Comments on: Subversive Photos from the DC Antiwar Rally 1/27/07

By: James Bovard | Antiwar Radio with Scott Horton and Charles Goyette

James Bovard | Antiwar Radio with Scott Horton and Charles Goyette — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 05:55:12 +0000

[...] Bovard, author of a ton of great books, including Attention Deficit Democracy, talks about the fun he had at the DC antiwar protest back in January, his belief that the Attorney General is about to [...]

By: Jim

Jim — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 23:17:28 +0000

I read something about that on Monday. It was not some grand swell of humanity involved - it didn’t show up on my radar screen.

Joann Wypijewski had a good piece on the demonstration on Counterpunch on Monday. Her piece, entitled “Chirpy Slogans, Empty City,” noted a breakaway from the march:

“The anarchist kids, the revived SDS, a youthful band bearing red and black flags, one saying “An Army of None”, swept up the stairs of the Capitol. We joined them and for a brief time the whole thing felt like it should — electric and raw, impolite. We were chanting and drumming and some of the kids started spray-painting slogans on the landing where police had stopped our progress.

It was too bad the tagger I was watching couldn’t come up with anything more original than “Fuck You” or the encircled A. Not the best advertisement for Anarchism’s political program, but then the kids in black always have been better at theater and destructive energy than anything.”

Sounds plenty damn lame to me.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 21:56:21 +0000

Jim,

While we are discussing this veteran who was allegedly spat upon, I have this question. Is there any truth that monuments in front of the Capitol were sprayed with graffitti?

This something else the neocons on talk radio are hollering about. Over the years I’ve gotten to the point that anything they claim I assume to be a lie done for partisan purposes.

Thanks.

By: Scott

Scott — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 19:33:24 +0000

I heard it on a partisan radio show, left or right they are all partisan. Wouldnt bet the farm on it, but they interviewed the vet, although I did not hear what they vet actually had to say.
I am a conservative but Hannity gets on my nerves, he aint conservative , he is a republican hack

By: Jim

Jim — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 15:14:53 +0000

Adam - the fact that some protestors are idiots does not legitimize the dictatorial power of politicians.

People need to find some way to rein in their rulers.

By: Jim

Jim — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 15:10:24 +0000

Scott - has the story about the wounded vet being spit at been confirmed? I have seen a few things raising questions about it at Media Matters for America.

I’m not saying that the incident didn’t happen - I’m just not sure what transpired.

I spoke to a lot of folks and did not perceive anti-Veteran hostility.

By: Adam S.

Adam S. — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 15:09:59 +0000

I just remembered for anybody who likes Shakespeare. He gives a great parody of protests and the Left in general in 2 Henry VI. Jack Cade comes in with his mob and demands that he be made king of England so he can implement his Socialist program. He wants a national dress code of green, compulsory nation-wide anthem singing, price controls on bread (none may sell more than a hey-penny), egalitarianism, the abolition of schools and literacy, and, most famously, the killing of all lawyers. This is just something to think about whenever we see massive protests on Washington.

By: Jim

Jim — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 15:08:25 +0000

Adam - that’s a great quote from Disraeli.

I have no illusions that the average protestor is more savvy than the average member of Congress.

It would be easier and safer to ignore politicians if they were not starting wars.

By: Scott

Scott — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 15:02:15 +0000

Peace, by all means !, But I am telling you one thing, If I would have been there at the time when some scum bag spit on a wounded veteran,, I would now be facing a life sentence for murder, AND I AM NOT KIDDING

By: Adam S.

Adam S. — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 15:01:57 +0000

If it were necessary to carry a bottle of whiskey while reading to counter intolerable dreck, I would have had my blood changed out with JD years ago. My tactic is simply that when I read nonsense, I skip to the vital part and then throw away the book. Benjamin Disraeli once said that “9/10ths of all books are worthless and the only good ones are the 1/10th that disprove the rest” The same logic goes for mass protests and rallies.
I once saw a photo of a student protest where one kid held up a sign saying “We don’t know what we’re protesting” Actually, it was Limbaugh himself who gave the best example of why I won’t join the protests. At a 2005 rally against the Iraq war, media were interviewing protesters who were truly whacked out. One was an association called the NAFTROODP: the national assoc. for the representation of oppressed and dispossessed people, and another featured a man who gave a 5-minute protest in the form of a free verse rap. I am glad to see such people turned out in numbers, but the best way to handle politicians is to ignore them.