Subject: Follow-Up, Protest October 5th Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2006 18:04:54 -0500 Message-ID: <BDD0A3EABE40F04A8C7200805EDE5A6A0488D667@PEPSI.uwec.edu> From: "Nowlan, Robert A." <RANOWLAN@uwec.edu>
Although we aren't sure yet who has initiated the local call for this
protest, here in Eau Claire (but that's not entirely uncommon), this is
a nationwide day of protest, as part of an ongoing movement, and here
(below) is some more information about the protest from the national
organizers, via their website, for those interested:
http://www.worldcantwait.org/
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October 5: There is a Way! There is a Day! | Print |
<http://www.worldcantwait.net/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view
&id
=2655&pop=1&page=0&Itemid=223> E-mail
<http://www.worldcantwait.net/index2.php?option=com_content&task=emai
lfo
rm&id=2655&itemid=223>
[Find a protest in your area October 5th]
<http://worldcantwait.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=
2418
&_event=14> [List a protest in your area]
<http://worldcantwait.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=
2418
&_event=14&_action=edit>
[download pdf of this statement]
<http://worldcantwait.net/flier/sept7/packet/wayday.pdf>
Think of all the people who are deeply distressed over the direction in
which the Bush regime is dragging the country - and the world... All the
people who are outraged over the way in which this regime is arrogantly
seeking to bludgeon into submission people in the Middle East, and
throughout the world, while trampling on the rights of the people in the
U.S. itself... All the people who care about the future of humanity and
the planet we live on, and who recognize the many ways in which the Bush
regime is increasingly posing a dire threat to this... All the people
who are stirred with a profound restlessness by these feelings but are
held back by the fear that they are alone and powerless; or who say that
they wish something could be done to stop and reverse this whole
disastrous course, but nothing will make a difference; or who hope that
somehow the Democrats will do something to change this, when everyday
it becomes more clear that they will not... All these people, who make
up a very large part of the population of this country and whose basic
sentiments are shared by the majority of people throughout the world...
October 5 Organizing Materials:
PDF flyer <http://worldcantwait.net/flier/thecall.pdf>
Stickers
<http://worldcantwait.net/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&produc
t
s_id=8&zenid=13d2ffe7a364487bdd96195e42ebf002>
Buttons <http://worldcantwait.net/store/>
[Radio PSA's]
<http://worldcantwait.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=
2791
&Itemid=192>
[endorsement form]
<http://worldcantwait.net/materials/o5/orgendorse.pdf>
Posters you can use:
With space for contact info: Color
<http://worldcantwait.net/images/oct5/oct5poster_lc.pdf> , Black and
White <http://worldcantwait.net/images/oct5/oct5poster_lcblk.pdf>
Without space for contact info: Color
<http://worldcantwait.net/images/oct5/oct5poster2.pdf> , Black and White
<http://worldcantwait.net/images/oct5/oct5poster2blk.pdf>
Imagine if, from out of this huge reservoir of people, a great wave were
unleashed, moving together on the same occasion, making, through their
firm stand and their massive numbers, a powerful political statement
that could not be ignored: refusing that day to work, or walking out
from work, taking off from school or walking out of school -- joining
together, rallying and marching, drawing forward many more with them,
and in many and varied forms of creative and meaningful political
protest throughout the day, letting it be known that they are determined
to bring this whole disastrous course to a halt by driving out the Bush
Regime through the mobilization of massive political opposition.
If that were done, then the possibility of turning things around and
onto a much more favorable direction would take on a whole new dimension
of reality.
It would go from something only vaguely hoped for, by millions of
isolated individuals, and acted on by thousands so far, to something
that had undeniable moral force and unprecedented political impact.
There is a way to make this happen. There is a day, coming soon, on
which people will be mobilizing to make this a reality. There is a
vehicle and a means through which anguish, outrage and frustration can
be transformed into truly meaningful, positive and powerful political
mobilization.
On October 5, 2006, on the basis of the Call, The World Can't Wait -
Drive Out the Bush Regime!, people throughout the country will be
stepping forward in a day of mass resistance. The breadth, the depth,
the impact and the power of that day depends not only on those in The
World Can't Wait organization, and others, who are already organizing
for this day -- it depends on you, on us, on all those who have been
hoping and searching for a means to do something that will really make a
difference.
If we fail to act to make this a reality, then it will definitely make a
difference -- in a decidedly negative way. But if we do take up the
challenge to build for this, and then do take history into our hands on
that day, through political action on the massive scale that is called
for -- it can make all the difference in the world, in a very positive
sense and for the possibility of a better future for humanity.
AS THE CALL, THE WORLD CAN'T WAIT - DRIVE OUT THE BUSH REGIME!,
CONCLUDES:
"The point is this: history is full of examples where people who had
right on their side fought against tremendous odds and were victorious.
And it is also full of examples of people passively hoping to wait it
out, only to get swallowed up by a horror beyond what they ever
imagined. The future is unwritten. WHICH ONE WE GET IS UP TO US."
