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There will be a big antiwar march in Washington on Saturday. The march is sponsored by scores of organizations; ANSWER is the prime mover. I disagree with them on plenty of economic and social issues, but they are right on the war. The main event starts around noon at Lafayette Square next to the White House.
The weather forecast is sunny. Plus, there are several excellent breweries along the march route from the White House to the Capitol. And there will be lots of entertaining signs and folks at the event.
There will reportedly be pro-war counterdemonstrators along the march route, so that should spice up the day nicely.
Libertarian activist Aaron Biterman is organizing Ron Paul supporters to march with RP and pro-freedom signs. He emailed me: “Ron Paul supporters are going to gather AT 11:30am at the METRO CENTER Metro Stop (607 13th St. NW). … Exit the subway at Metro Center on the UPPER LEVEL (red line) via the 13th and G exit (furthest west exit — closest to the white house). I will be at the corner of 13th and G with a Ron Paul t-shirt and sign.” His email is AULibertarians@aol.com.
This might be the last chance for awhile to march against Bush & Co. One never knows what the Absolutists in the White House might do, especially if Bush attacks Iran and Americans finally wake up…
++ Comments welcome on this march etc. at my blog here.
Here is a photo I took of a Centurion near the White House at an antiwar demo two years ago…. (( A full size version of the photo is available at my Flickr page )
Ron Paul supporters should be aware that there will be many fringe groups who may do things that cast a bad light on the entire demonstration. Those actions will of course make the whole thing look bad in the media and if you as a Ron Paul supporter do anything to catch the attention of the press, other than peacefully carrying a sign, you may do harm to Dr. Paul and his message.
I would suggest that the Ron Paul group keep in a tight knit group, with a clear distinction between them and the rest of the crowd. Marching and carrying signs in a peacefull protest can be a very good and effective thing. But if some bozo from another group starts a riot you don’t want to be associated with it. Please be aware of this in everything that you do for Dr. Paul. Those you associate with can tarnish his image. We must be above that and always conduct ourselves in a polite and peaceful manner.
I wish I could be there with you but it’s not a good day for me to get away, although I may try.
RON PAUL 2008!
Agree. Watch out for these fascist nutcases from FreeRepublic:
I agree with Dan Warner on the issue of concern over the Ron Paul group keeping tightly knit and together and remain peaceful.
I would also like to point out the potential for the potential for agent provocateurs to infiltrate the group. This is a growing concern for all peace protests as was learned in the SSP protest in Canada when 3 members of the police infiltrated the group and attempted to turn it violent.
This is SO dangerous. I am old enough to remember the anti war demonstrations on the campus of UW Madison in the 60’s. People that want to hurt Dr. Paul can make this into a PR nightmare for anybody anywhere near this thing. I think it’s too dangerous for Dr. Paul movement types to go anywhere near this thing. Have our own demonstration several blocks away if you have to and be very very aware that somebody that wants to discredit Dr. Paul would only have to throw a bottle at a Cop from the Dr. Paul crowd and they would have their PR victory. Please Please be very very careful. It smells bad.
There is strength in unity of antiwar forces. I am sorry to read above that several of you are advocating sectarianism when it comes to the march Saturday, re your support of Ron Paul. I hope that you learn from Dr. Paul himself whether he wants his segment showing support of him to separate from the rest of us. For president, I do support Paul, Kucinich, and Gravel, for sure, but right now the thing is to show support to stop the escalation of the war.
ew, this is a bad idea. ANSWER is a pro-commie socialist group. Please call this thing off!! This is not something that will be beneficial to the Ron Paul Campaign at all. Already Ron Paul is too closely associated with the 911 truthers, tying his name in with these ANSWER commies could be the nail in the coffin for Dr. Paul’s campaign.
These hippie peacenik types bring up memories of vietnam and most conservatives associate those people with anti americanism and commies. Most of them are anti-american commies.
