the blind leading the hopeful...

As we gathered in D.C. to protest the fact that our government was lying to and ignoring us, another essential contributor to democracy was choosing to ignore us...the mainstream media.

I'm not so naive to have believed before this that they were encouraged to follow our cause or highlight our successes (or even really deliver the news) - but the near absence of coverage of this rather large event is unforgivable. I don't toss around the word "abhorrent" too often, but it's appropriate.

Granted, I know that there are many things going on...there was a major hurricane wreaking yet more havoc on the Gulf Coast that morning...there was (thankfully) continuing coverage of the pathetic and unforgivable response to Hurricane Katrina...there's the sad and unnecessary ongoing war in Iraq that takes more young, brave lives each day...and a host of other issues out there. But this was hundreds of thousands of people. On the streets outside the White House. Very clearly and vocally telling the people of our nation and the world that our government is failing us, with dire consequences for our nation and the world. Where were they? Where was the press? It's so sad that to get decent coverage of this event (and many others) I had to turn to news sources in other countries to get even remotely accurate or in-depth information.

Enough media ranting...and a little more on the protest, for now.

After aprox. 3 hours of speeches at the Ellipse, my friends and I joined the march alongside a long train of flag-draped coffins. Lots of great chants - our personal favorite was the oh so rhythmic and catchy "Move Bush, get out the way, get out the way...Move Bush..." and the familiar "This is what democracy looks like; this is what democracy sounds like..." For a while we followed behind a very fun troupe of marching drummers.

Some clever acts - a great puppetry act with a guy dressed as the devil holding the puppet strings of Dick Cheney, who was in turn holding onto the strings of GW, who was holding a big blow-up earth and performing destructive acts and demeaning gestures towards it.

Always fun and imaginative, the Billionaires for Bush troupe was out, an anti-Bush group that attends protests in ball gowns and suits, looking like polite society and holding signs proclaiming their appreciation for hi-income tax breaks and the like.

The Raging Grannies were also a welcome sight - they put on a great show near the beginning of the rally that I hope to post if I can ever upload audio onto this thing.

Despite good competition, I'd have to say that my favorite sign simply said "The RAPTURE is NOT an EXIT STRATEGY."

On our way home from the protest (from the Mall to a friend's house in D.C.) , in the shadow of the national monument once the sun had receded behind a dark red sky (read: d.c. pollution), we saw that Sheehan's Camp Casey had set up next to hundreds of memorial crosses near the monument.

In the end, it was just nice to be among intelligent, peaceful people coming together for the great cause of our time - rallying against an unelected president who wields power for it's own sake and has no loftier ambitions for a nation so great than to saturate it with money and power for the wealthy, white and morally weak. Despite my low expectations, the media still managed to disappoint me...but really, the convergence was invigorating.

Fuck the media. We know the people are with us. It's clear in Bush's declining approval rating and the low and constantly plummeting approval of our war and occupation in Iraq. People are mad. They are mad that their sons and daughters and friends and relatives are dying in a war that has no forseable end and no no substantiated purpose. Mad that the wealthiest and (often) least deserving among us get pats on the back and big tax breaks. Mad that our so-called leaders turned its back on an underserved and very important part of our national community in a time of crisis and human suffering. And I hope they are mad and getting madder that this government wants to take a national crisis and turn it into an opportunity to turn one of this nation's cities with the most culture and character into an upscale development and playground for the rich and properly pious.

God knows why it took so long, but I'm hoping that people are finally starting to wake up. The most crucial part of democracy is the people who it's meant to represent; our greatest enemy is apathy. This is a crucial time in our history, and in this struggle, I've been very disappointed in our general decision to ignore our responsibilities and decline to hold our government accountable.

Generally a pessimist, I'm encouraged now to hold to a glimmer of hope that the people of this nation still care about our global image and have a desire to work for the greater good. We can continue to shop and consume and ignore the world around us, or we can take on the responsibility of being a largely privileged group of people that can be good international neighbors. The issues at face value may seem abstract - global terrorism, scientific research on environmental issues, social mores and religious values - but when you just take the time to think about them, it becomes very simple: a safe place for ourselves and our children - no matter what race, color, or religion.

