Martin Luther King Jr. Anniversary March for Peace

REVIEW:

It is difficult to precisely describe the power of this march. Official estimates put the crowd at around 40,000 or 50,000, which is hard to believe, since that many folks get dumped into the streets of San Francisco on any lunch break or after any ballgame. And it never looks like this. Organizers claim 200,000 or more. The truth is probably somewhere in between. Regardless, everyone agrees it was the largest turnout for such an event since Vietnam. And you have to remember that war was in full swing before it garnered this reaction.

Neither the press coverage nor this writing do justice to the diversity of the crowd. Folks from every age group wearing all sorts of attire attended the demonstration. I was especially happy to see many parents sharing their support for Iraqi families with their own children. This more than anything else gave me the sense we were truly accomplishing something. Perhaps our youths will evolve to the point where these acts of violence will no longer be considered, much less debated.

If you missed this event, know there are more on the way. A similar rally is already planned for February 15th. Check out www.InternationalANSWER.org for the scoop.

Added January 24, 2003
By C. "Claxton" Murray


I don't know if this quite qualifies as a deed, but it seems worthy of posting regardless. In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, as well as his public condemnation of America's war against Vietnam 36 years ago, people from across the country will be gathering in Washington D.C. and San Francisco on Saturday, Jan. 18th in an effort to stop the war on Iraq.

Both rallies will begin at 11 a.m. local time with participants meeting at the west side of the Capitol building in Washington and at the intersection of Market Street and the Embarcadero in San Francisco. The marches will end at the Washington Navy Yard and the Civic Center, respectively. They will be followed by speakers, entertainment and cultural performances.

Please bring water, snacks, layered clothing and comfortable shoes, as we will spend several hours outside and on foot. Banners, costumes and other gear that might bring attention to the cause are encouraged. As always, if you're interested in meeting up with a fellow AmbitiousAddict at the SF rally, shoot me a note ahead of time and we'll make appropriate arrangements.

-Claxton

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
nowardc@yahoo.com
New York 212-633-6646
Washington 202-544-3389
Chicago 773-878-0166
San Francisco 415-821-6545

International A.N.S.W.E.R.
Act Now to Stop War & End Racism
www.InternationalANSWER.org

Added January 8, 2003
By C. "Claxton" Murray


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