Remember we want to get enough people to vote for Dr. Paul in the primaries, but we still want the conservative vote in the general election. It might be best to go undercover, and recruit those people to vote for Dr. Paul in the primaries because 2 peace candidates will bring a quicker end to the war, but we do not want the bad press that those people create.
BAD IDEA, DON”T DO IT!!!
Yeah, the Ron Paul supporters should have a separate march, all
thirty of them.
Or like at the Fort Worth Straw Poll a few weeks ago where we had several hundred and a life size replica of the liberty bell. It and the cheers of the Ron Paul supporters were heard for miles.
I notice all the proIsraeli group are against Ron Paul
because he is opposed to handing billions of our
tax money to the terrorist state of Israel.
Good for you Ron Paul
There are 40,000 RP supporters registered for meet-up groups alone. The next nearest is 5,000 for Obama. Owned.
I think it is a good idea.
Everywhere that activists go can get you associated with people you don’t want to be associated with. That is a hazard of political activism. It is important for Ron Paul supporters to be a part of the antiwar movement and to try to show the other side of the antiwar position. Just showing up can have a tremendous impact on the perception of the movement by the general public.
I am perplexed that the Pro & Con comments on attending the demonstration are ignoring the fact that there are fine breweries along the way.
Since the march is on a Saturday, even Presbyterians are allowed to start drinking before 5 pm.
James,
It appears some think that Ron Paul supporters should find a nice “free speech” zone in which to march. What wussies!
Its bad press! Don’t go, unless you want Ron Paul to lose.
Please use actual arguments when answering blog posts.
You people who do not want the march to proceed think about this. If your Democrat controlled congress appears to be “wishy washy” and not passing important legislation they are accused of being weak and without leadership etc.
If you guys don’t participate in protests such as this one, you will regarded the same.
Fox news will make Ron Paul out to be associated with far out fringe groups. They will make him into a useful idiot. This is a bad idea.
That is for sure.
Honestly, it is just not worth it.
Perception is the key.
Stick to outreach that is done at fairs, festivals, old home days and appeal to people not a bunch of commie nutcases who want the state to raise their children.
It takes all kinds to make an anti-war movement.
Dr. Paul should be there.
It’s fine for him to go, but he has to do a better job of expressing some understanding of, if not agreement with, the terror-stricken rank and file of the Republican primary electorate.
It takes one to know one, and Ron Paul supporters I know are primarily Ross Perot-types. It’s not unlikely that he will pick up friends at the answer rally and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Even so, he hasn’t shown that he is mindful or respectful of the prowar position. He is currently looking too rigid to really perform as president. And I support the guy!
Go and represent yourself. You don’t have to go and carry Ron Paul signs. I don’t get it. You are an individual. Go as an individual. What is the problem?
Fox news will make Ron Paul out to be associated with far out fringe groups. They will make him into a useful idiot. This is a bad idea.
They already do.
What’s more, the left liberal blogs have already effectively banned debates about Ron Paul and have been pushing the line that Ron Paul’s aligned with the white power movement.
Fox and the liberal Dems also attack the far leftist groups like Answer that organize these big DC protests.
If you’ve got Vichyite pro-war liberals and Fox News attacking you at the same time you’re doing something very right.
Unfortunately both Answer supporters and Ron Paul supporters are both probably too sectarian to work together. But they should. In the intellectual realm, nobody thinks twice about going into Barnes and Nobles and putting Chomsky and Chalmers Johnson on the same credit card.
Beware of police instigators! Here in Canada just a few weeks ago we caught on film police instigators at the SPP meetings! These people will say and do anything to further their own agendas - even break the laws they swore to uphold.
“These people”? I guess if you’ve met one, you’ve met them all.
Having helped organize over 500 antiwar rallies in my life, none of which have turned violent, I resent that.
Why are some libertarians such collectivists? Are you so devolved that you are unable to discriminate and that you make snap judgments on such flimsy data?
If they carry RP signs, this will hurt him more than help.
Again: Please use actual arguments. No one is interested in your assertions unless you back them up. They are just taking up space.
Simply saying “this will hurt him” is not contributing to the dialogue.