Ok...before I start singing "Cumbaya' with my candle in the dark, this is katya, signing off for now...

This Is (pretty much) What Democracy Looks Like

Well, Bush wasn't in D.C. but a hell of a lot of other people were today. (apparently, Bush was in Austin, TX.)

We arrived at the "Ellipse" around 10:30 am, where United for Peace and Justice, ANSWER, et al were assembling. Code Pink started off just accross the way. As the crowd gathered, we were told that more were on their way, stuck up in the D.C. metro system and traffic.

By around 11:30, they announced that about 250,000 people has assembled, with more still on the way. A number of speakers from 10 am to around 2 pm... From Jesse Jackson to Ralph Nader, Cindy Sheehan, George Galloway, Elias Rashmawai, leaders from the labor movement, Unite, ANSWER and ImpeachBush.com...all demanding an end to the occupation of Iraq (and Palestine, Haiti, the Philippines...), and asking Americans to demand truth and responsibility from their government (didn't really quite get ALL that accomplished today, but...)

Galloway, an author and a member of British Parliament, said: "There is an absolute need for your country and for my country to stand shoulder to shoulder against the war criminals -Tony Blair and George W. Bush. It is also important to demonstrate to the peoples of the world, particularly the people of the occupied world, that these criminals are not acting in our name. This is not any clash of civilizations! This is not a war between the people of the West and the people of the East. This is not between Christianity and Islam. George Bush does not represent any civilization!"

Many great signs, wonderful people, and suprisingly chill police. There was a small group of protesters protesting the protest - always nice to see. They camped out outside the FBI building and, from what I heard, struck up some heated but not violent conversations with the peace demonstrators. As usual, the mainstream media is giving the pathetic numbers of pro-bush supporters equal media time as the hundreds-of-thousands anti-bush contingent on tonights news in the effort to be 'fair and balanced."

The protest was HUGE, although I'm going to take the current reports on turnout with a grain or 2 of salt...speakers at the rally were reporting a high of 300,000, while other media sources are leaving it at something like 'much more than the 100,000 expected.' The police have so far declined to comment on the population of the protest, but I do know that the line of people circled the protest route (aprox 20 blocks) so fast that for a while there was no place to go - the protest route was full of people and for a little bit it was more like a stand in than a march.

Evening events were good - my highlight of the evening was a great performance by the Coup... and a great set by Steve Earl. Spirits were high and the organization of the event was excellent - now it's all of our jobs to take that energy and determination back to our own communities (Blogger is not letting me upload any more pics right now for some reason, so i'll try again tomorrow)


So...I've slept maybe 10 hours since last Thursday and I don't think I can make much more of this right now. So many things going on today, my brain is mush and it's one of those things I'll just have to ponder for longer before I'll have any perspective. More to come... and it'll sound a hell of a lot more exciting after a hell of a lot of sleep...I promise!

So this one time, while playing dance dance revolution extreme...

Really just a post to see if this works....but in an effort to be purposeful, have you read the speech John Kerry gave at Brown University (9/19)? Never one to think than Kerry is particularily inspiring, I was much encouraged by his (and the party's) sudden ability find some balls and speak some truth. A long speech - I didn't hear it or see it but only read it - damn thing is like 6 pages long - but gutsy and real and... isn't it incredible when the logical and obvious suddenly seems ballsey and amazing to actually say out loud? Intelligent people have been saying this stuff for years, but ...it's still encouraging! Anyway, check it out, and I'll end my sorry excuse for a first post. www.johnkerry.com

Oh, and by the way, check out the upcoming live blog as my farm friends and I trek to D.C. for the Sept. 24th protest...up and coming to you Sat. night live from www.madisonobserver.org/madblogs.html

Thanks!