Portland’s Peace and Justice Works has built up a decent pile of community partners for a rally and march tomorrow that will mark the eighth anniversary of the “shock and awe” that announced the beginning of the Iraq War. Organizers are invoking protests in Africa, the Middle East, and Wisconsin—and note that the event comes days after President Barack Obama won support for military intervention in Libya.
Among the special guests? A replica of the robotic drones that have been fragging suspected terrorists (and, um, civilians) in Pakistan.
Click past the jump to see the march’s route through downtown.
Don’t vote Democrat or Republican. That would be the fastest way to end the wars.
I am going to this, hope to see some other Blogtownies there.
I’d love for the wars to end, but man, I’m really gonna miss these rallies.
I’ll get my “Bush is a Nazi” sign out of storage! I knew I would eventually need it again!
YES. I hope, like similar Iraq war protests of yore, I get stuck downtown going to the doctor and have a few protestors shake my car and scream at me, “You’re the problem!” for old time sake.
I am even problemer today!
Yeah, those previous marches were so effective. If the protests are actually about ending the war, maybe the organizers should try different tactics, like putting on a show to save the orphanage* or poetry readings from the collected works of Bella Abzug.
I don’t know about you war mongers that hate our freedom so, but I’m going to donate 100% of all my trouser browning farts to their cause until there’s peace.
*Dear Andy Hardy and Judy Garland, where are you when we need you?
Why all the hate on protests? At least they’re trying. You know what’s really effective? APATHY.
Banging your head against the door over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again doesn’t help you leave the room and the number of bruises on your skull doesn’t show “how much you care”.
The point I was trying to make, is that if you actually care about something, you’ll change tactics when it becomes obvious that what you’re doing isn’t working. However, if you’re just there to score some ass or make a huge public show of “how much you care”. then yet another “anti-war” protest is probably a good bet.
I for one prefer to shout out what a good christian I am so they won’t notice that I’m a philandering thief and a congenital liar. That “anti-war” stuff is so yesterday.
So what’s with protest rallies always being on Sundays? I mean, that’s great everyone can attend and all, but what sort of message gets sent? “We’re kind of committed to our cause, but really not enough to inconvenience ourselves. Miss work? In this economy, you must be kidding.”
So please share with us, what tactics should people use to show their leaders that they are not happy? Teabaggers had their protests and pushed many people in this country to the right resulting in a terrible election for Democrats. Recent protests in Madison have changed that debate quite a bit by reminding a bunch of working people that Republicans do not have their interest at heart and showing Democrats that they have a base. Anti-police protests in Portland certainly supplied momentum to the push for police reform. What are your ideas for new tactics, and where have they been shown to change the political landscape?
That anti-war stuff is so OVER, you make me giggle.
Hey! I’m in the Portland Mercury! I’m cynical an’ snide, Look’t me!! Ain’t nothin’ as cool as MY BAND.
When’s happy hour at RONTOM’s start? Nevermind, I’ll check my SMART PHONE!
What was I saying? Oh yeah, protests against the war. I find them SOOOO boring.
Don’t fucking dis the protests, people. They haven’t ended the wars, so let’s just all do nothing? That’s the spirit! Snark is great, but–people willing to speak up (and not just on blogs)? We need more of them.
“[C]hange tactics,” fahqueue said, but of course gave no suggestions. Whatta surprise.
Maybe what you peacenik numbskulls need to wrap your heads around is that these wars ain’t over yet because we haven’t been bombing these countries hard enough.
Hey Todd, how’d your circle jerk work out?
Yeah, I thought so.
Cheer up, at least the President is on TV explaining why we’re bombing yet another middle-eastern country into the stone age. Maybe if you’d just bukkake a little harder next time, it’ll be fluffy bunnies and adorable kittens instead of Block IV Tomahawks and Hellfire missiles.