This is What Democracy Looks Like

Following the week long encampment at the edge of the reflecting pool of the Capitol, a multi-national group of protestors marched in Washington, D.C. on September 29th. Groups such as the Green Party, Iraq war veterans, Code Pink, immigrants rights activists, students, Worker’s World, survivors of Hurricane Katrina among many others joined the Troops Out Now Coalition to protest the war in Iraq. With the appropriations passed in the last session of Congress due to expire on October 1st, protestors chanted “Congress, the whole world is watching -- CUT OFF WAR FUNDS.” Protestors urged Congress to take bi-partisan action and stop the Bush-led U.S. imperialist war at home and abroad with the idea that war funds should be diverted to healthcare, education and more attention given to stopping the attacks on the working class and working poor especially in areas such as the Gulf Coast regions.

As per usual, little-to-no media attention was given to the organized, well-attended march in Washington, D.C. Other marches, such as the Troops Out Now Coalition march in Los Angeles, were also well-attended and greatly ignored by the main stream press. As of this morning, a Google search hit on a very few stories one of which included attention given to the “Breasts Not Bombs” campaign – mainly because of the five shirtless women at the march on Saturday. Perhaps more shirtless protesting will provide the media with enough interest to report on future demonstrations.

Further demonstrations are being organized such as the National Mobilization to End the War in Iraq. On October 27th, eleven massive demonstrations for Peace will be held in Boston, Chicago, Jonesborough, Tennessee, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York City, Orlando, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, and Seattle. For more details visit the United for Peace and Justice website here: http://www.unitedforpeace.org/

Photos by Melissa Parris.