Are you folks serious? This is a protest against an illegal war upon innocent people and an imperialistic occupation. And you are worried that your anti-war fellow travelers might include hippies and socialists? Who are you with now? Warmongers, greedheads and racist morons are a large part of the pro-war crowd. These are the two sides in this fight - everyone else is on the sidelines. Which side are you on?
You people are hilarious … Have a little backbone already. Go to the march, and you’ll see 10,000 housewives with little kids in strollers. Commies and hippies, my arse. It’s 2007, folks. You don’t have to be a hippie to stand up for something if you genuinely believe in it … As if you’re really going to endanger the chances of Ron Paul winning an election he can’t poll more than 1% in anyway! Sheesh.
I TOTALLY AGREE!
Taking your activism direction from Fox News is like George Bush taking his policy direction from al-Qaeda.
If you don’t express your opinion publicly you won’t be criticized — but you guarantee defeat.
Ron is polling 5% in NH now, we had 10% at the Luntz focus group — just from mainstream GOPers.
So, do you want to spoil this for us for ONE SINGLE ISSUE?
Have a little political savvy won’t you?
Why do you think he is doing well? Because he is hiding his position against the war? Because he is getting good coverage from Fox?
He is getting the support because he is different, because he is antiwar, because his supporters are so vocal.
Are you saying that now that he is getting attention, he should chill out and act like Huckabee?
If you have arguments, make them, don’t just talk down to people and act like they know what you mean.
What you say is illogical, so try to explain your reasoning (if you can).
A very bad idea.
This march is custom-tailored for , who just paid a wonderful, wonderful visit to Syria’s asbsolute ruler and warmonger sans pareil,
Ron Paul’s size is a tad bigger.
An ANTI IRAQ WAR march, not a
pacifist march, would be a good idea later on.It is ill planned to participate in these protests before the Republican primaries. No matter where you stay in the march, you are going to be associated with everything Republicans love to hate, namely: commies and pacifists. And Ron Paul happens to be…, yes, that’s right, a Republican candidate. So go ahead and dig a hole for the Doctor, just make it harder for him to run on a Republican ticket, will you?
RP2008
Listen up Ron Paul supporters…I will be there and I am a Ron Paul supporter also. But the fact is that we are united in our efforts to let this corrupt administration KNOW that this illegal war needs to stop now. We are not marching for Ron Paul in this event, not would he want us to. I will march for Ron Paul at a later date. The focus and purpose of this event is to let GWBs administration KNOW that we want our troops home now and want the killing of civilians to Stop. Lets get this message across and our march will have been successful.
The campaign frowns on this type of thing, officially. I recommend NOT doing this.
Dr. Paul told me himself, that he doesn’t associate with these groups because they ‘have another agenda’ (his own words)
Please be aware you will be associating Dr. Paul with socialists, communists, marxists, and the likes of Castro, Chavez, and Guevara.
These groups are the anti-thesis of what Dr. Paul believes in.
If you want to chance doing harm to the campaign, then go right ahead.
Is it okay to attend anti-immigration rallies and associate with racists and other statists?
If you go anywhere other than a Ron Paul rally you will meet all kinds of people with all kinds of views.
I used to be a socialist. The reason I am now a libertarian is because brave libertarians attended an antiwar rally and had the courage of their convictions — they tried talking to a socialist. That was in 1972. I have been an active libertarian for 35 years.
> Please be aware you will be associating Dr. Paul with
> socialists, communists, marxists, and the likes of Castro,
> Chavez, and Guevara.
Being from Olde Europe I find that such statements have the stink of very unhealthy dogma. They are slo terminally US-centric.
Bovard,
As have others, will those choosing non-participation risk censorship at your blog?
John Lowell
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John Lowell - I assume that the Ron Paul marchers might have the same reaction that I do to someone who continually recites pointless quotes in a foreign language.
Bovard,
And your bringing an example, perhaps?
John Lowell
I heard there was a pretty good Ron Paul contingent today. Please, someone, give me an example of the bad press they got.