March 24, 2007 -Page One (Click for Page two)
The March 24 Coalition organized the rally and march to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the US invasion, and to further the growth of an effective peace movement. Goals include advancing to influence the Presidential Primary elections, and expanding and strengthening reisistance to the war in Iraq, and against wars everywhere. STWC's Regional Organization Website ABOUT THE MARCH: Veterans for Peace received disgraceful mistreatment at a recent Memorial Day Parade. They were at first forbidden from marching, then after a struggle, allowed to take up the tail end of the parade. Despite this disrespect, the gathering of Vets, many of whom are decorated with military honors, received thunderous applause from the people. With this disgraceful conduct in mind, Stop the Wars asked Veterans for Peace to lead the March. Midway through the march parade, two brass bands Second Line Social Aid and Pleasure Society (See video) and the Leftist Marching Band from New Hampshire, combined to play together, adding a New Orleans flavor.
ABOUT THE PENTAGON MARCH: The March 24th event was scheduled so as not to interfere with the March on the Pentagon one week earlier, which I also attended and recorded. That impressive event, which terminated with a huge rally in the Pentagon parking lot, was met with a large contingent of "counterprotestors" whose rude and illegal behavior was (mis)reported by corporate press as "passionate." Their illegal activities included spitting on peace marchers, urling obsceities and making numerous physical attacks. Today's Main Stage Emcee, Brian O'Connell was a victim of one such attack. Had peace marchers behaved similarly, no doubt theu would not have been described as "passionate" but as "violent." |
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"We are here to celebrate Democracy!" Shouts Sergio Reyes, of the Boston May Day Coalition, as he invites people to sign in for their chance to use the Open Mic Stage. Dozens of people took to the amplified stage to sing, to play their guitars, to recite and to rant. Reyes, who was a Political Prisoner in Chile, (article) is involved with numerous peace and justice efforts.
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Sergio Reyes of the Boston May Day Coalition hosts the Open-Microphone Stage. |
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An audience quickly gathers around the Open Mic Stage |
A Guitar and Spoken Word Performer
Bryan McPherson Delivers Rough and Raucous Anti-War Songs
A Spoken Word Performer
Jason of The Scallywags
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At the outer edge I spotted, Vietnam Veteran Chuck Williams as he awaited his turn at the stage. I had the privilege of being the Sound Tech when Chuck graciously contributed his talent to the "Escalate Peace" fund raiser, an effort that helped the March 24 Coalition to hire the big sound system for the main stage, where Chuck also played. Williams performed his song "On The Line" which you can hear on Neil Young's Anti-War Music website, where it currently ranks twenty-ninth among about fifteen hundred tunes! Young's project advances anti-war music. On his site, you can rank your favorites ...and you must hear Jim Page's typically too-clever song, "Petroleum Bonaparte!" (I recorded Jim once, too! He sang extemporaneously about my dog!) |
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Nick Giannone of Stop The Wars Coalition was a major contributor to the event through his organizing and labor. Here he takes a well-deserved break, relaxing on the stage he built. Radio Free Maine's Roger Leisner is on the right. Stop the Wars meets regularly at Encuentro 5 in Chinatown. Giannone also organized the Copley Square Human Peace Symbol, (pictured below,) one of the events bringing advance attention to today's rally and march.
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Howard Zinn |
The Boston Common Bandstand, (also called the gazebo,) served as the Main Stage. Performers and speakers, included Cindy Sheehan, Author and Historian Howard Zinn, (pictured above.) Zinn was received with great enthusiasm as he spoke from his experience, both as a WWII Veteran and as a major opponent to the so-called "Vietnam war." (In Vietnam, you see, it's caled "the American War.") Sheehan also spoke at a fund raiser with City Councillor Felix Arroyo and Grace Ross the previous night. (I was at the stage with Cindy Sheehan and Melida (and also Carlos) Arredondo as they spoke at the March on the Pentagon the previous Saturday.) |
Main Stage Roster and ScheduleStage Emcees:
Speakers:
Schedule:
MARCH
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The Foundation Movement |
| The Foundation Movement, featuring Ernesto Arroyo (Left) offered their special blend of beats and politics. Ernesto's father, Felix is often seen and heard addressing crowds from this same stage. He made a rousing speech last May Day, as the Immigrant Rights movement held a huge rally on the Common. |
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| See and hear "The Foundation" (and Klare Allen) in my video of a rally in Roxbury about government negligence surrounding the hurricane Katrina. The video was nominated for an award by CCTV Cambridge, where it was broadcast as part of the You Are Here news magazine program.) Watch! |
Curious visitors read leaflets explaining the Rally
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I first met Doug Zachary of Veterans for Peace (above) at a VFP event featuring Bob Watada, whose son Ehrin is a war resitor. You can hear Doug, Bob Watada, Rostam Pourzal, and others at my page on the Watada event, (Aired on ZBC-FM) right here. |
A boy offers a card announcing "Resist Dance."
Copyright 2007, freemanz.com
