She continued talking about her difficulties in gaining ballot access. She described running into a World Can’t Wait person in orange who she asked to sign to get her on the ballot. And he said, “Oh, I don’t vote. I’m a revolutionary.” She said, “Start the f*cking revolution then, why don’t you?” She added, “Do you think I want to be doing this? Do you think I want to be running for Congress? I’ll join you in the revolution but until then, it is up to each and every one of us.”
Cindy Sheehan closed by describing her platform and how she really wants to bring something to Congress that other politicians refuse to offer to the people of this world.
By the time the event was over, it was clear that the prevailing sentiment was that people should vote third party or Independent in this presidential election, not put too much energy into supporting electoral politics, and organize out in the streets by connecting with people and expressing the importance of acting out in ways not related to the elections.
I am disappointed that I do not have the recording of Sunsara Taylor’s speech which she gave. For she (next to Jeremy Scahill) was the best speaker at last night’s event, which ended with Cleo Parker Robinson coming on stage to read the Not In Our Name pledge in unison with all the speakers who spoke during the event.
Sunsara Taylor told us all during her speech that despite the fact that 50,000 people did not show up to protest---despite the fact that it was more like 500 to 1000---we should not be demoralized. We should recognize that we have much work to do because the numbers are so low. But, we also should recognize that we came out in the face of police intimidation and in the face of a mass disinformation campaign about protesters waged by the press in Denver.
Perhaps, the most bothersome thing that I continue to see in Denver is the lack of interaction between people.
People from all over the political spectrum are here and should be talking to each other freely and debating the issues. But, people are concerned with Hillary’s delegates and buying merchandise with Obama slapped all over it. McCain people just want to put down the Obama people and the Christian Righties can't keep Jesus to themselves.
People also are walking up and down the streets pretending nobody has entered the city that doesn’t normally live here.
The police won’t let different groups spar with each other. They violate free speech. And their own political backgrounds often lead to them protecting pro-war veteran groups from antiwar protesters looking to engage them and also prevent full-blown exchanges between Christian Right people and pro-choice people.
Free speech doesn’t have to be limited to a cage outside of the Pepsi Center. It doesn’t have to be because people don’t know what free speech is, when it should be exercised, or how to exercise it anymore.
I think I can include some who are participating in the protests and rallies. Too many are content with cutting each other off and not listening to what the other person has to say.
The left which decries shouting matches on Fox News that O'Reilly might start engage in their own shouting matches which marginalize the issues and policies which many Americans want to advance.
People see what’s happening with the police and the rise of fascism in this country and don’t know how to articulate the message to deal with it. And being sucked in to just getting angry at the police is not how to defend free speech either. The system is propagating this, to use Cindy Sheehan’s favorite word, horseshit.
Well, a truck with pornographic images of a supposed aborted baby just rolled by, a guy selling Obama buttons walked by on the street, police on horses just moved up the street blocking the Free Mall Shuttle from getting by, the Minutemen are finishing up their event to call attention to the inadequacies of Obama’s and McCain’s immigration policy in Congress Park, and I am headed off to an event titled, “What’s Behind the US Threats on Iran and How Can We Stop Them?” Or, I might attend the Cynthia McKinney talk and the Obama Girl talk at the Mercury Café.
Either way, with Day One of the Democratic National Convention kicking into full gear, let me just make clear that the streets is where real democracy is happening this week, not the Pepsi Center.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
