SF Leads Largest Of Nationwide Anti-War Protests

CBS 5 / AP / BCN) SAN FRANCISCO Thousands of people called for a swift end to the war in Iraq as they marched through downtown San Francisco under sunny skies on Saturday, chanting and carrying bright blue, orange and yellow anti-war signs that read: "Wall Street Gets Rich, Iraqis and GIs Die" or "Drop Tuition Not Bombs."

The streets of San Francisco were filled with thousands as labor union members, anti-war activists, clergy and others rallied near City Hall before marching to Dolores Park.

Protestors of every age and race flooded Civic Center plaza sporting homemade shirts and signs that demanded peace, and begged President Bush to bring troops home from Iraq. San Francisco resident Keith Wynn attended the rally with his family and said he was there to "support peace.''

"There has been too much bloodshed,'' Wynn said. "I'm here because I don't want my son to live in a country that puts capitalism above humanity.''

Among the many speakers was San Francisco Poet Laureate Jack Hirschman, who took the stage and declared that the "souls of the American people and the souls of many people around the world have been devastated by this war.''

As part of the demonstration, protesters fell on Market Street at Octavia Street as part of a "die in" to commemorate the thousands of American soldiers and Iraqi citizens who have died since the conflict began in March 2003. Protestors blocked the lanes for 5 to 10 minutes, and then resumed their march to Dolores Park.

The protest was the largest in a series of war protests taking place in New York, Los Angeles and 11 other U.S. cities, organizers said.

No official head count was available. Organizers of the event estimated about 30,000 people participated in San Francisco. It appeared that more than 10,000 people attended the march.

"I got the sense that many people were at a demonstration for the first time," said Sarah Sloan, one of the event's organizers. "That's something that's really changed. People have realized the right thing to do is to take to the streets."

Labor unions including the Service Employees International Union and seven Bay area labor councils joined the Episcopal Diocese of California to form a large coalition of war opponents.

``More and more union members are seeing the war's impact on our schools, transportation and health care systems because money is being spent abroad that could be spent at home,'' said Sharon Cornu of the Alameda Labor Council told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Famed anti-war protestor Cindy Sheehan also participated in the event, which was endorsed by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and drew people from across northern California.

"We came so that our voices could be heard,'' California State University, Chico student Sarah Schlobohlm said.

"Its nice to be around so many people that share our same views on the war,'' added fellow student Monique Birtwell.

SFPD Sgt. Steve Mannina said there were no arrests made during the protest and no reported injuries.

In Chicago, about 5,000 protesters gathered at Union Park, reported CBS News. The demonstration began with a rally in the park, in which union leaders, elected officials and peace activists made speeches for about an hour.

In the shadow of the National Constitution Center and Independence Hall in Philadelphia, a few hundred protesters ranging from grade school-aged children to senior citizens called on President Bush to end funding for the war and bring troops home.

Marchers who braved severe wet weather during the walk of more than 30 blocks were met by people lining the sidewalks and clutching a long yellow ribbon over the final blocks before Independence Mall. There, the rally opened with songs and prayers by descendants of Lenape Indians.

"Our signs are limp from the rain and the ground is soggy, but out spirits are high," said Bal Pinguel, of the American Friends Service Committee, one of the national sponsors of the event. "The high price we are paying is the more than 3,800 troops who have been killed in the war in Iraq."

Vince Robbins, 51, of Mount Holly, N.J., said there needed to be more rallies and more outrage.

"Where's the outcry? Where's the horror that almost 4,000 Americans have died in a foreign country that we invaded?" Robbins said. "I'm almost as angry at the American people as I am the president. I think Americans have become apathetic and placid about the whole thing."

In New York, among the thousands marching down Broadway was a man carrying cardboard peace doves. Some others dressed as prisoners, wearing the bright orange garb of Guantanamo Bay inmates and pushing a person in a cage.

In Seattle, thousands of marchers were led by a small group of Iraq war veterans.

At Occidental Park, where the protesters rallied after the march, the American Friends Service Committee displayed scores of combat boots, one pair for each U.S. solider killed in Iraq.

