The A.N.S.W.E.R. Problem [View All]

[earthmama]

I went to the local vigil last night and was handed a flyer for the Sept 24th protest. I was planning on going to the DC protest, actually had a hotel reserved but after receiving this flyer, I decided to cancel my trip. WHY?

On this flyer from A.N.S.W.E.R., the top of it read "STOP THE WAR IN IRAQ." You betcha. But then it says:

- Support Palestinian people right of return
- End Colonial Occupation: Iraq, Palestine, Haiti
- US out of the Philippines
- US out of Puerto Rico
etc.

This is looking like a repeat of the Oct 25, 2003 march in San Francisco. I was there at the font of the march and had volunteered to carry an A.N.S.W.E.R. banner. Imagine my surprise when, expecting to carry something about bringing our troops home, I was instead handed a big green "Free Palestine" banner. Huh?

I think A.N.S.W.E.R. needs to learn something about setting priorities and focusing efforts on one thing at a time. While I am certainly sympathetic to many of their other causes, in order to be effective we need to focus our energy on one thing at at time. We are marching in DC against the war in Iraq. Not against the Palestinian occupation. Not about Haiti. Puerto Rico? With all these mixed messages, we on the left wind up looking like disorganized clowns to the media, and they slant their reporting to reflect this perception. We need middle America to hear our voice ABOUT THIS ONE CAUSE. With all the other crap being protested we are going to wind up looking like we do not have our bolts screwed in right.

We are at a turning point in the country thanks to Cindy Sheehan. We need to do this right. We can not afford to make any mistakes here.

When you see the freepers protesting, misguided as they are they at least do it right. They don't dilute their message by trying to heap on every right wing grievance at once. They are there for one cause and one cause only, and they stick to their Rovian talking points. Simple-minded and evil, but effective.

Please keep these protests focused on the war in Iraq. Once we win this, then we can "move on" to the next issue. Success breeds success.

I am calling A.N.S.W.E.R. today to voice my concerns and I hope more of you will join me.