2002 Associated Press
URL: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2002/10/06/state1859EDT0070.DTL
(10-06) 15:59 PDT SAN FRANCISCO (AP) --
A sweaty throng of thousands of anti-war protesters jammed the city's Union Square on Sunday, beating drums, hoisting signs and proclaiming their opposition to war with Iraq.
It was one of dozens of anti-war rallies across the country organized by the Not in Our Name Project, a grassroots group opposing a range of Bush administration actions. Demonstrations also were held in New York, Chicago, Portland, Ore., and many smaller communities.
Marchers used a thesaurus of adjectives to describe their disenchantment, calling the president a "warmonger," "racist," "irresponsible," and "stoopid."
Women in designer jeans and high-heeled shoes marched next to students in tie-dyed T-shirts and Birkenstocks. The driver of a cable car surrounded by the throng clanged his bell in time to pulsating reggae music, joined by the honking of dozens of trapped taxis.
"We don't want war. It's clearly for fabricated reasons," said Taliya Ansari of Hercules, Calif., who came with her family after hearing of the rally at her mosque. "We don't want people to die. (Iraq is) not doing anything to us."
For the president, the question seemed to be not if, but when, to wage war against Iraq. Stumping in Manchester, N.H., for Senate candidate John Sununu, Bush didn't mention the 50 demonstrators protesting outside, or the gatherings around the country. But he reiterated his stance that the United States must disarm Iraq to protect American lives.
And in his weekend radio address, Bush urged Congress to give him authority to remove Saddam and deal quickly with Iraq's arsenal of chemical and biological weapons.
"Delay, indecision and inaction ... could lead to massive and sudden horror" for the United States, Bush said.
Still, demonstrators appealed for restraint before the United States enters another war.
San Francisco police added several dozen officers to handle the crowd, which was feisty but peaceful, waving their signs before a backdrop of Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Tiffany & Co., Levi's and Macy's.
"This is a country full of people that won't let the government start this immoral war in our name," rally organizer Tanya Mayo yelled from a stage swathed in peace banners, blue balloons and the names of victims of past wars.
http://notinourname.net
Well, no, I can't say I am shocked to hear about this little burqa-nit's opinion. No doubt she thinks suicide bombing, slavery, and hijacking is a wonderful alternative to seeing the US kick the living snot out of her terrorist kinfolk. You see, her definition of 'people' doesn't neccessarily mean non-muslims.
That line from the article is quite telling and I especially liked the way the AP author started out with "A sweaty throng!"
Way to WRITE, Karen Gaudette!!!
As usual the 'rat media leads in the lie, unless, of course, BS, Sheen, Meathead and the rest of the motley assortment of bi-(coastal and otherwise) mega millionaires who paid for the ad in the slimes which set the stage for the "spontaneous",,"not in our name" rallies, are what one would consider "grass roots".
No, there's just a handful of Marxist protesters compared to the normal people in this country. If Horrywood wants their zombies to protest, let them. I don't think anyone really cares, or even noticed.
Didn't hear a word about it. Don't really care. Besides, terrorists like places that have large groups of people gathered.