what's ANSWER's track record with rallies?

[shireen]

i'm listening to someone talk about Cuba at an Iraq anti-war?! :eyes:

I'm sympathetic to the Cuban people who have suffered under Castro, but they deserve their own rally. THis one should be focused on Iraq.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

1. I believe ANSWER are Agent Provocateurs.... Last year they did the same shit. Had every fringe cause

talking, taking the credibility away from the anti-war movement.

[cali]

4. Yep. They try and cram in every

fringe topic that anyone wants to bring up, and allow speakers to rave nonsensically. It sucks.

[TheConstantGardener]

11. "fringe topic"

Maybe to sheltered yuppies in the state; ANSWER includes ethnic minorities who want their needs addressed. ANSWER Coalition.

Complain when you hold your own rally. They are standing up for what they believe in, bud.

[cali]

16. I'll criticize whenever I damn well see fit to criticize, lil buddy

Your gratuitous bullshit about yuppies notwithstanding. And guess what?
I have organized my own rallies- starting before the onset of Gulf war I, when I got the local arts organization to lend me their building, and contacted people I didn't even know, including vietnam vets, and 2 prominent activists to speak. Since then I've organized several more. So take your patronizing attitude somewhere, well dark and humid.

[nadinbrzezinski]

26. Since he now has called me a moombat

I think our friend is an agent provocatour

Here is a link

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=436687&mesg_id=436784

[lligrd]

2. It Is One Of The Things That Bothers Me About These Rallies

These rallies and speakers are made up of a variety of groups and interests and to some it appears that those attending agree with everything said. I wonder how they pick some of these speakers. Many of them are really terrible speakers and some don't seem the least prepared.

[vanlassie]

3. YEP- They are not helpful, in my opinion.

I have emailed them to say so too, in the past.

Too much mixing causes is not good for the anti-war message. They're easy to dismiss.

vanlassie

[devilgrrl]

5. ANSWER is a undercover Reich-wing operation...

I won't participate in any of their rally's anymore. Especially after one of their windbags felt the need to chide the cops over the sound system. What an asshole.

ANSWER sucks!

[mahina]

7. Oh please.

[devilgrrl]

12. No. You "Oh Please!"

I'm not impressed and I'm afraid that you'll have to deal with that.

[TheConstantGardener]

13. Then hold your own rally

Don't go criticizing others who paid and worked for it and did a great job IMO.

[devilgrrl]

17. They paid huh? Where'd they get their money from?????

All the power to them - I won't participate.

[roody]

45. I have donated to ANSWER, and will donate tomorrow in SF.

[nadinbrzezinski]

29. Once again , are you a member of International ANSWER

a simple yes or no will work

[devilgrrl]

30. He's a fraud...

just like ANSWER

[mahina]

18. Hey your opinion +/- is your business, but saying they are undercover right wing

is just pure bullshit.

[devilgrrl]

20. Okay prove that they aren't.

eom

[mahina]

22. Logical fallacy.

It is not possible to prove a negative. Educate yourself.

Prove they are please.

Have a beautiful day, peace.

[devilgrrl]

23. ANSWER sucks and I won't have anything to do with them...

have a nice day :hi:

[mahina]

6. Disagree.

What they have that we don't is an organization that endures through the rise and fall of issues and candidates.

Did you hear the young woman from Youth for Truth? WOW.

I know not all the speakers say what we would, so we must then organize our own damn events, and be as consistent and relentless as they.

[SoCalDem]

8. They pay the money, and organize it, so their messages always come out.

and unfortunately turn off a lot of people they mght hope to convert..

but, like Reagan said.. (paraphrasing)" It's their microphone",..they paid for it.so....

[Radical Activist]

9. That's typical.

They see Iraq as being related to US aggression around the world and they make no apologies for tying it all together at their rallies.

That being said, their track record is getting rallies together more quickly and aggressively than other peace organizations. They've done some good things in spite of the red baiting and infighting within the movement.

[TheConstantGardener]

10. UM, it's THEIR RALLY

They can talk about whatever they want, and their MISSION statement includes anti-imperialism that includes Cuba. So hold your own rally then complain about Cuba.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

14. A.N.S.W.E.R. Is A Disgrace And A Detriment To Our Purpose. I Wish They Weren't Associated With Us.

They're all friggin batshit insane in my opinion, but by association it's like they're part of our overall group when most of us shun them. I just wish they'd do their own thing and keep away from us LOL. Know that ain't gonna happen though.

[TheConstantGardener]

27. Hold your own rallies

The 6 DLC people you have come out -- you guys will truly change the world!

[nadinbrzezinski]

31. Hmm so now you accuse me of being a member of the DLC

how to make frinds and influence people

Some of us are questioning them for obvious reasons, and if you cannot see why... well, your problem

Once again, are you a member of International ANSWER?

It is a simple yes or no

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

32. Wait, So In One Thread I'm A Freeper, Now I'm DLC? You Are Too Funny 2 Day Old DU'er!

You're just crackin me up today!

:rofl:

[WillyT]

15. A.N.S.W.E.R. = Act Now to Stop War and End Racism

<snip>

Formed within three days of the September 11th attacks, and officially founded on September 14, 2001 by Ramsey Clark and members of the International Action Center, ANSWER was one of the first organizations formed to protest the policies of the Bush administration in the wake of the September 11 attacks. Its first major action was a September 29, 2001 "Anti-War, Anti-Racist" political rally and march in Washington, D.C., primarily in protest of the then-impending U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. Subsequently the organization has organized rallies drawing crowds in the hundreds of thousands, including several with record-setting numbers of people. ANSWER characterizes itself as anti-imperialist, and its steering committee consists of socialists, Marxists, civil rights advocates, and left-wing progressive organizations from the Muslim, Arab, Palestinian, Filipino, Haitian, and Latin American communities. Many of ANSWER's leaders were members of Workers World Party (WWP) at the time of ANSWER's founding, and are current members of the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL), a Marxist-Leninist organization that formed in 2004.