Liberalism- gotta love it. A few days ago I saw this at that OTHER site and pasted into a thread here. Worth another glance:

AND the OTHER side is imploding. From our OTHER funny website:

(To the few dem leaders who fight the fight & stand up with all you have....this does not pertain to you...the party has abandoned you as much as it has us)

I have tried. I really, really, really, have tried hard. My position has been to work for positive change within the democratic party, & dedicate myself to getting progressives elected. I have tried working with you, giving you the benefit of the doubt, pleading with you through letters, calls, & personal visits to uphold the constitution & represent the people. But, YOU are making it impossible to continue to stay with you. YOU are making it impossible to work with you. How can I work with you when I am constantly fighting for you to do the right thing? It is exhausting enough to have to always be fighting the Republicans, it is ridiculous that I have to battle with you, as well. And, not only do I have to fight to make you stand up for what is right & just...I have to work with the on-line grassroots media to speak out against all the lies, manipulations, & slander the rigt wing throws at you without your response. I do not mind being a part of the new media, it is empowering. I DO mind very much when you don’t speak out as well, & HELP instead of hinder our efforts.

So, I am giving you an ultimatum. Stand up for our democracy now, stop acquiescing to the illegal actions & policies of the Bush administration, & start working for the people you supposedly represent. I realize their are limits to what you can do. I understand the politics and difficulties of your job. But, the following incidents are NOT acceptable in any way, & they are VERY MUCH in your power to do something about:

Granting Bush expanded spying powers under the NSA wiretapping program. Today, it came out that you are going to cave once again & allow the telecom companies immunity for following Bush’s orders EVEN THOUGH YOU DON’T KNOW THE FULL DETAILS OF WHAT THIS PROGRAM ENTAILS, COVERS, & THE SCOPE & EXTENT OF ITS LEGAL IMPLICATIONS...In August you temporarily extended Bush’s powers, & I was in shock that after all the betrayals, all the lies, all the known constitutional violations perpetrated by this administratin, you would go along with granting any more power to this criminal administration.

You refuse to stop funding for the war. You just allowed another 150 billion dollars for this fiasco. Money we don’t have. Troops we don’t have. For a failed policy that has accomplished NOTHING other then to destabilize the entire region & make a few contractors extremely rich. 40 cents of every dollar goes to a private contractor. Private contractors who are really Mercanaries. Why do you not fight with every breath in your body to stop this? Our military is broken. The people sent for endless tours of duty, in this endless unethical fiasco, are broken. FUND A WITHDRAWL, not the war. Tell them NOT ONE PENNY IS TO BE SPENT ON CONTINUING THIS CONFLICT. And, if Bush ignores & defies you, IMPEACH THE BOY KING DICTATOR, as you should have the second you took office. Impeachment is a constitutional duty when a President overreaches, but you are more concerned about your own political skins to uphold the LAW. The really ironic thing is that by doing your DUTY, you would garner more political support, improve your image beyond anything you could imagine. You have no understanding of the true political climate in this country. Your approval is worse then the Presidents precisely because you don’t stand up to him.

If you continue to refuse to do your duty & uphold the constitution as you swore to do, you leave me no choice. I will break from the democratic party & work with the millions of other people who are equally disenfranchisd & work to create a party that represent the people. You always take for granted your ‘base’, treating us with complete disdain because you believe we will always be there no matter what you do. You know we won’t vote Republican. And, we won’t. But, nor will we continue to abide by a impotent party that can’t or won’t represent our interests. Doing the same thing over & over & expecting to get different results has been said to be the definition of craziness. I will not keep banging my head against the same wall. I will not keep giving my money, my time, my passion to a party that does not even represent what I believe. I will no longer give you the luxury of being judged on the deeds of a past party that no longer exists in anything but rheoteric. I am prepared to accept you as what you have shown to be, another arm of the one party corporate rule.

This is your last warning. I will not abide this any longer. Do what is right or lose your base to a future party that will leave you as a historical note.

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