---
[Find a protest in your area October 5th] <http://worldcantwait.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id= 2418 &_event=14>
[List a protest in your area] <http://worldcantwait.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id= 2418 &_event=14&_action=edit>
Email the call for October 5 protests to 10 of your friends. <http://worldcantwait.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id= 2087 &Itemid=223> What should be the character of the rallies and demonstrations on October 5? | Print | <http://www.worldcantwait.net/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view &id =2865&pop=1&page=0&Itemid=223> E-mail <http://www.worldcantwait.net/index2.php?option=com_content&task=emai lfo rm&id=2865&itemid=223> Important advisory for October 5 From: Debra Sweet, World Can't Wait National Co-ordindator
For organizers and monitors:
World Can't Wait should issue no posters, leaflets or messages that in any way advocates violence or can be construed as violence towards the President or other individuals. If other people bring posters or signs or images or depictions that do so they should be asked not to carry them and replace them with posters from World Can't Wait. World Can't Wait is united around and advocates mass political protest and action to drive Out the Bush Regime (see below).
I'm asking everyone to read "What Should be Character of the Rallies and Demonstrations on Oct 5?" below for clarity on this.
On one of our national conference calls, an organizer from Hawai'i said she is planning to have extra posters in case someone would show up with a poster that would need to be replaced. We can't have too many signs that say: DRIVE out the BUSH REGIME!
***
Monitors & Rally MC's should practice leading people in the main and pre-dominant chant that should mark the character of the marches:
*Join Us! Join Us! Drive Out the Bush Regime! THE WORLD CAN'T WAIT!
*Drive Out! Drive Out! Drive Out the Bush Regime! The World Can't Wait!
We know from previous marches and rallies that these are very very powerful and uplifiting when chanted by people and especially when this is being chanted in unison by thousands and tens of thousands of people marching.
Let's keep our sense of purpose and have a great outpouring on Thursday!
________________________________
What should be the character of the rallies and demonstrations on October 5?
Posted 9/10/06:
We've got to keep in mind what we're trying to do with these events. We are intensifying a movement that will drive the Bush Regime from office and reverse the whole direction in which he's been taking society. Every day a new outrage drives home the need for nothing less than this. If anyone needs more proof, look at the speeches Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld have been giving in the past week, trying to justify the totally illegitimate and unjust wars they are already waging, and prepare the way for new ones!
This will take a movement that is very broad, very serious and very determined. We need to speak to the "millions and millions", as it says in our Call, who are deeply disturbed and outraged by this.
In doing this, we have already been up against the powers-that-be, and here too we need to keep our Call in mind: "This will not be easy. If we speak the truth, they will try to silence us. If we act, they will try to stop us. But we speak for the majority, here and around the world, and as we get this going we are going to reach out to the people who have been so badly fooled by Bush and we are NOT going to stop."
But these days have also borne out that we do truly speak for millions of people, as more and more people and organizations have been endorsing and contributing to October 5 and vowing to come out for it. Currently over 30 cities and towns have posted information on their October 5 activities, and the number continues to grow.
Our actions on October 5 have to be very broad, on a scale that can really make a huge change in this country and in the world. We need to begin with a strong core of at least tens of thousands in the major cities and then draw in many more along the way. We need all kinds of people there, from the youth to the "raging grannies," vets from all wars, wheelchair contingents, people from different religious congregations (and no religion at all), gay people, union members, and immigrants. We need everyone on the political spectrum who won't go along with Bush, from disaffected Republicans to disappointed Democrats and beyond.
Now, we fully understand the anger and deep outrage that a lot of people feel. If you're not angry at this point, you're not paying attention! So let's turn that anger into a determination to make these demonstrations as powerful and magnetic as possible.
Make no mistake: thousands and thousands of people not going to work and coming out instead to demonstrate is a powerful show of determination. Thousands and thousands of young people not going to school, or even walking out of school, and coming out instead to rally and march is a powerful show of determination. People seriously putting forth their intent to drive out a regime -- same thing. Right there you've gone way beyond politics as usual.
And when all those people march through the streets, chanting "JOIN US! JOIN US! THE WORLD CAN'T WAIT! DRIVE OUT THE BUSH REGIME! JOIN US! JOIN US!" . . . and when hundreds and then thousands more people answer their call, coming out from the sidewalks and office buildings and stores, and joining the line of march . . . and when the energy and enthusiasm of the youth plays a special role in all that? Then that will be an extremely powerful and determined message, and will be understood as such by both potential friend and foe alike.
A day of demonstrations like that, all across the country, can begin to change the whole "political equation" in society. It can work wonders on what people think is possible, and whether they will act.
But, to speak bluntly, tactics that cut against bringing out the tens of thousands on October 5 and speaking to the millions go in the wrong direction and should not be done. The Call for the October 5 demonstrations is very clear: it is not calling for violence and it is not calling to remove the Bush regime from office by any means other than mass political action.
Again, there is plenty of room for outrage and energy. But the point is to channel that into something that can really begin to change things for real.