ANSWER has helped to organize many of the largest anti-war demonstrations in the United States since the September 11, 2001 attacks, and has also organized activities around a variety of issues, ranging from Palestine, to immigrant rights, to Social Security, and the extradition of Luis Posada Carriles. Though its national headquarters are in Washington, D.C., where it organizes its national antiwar demonstrations, the coalition's influence is seen as being strongest in San Francisco, and increasingly, in Los Angeles.

ANSWER's organizing strategy centers on acquiring police permits for public demonstrations, and organizing national demonstrations, giving the group leverage over other groups that do not have the permits or a national network.

<snip>

Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ANSWER

The rallies I've attended have been huge, informative, and a whole lotta fun. If all you do is watch them on C-Span, you are truly missing out.

:shrug:

[cali]

19. I've held my nose and been to two

ANSWER rallies, and I thought most of the speakers sucked and the rhetoric employed is a fucking joke. Oh yeah, like several others here have noted, I'm so turned off by the ANSWER jokers, I will NOT go to another demonstration under their control. Yeah, that's real good for the peace movement.

[WillyT]

25. Wow... Your Commitment Runs Deep...

:evilfrown:

[cali]

28. Despite your lame sarcasm

it does indeed run deep. I suggest you look upthread at my post about organizing vigils and programs against war starting prior to Gulf War I, so screw your snide little comment.

[WillyT]

33. LOL !!! - I Had A Great Time, Met A Whole Bunch Of Wonderful People...

learned a lot, and became even more committed after attending several of these protests.

What happened to you?

:shrug:

[nadinbrzezinski]

34. Some of us still attend rallies

just not those where we are not welcome due to our birth.

(Yep their racism runs deep)

[WillyT]

35. I Was In San Francisco For Most Of Them... Missed The Racism...

Where were you?

:shrug:

[nadinbrzezinski]

36. San Diego

and in san francisco they told Rabi Lerner NOPE you are not welcome

You see, if you are a Jew, you are automatically a zionist for many of them

So I am not welcome, I won't go.

I'll be at the vigil organized by Move On though...

[WillyT]

38. I'm Pretty Sure There Were Jewish Speakers At The Rallies

Maybe they were just Isreali speakers, I'm not sure.

And I'm sorry you felt unwelcome. They need to address that if true, because the fate of of the entire middle east, if not the world, is at stake here.

[nadinbrzezinski]

39. As I said I was un welcomed

and Bernie Ward was the first to cover the fact that they told Rabbi Lerner not only are you not welcome but you are a damn zionist

Never mind Rabbi Lerner has dome far more to bring Palestinians and Israelis (as well as Jewish Americans and Arab Americans) together than anybody I can remember.

So I stay away...

Not that I have been silent, not by a long stretch, just found my way to make my feelings felt through other means

[cali]

42. What happened to me?

I took the bus for 14 hours. I got out. I listened to speeches. I marched. I carried my sign. I enjoyed looking for the cleverest sign. I got back on the bus and went home. I fucking hate crowds. I don't like long fucking bus trips. I went, not to have a good time. I went because of deeply held beliefs. I've done it three time. I hate it. I didn't learn anything I didn't know.

Oooh, now you can condemn me as a baaad liberal, because I didn't have the proper spirit. Fortunately, the friends I go with, feel roughly the same way. And I could give a shit what you and your righteous little friends have to say.

[WillyT]

46. Maybe You'd Be Better Off Home-Protesting

:shrug:

[mahina]

21. I guess they keep making the point that the problem is bigger than the Iraq invasion.

On good days I hold the hope that the silver lining here is that people will see we've been doing this shit for decades. Nicaragua, Columbia, Chile, Guatemala, El Salvador, all over the world. It's the imperialism that has to change, and ANSWER offends because it reminds us of an unpleasant truth, that this is not an anomaly but our norm.
Anyway, Peace.

[roody]

24. I thank answer for being there.

I'll be marching with them in SF tomorrow. I thank them for seeing the big picture. Iraq is just more of the same.

[KG]

40. that is ANSWERs point - the iraq war is only part the bigger problem

i applaud ANSWERs effort to keep other issues in the mix at the anti-war rally.

[blues90]

37. It would be nice if the rallies could focus on one issue

However the US has been raping countries for many years and Cuba could be next . I don't know how to separate the US being 5% of the worlds population using 40% of the worlds resouces and then to trim down the outrage .

This rally was supposed to be aimed at stopping the Iraq occupation and to toss out bush and cheney .

I imagine rallies are expensive to produce , they were not 40 years ago but then we were on one issue , stopping the Vietnam war .

So people may need more rallies to separate the causes . At least there were no save the whales or save the fish protester signs there . Not that I don;t want whales saved .

[catmandu57]

41. We have this conversation after every rally

They're the only game in town, that's why we're there. At least this time Palestine wasn't so prominent. Until we get our own game organized we play on their terms, why someone hasn't stepped forword and done that yet is a mystery to me.

[KG]

43. i hear ya, bro. i am so waiting for the dem party to sponsor an anti-war rally!!!

heh. no, i'm not.

coz the dem party ain't anti-war.

[roody]

44. Raytheon was a proud sponsor of Dem Convention

in Boston. NOT anti-war.

[blues90]

47. It's a shame so few people could get there .

I heard buses were snowed in and many could not attend . Another thing that sort of troubled me was no one had a sign or said a word about walter reed and the conditions there , this is directly related to this damn war .