The Anti-Inauguration: Stand Up and Be Counted
Katherine Brengle
On January 20th, 2005, George Bush will be Inaugurated as the
President of the United States, again.
It will be a day of triumph and joy for conservatives all over
America. They will celebrate their chosen puppet and shout his
victory from the rooftops. They will drink champagne (but not
from France) and watch NASCAR and feel righteous.
We will be there too.
There are a number of organizations putting together an
anti-inaugural protest in Washington D.C. on January 20th. The
group Turn Your Back on Bush will join the celebrants on the
parade route, will not distinguish themselves in any way, and when
Bush comes down the street, they will simultaneously turn their
backs on the Dictator of the United States. They will not be
bringing signs, or wearing buttons, or any other kinds of markers
that might hinder their ability to get access to the parade
route. For more information from this organization, go to
http://www.turnyourbackonbush.org.
By taking part in the Turn Your Back protest, progressives will
show that we cannot be beat down, and we cannot be weeded out of
the national discourse. We will show that no matter how hard the
Bush Administration, et al, tries to repress us, we will always
have our voices heard.
The D.C. Anti-War Network (DAWN) will be holding a rally at
Malcolm X Park at 9 a.m. on J20, then marching toward the White
House just after 11 a.m. After the march, protesters will have a
variety of anti-inauguration options. For details, including
housing and ride information, go to
http://www.counter-inaugural.org. The group CODEPINK Women
for Peace (http://codepinkalert.org/National_Actions_J20.shtml)
will be joining DAWN in their march toward the White House and are
also urging protesters to join in the Turn Your Back event.
Many of these groups are also posting calls to action from local
protest organizers. If you are interested in attending such an
event and live in the Southeastern Massachusetts or Rhode Island
areas, feel free to contact me, and I can provide information
about the protest being held by Citizens for an Informed Community
in Bridgewater, Massachusetts.
If you feel you must take a stand against the Bush Regime, another
option is to take part in the White Ribbon Campaign on January
20th. On Inauguration Day, a white ribbon will be a symbol of
mourning for democracy, freedom, and all casualties of
Iraq--including Iraqi civilians and American soldiers. If you
can't get to D.C. or to a local event, simply pin a white ribbon
to your shirt, or wear one on your wrist, to show your support.
Also, the Progressive Democratic Summit will be held January 22-23
in Washington D.C. For details, contact
summit@pdamerica.org.
Don't let the conservative spin machine weaken your resolve. Now
is the time to fight--we have nothing to lose. Progressive ideas
are not radical, but we must take radical measures to make the
world hear them. The mainstream media has blocked us out--on
January 20th, we will force them to see us, and to show us on
television. We will show this "President" how we feel. We will
show the world that we don't sanction pre-emptive war, prisoner
abuse/torture, corporate welfare, the privatization of Social
Security, and the rest of the dangerous Bush policies. We will
force the Democratic leadership to realize that the base is on the
left, we don't want centrism, and they will lose us if they
continue on the present course.
The votes of American citizens were not counted on November 2nd.
Their voices have not been heard since. On January 20th, we will
stand up and be counted.
Katherine Brengle is a 23 year old college student and writer
from Southeastern Massachusetts. She can be reached at
libgal81@aol.com.
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