FYI -- Not only for its news report on the actions but for insights into the young activist generation's thinking. best, jay http://www.neravt.com/left/ -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Bedtime for Democracy in Boston: "A fuckin' Brawl" Date: Wed, 04 Oct 2000 00:44:24 -0700 From: jatek Bedtime for Democracy in Boston: "A fuckin' Brawl" In Boston style, nobody's a pushover; the protestors of the "Bush=Gore" Corporate Shell Game Debate 'kicked ass' like no one expected. The corporate media showed up 'cause they new they HAD to. Now, I don't expect them to cover it and even if they did, their coverage would be like Old-style communist PRAVDA gibberish. We've all gotten used to their blather. But let me just briefly mention what went down on O3, Bedtime for Democracy. The day started at noon with a tour of downtown Boston, the most nefarious Corporations were associated with the ruling parties. About 500-1000 people attended. It was pleasant, helped the financial district to understand what it's like for others to have a conscience. But the party really kicked into over-drive during the march from Dudley Square to the edge of U Mass where the "debates" where staged. That started around 5 pm. We went through the African American/ Puerto-Rican Roxbury district. The lead truck was great! Good speeches about the lack of decent health care in the African American community--the racism of it. And powerful pleas for the release of Mumia and an end to the racist death penalty. There was lots of support... nobody gave us trouble in the neighborhood and even the traffic was honking for us. The community loved us and we reciprocated. It was great. It was followed by a procession which I never could see the end of from the beginning. My guess is that it was somewhere between 5000-10,000 people at its peak. It was spirited, tons of puppets, props, signs: all very cool--the festive air greatly complemented the rebellious and defiant mood. People were pissed! But there was the street theater element that managed to pull off a very cool skit involving about 50 people! The idea of the skit was to show how voters were throwing away their own personal power as citizen by voting for corporate candidates. And the props and puppets were artfully made and another inspiration showing enormous dedication. And it was a funny skit! Afterwards, people broke into groups and discussed there own visions of what should be our issues addressed by the debate: from homelessness, to corporate rule, to environmental destruction, etc. The Corporate Commission on Presidential Debates ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) is so tyrannical that they were willing to spit in the face of the majority of the people in this country, denying all access to third party candidates. I heard that Ralph Nader even had a TICKET to the debates and the CPD scoundrels wouldn't even let Nader in as a SPECTATOR! What new low will these people stoop to? Haven't they already shit their pants in public? Have they no self-respect? In Japan, such behavior, if brought to an honorable conclusion, would lead to suicide. Ah, if only there were some dignity from that group! But no, none. But no doubt they will move on to new corrupt jobs by 2004. Rotate those with blood on their hands: that's typical. And there _was_ blood. Wild stuff happened as the evening progressed and this article is too short to recount it. At one point police lines made from metal were turned into barricades obstructing the departure of the "spectators" of the "debate". Blood and heroism. Like I've never seen--and I've went through both the WTO and DC. No, I've NEVER seen people stand up to horses... and WIN. Supposedly, otherwise abandoned Gore signs left by bussed-in bullies were used as shields. But that's not what I saw. Nope. I saw people standing their ground with horses plowing into them. Nothing between them or the horses when I was a witness. The horses STOPPED. The cops riding tried to charge, but the horses didn't cooperate. People shouted, "Horses are not weapons." Indeed. On several occasions people risked their lives tonight. It was amazing to see that--it's something I'll never forget. And yes, some people where hit with batons, trampled. I interviewed people who had been pepper-sprayed, video-taped others who had their skulls cracked wide, blood gushing. The medics, in professional form, wouldn't let me get close to injured people. I know that's what they should do, but as someone trying to get out those images of injury (for an injury to one is an injury to all--feel it), I wanted the world to know how bad it got for our most heroic citizens. I was very glad to read at Boston IMC that only about 12 people were arrested? I was worried it was far worse and left before the last half hour. We have a society lurching toward environmental self-destruction led by the myopic vision of quarterly profits. It's going to be hell during the next 20-30 years as the water and oil begin to become exhausted as the world population expands. This fight to reclaim democracy could not be more important: it's about saving the planet. It's about living wages for all, universal health care, an end to the racist death penalty, an end to logging on our national forests, a renewal of civil rights, a growth of civil society, and a shrinking of corporate power. If we can't solve these basic problems, the mass extinction of species taking place will accelerate and there is no recovery from the loss of bio-diversity. Environmental destruction is growing, and Al Gore and George Bush haven't said a word about that. They are professional con-men; sadly, many of fallen for the corporate shell-game. Our job in the next month is to awaken people with the same heroism of the people who wouldn't be moved by horses. <snip> Louis Proyect The Marxism mailing-list: http://www.marxmail.org
