This was the day to join with hundreds of thousands of our fellow New Yorkers to march past the site of the Republican National Convention. We felt the need to be part of the great throng of humanity who would demonstrate to the world that there are two Americas. On the one hand, the America of Bush and his fossilized agglomeration of trillionaires, oil barons, dogmatic fundamentalists, plunderers, warmongers and earth-despoilers. On the other hand - the America of decent and ordinary people who reject the values of the Republicans and proudly hold up an image of another nation - an America based on human values; not one poisoned by our society's mindless consumerism, racism, and macho "bring 'em on" bravado. We wanted to be part of that great peace march, holding our banners to proclaim our desire for peace, brotherhood, friendship and respect for our planet's environment. This was the day to show the world that which the media wants to hide - that this Administration is illegitimate and that it emphatically does not represent us or our city, state and country.
If you were not there then you cannot possibly understand how uplifitng and heartening an event this was. I'm sorry for those people who through fear, apathy, indifference or pessimism chose to stay home or leave town. I've been in hundreds of demonstrations dating back to the 60's. But I have to say that, given the critical nature of the moment we're in today, this was the most important and certainly one of the largest I've ever participated in.
For the hundreds of thousands who marched there was a deep understanding of the moment. Fear and intimidation, used without shame by the Administration and the Bloomberg apparatus and aided by the likes of Rupert Murdoch, only helped fuel people's anger and determination to protest. It seems that the facade, used by Bush to cover his lies and reactionary policies, is cracking. More and more, people are seeing through it. The color-coded terror alerts, the militarization of our society, the machine-gun toting cops in our streets, the dispatching of the FBI to intimidate activists - these are not actions designed to make us safer; they are nothing more than the Bush re-election campaing in action. And why not? Bush & Co. have nothing else to campaign on. He certainly cannot run for reelection on his record. A record of three continuous years of job losses (the last President to preside over three straight years of job losses was Herbert Hoover on the eve of the Great Depression), increasing repression and attacks on the Bill of Rights, growing poverty, homelessness and hunger, assaults on the enviornment, onslaughts against a woman's right to choose, appointments of racist judges to the highest courts in the land -- and much more.
And so we marched. It was a great day. It was a memorable day. It was either the culmination that will lead to the defeat of Bush on November 2nd. Or it was the opening shot in what will be four more years of struggle: of growing protests and demands to turn our country around from the path of disaster that he will take us down if re-"elected". Hopefully, the former. I'sn't that what we all hope for? That on November 3, 2004 we can return to the streets again. This time in joyful celebration that we have rid ourselves and the world of this terrible threat to our continued existence.
Carol, Doreen and Stacey on the Sheepshead Bay station as we headed into
the city to meet with other friends.
Marching with Brooklyn Parents For Peace, we headed to Seventh
Avenue and 14th Street where we would join the march proper.
Lori, Stacey and Carol. It was very, very hot and
we had to wait over an hour before setting off.
There were so many people that it was hard to get going.
Banners were hung in hundreds of apartments as we marched up 7th Avenue.
The spirit of the day was palpable and very heartening. It seemed that
just about all of NYC was out on the streets with us.
Hundreds of thousands made their way up Seventh Avenue.
Hundreds of flag-draped coffins were carried as a symbol of those
who have given their lives. "Bush Lied - Thousands Died" - a common sign
that was carried.
Peter, Michael and Stacey as we passed Madison Square Garden.
My friends, Ted and Kamal, at Madison Square Garden.
To see the rest of my photos, just click here.
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