September 29 DC Action
• Spirited Demonstration Opposes War and Stands for Rights
September 29 DC Action
Spirited Demonstration Opposes War and Stands for Rights
Washington, DC saw yet another mass demonstration on September 29, targeting the government’s war against Iraq and standing for rights. A militant crowd of many youth and with broad participation from national minorities and activists on many fronts of struggle took their stand together. Signs and chants demanded not one penny for criminal war, right of return for Palestinians and Katrina survivors, jobs for the youth not war and prisons, healthcare now. The struggles of the people in Philippines against U.S. bases and militarization, those in El Salvador, Venezuela, Cuba and elsewhere were all defended. Signs demanding No War On Iran! were everywhere.
The action started at the Capitol building, making clear the anger with Congress for refusing to stop funding the war and increase funding for social programs. Marchers then went to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Education and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Activists fighting for the rights to healthcare and education participated, alongside those opposing government racism and demanding justice for Katrina survivors and the Jena Six. Students from many campuses marched with their banners, including those from Florida, North Carolina and Tennessee. Together marchers demanded: “Unite Against Racism!” “All Troops Home Now!” “Free the Jena Six! Stop the ICE Raids!” “Defend the Rights of All!” As the March returned to the Capitol, many youth then organized to block Constitution Avenue with a sit-in on the street. This was their way of insisting that war funding must be stopped and that government take responsibility for meeting the needs of the people here and abroad.
The call given by Voice of Revolution, to Reject U.S. Racism and War on Terrorism! Support and Demand Anti-War Candidates was well received. Discussion among activists about anti-war candidates has gone from this being a “good idea,” to concrete discussion about who those candidates will be. And while some expressed hesitation that they could become a candidate, most readily agreed on the necessity to support anti-war candidates and considered looking to fellow activists as the source for such candidates. As one activist put it, “We are the ones who are anti-war and we are the ones who can be relied on to actually stop the war. It seems to me all of us here are doing a better job defending the people than the politicians we have now, so why not become the politicians ourselves!”
The demonstration itself made clear that the people are continuing to rely on their own efforts to solve problems. With the same militant spirit expressed throughout the day, participants left enthusiastic to work out the next steps in the work to end the war now and defend the rights of all.
