AIN'T NO POWER LIKE THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE, 'CUZ THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE DON'T STOP

Took part in the war protests today. I keep wanting to say "anti-war protests" but really, that would indicate that I was pro-war. We actually were commenting that there were a couple of people with "NO WAR" signs, in which there was a red strike through the "WAR" bit, which kind of made it a double negative, like no no war, but we didn't think they'd really appreciate having us point it out.

My favorite signs were probably the "DUDE, WHERE'S MY WAR?" ones (with a particularly 'duh' looking one of Dubya). Favorite protestors were the group dressed up like Rosie the Riveter with signs that said, "We can do it! But we shouldn't. No War on Iraq." Favorite cheer was by a group of cheerleaders singing "Pies to the warmongers! Pies to the warmongers!" One of my cohorts was very sad because he didn't have a sign. By the end of the march, he'd managed to obtain one. Very happy boy.

All in all, it was a beautiful day for fattening up that old FBI file.

It was sunny, and tens of thousands of people showed up. The most recent estimate I heard was about 80,000, but I think that's inaccurate. Sounds low to me. The march ended up taking forever and being a bit grueling because of the number of people involved, and I think some people ended up leaving because they were tired. We ended up moving so slowly that we started to refer to it as a "Protest Mosey" as opposed to a "Protest March." I know that a bunch in our group had kids and they could only take it so long. At any rate, it was great to see so many people. Really funny, too, what a social event it was. Cries of people greeting friends and hugging and all that.

We're very civil here in our civil disobedience. Andy was telling me that during the Gulf War protests, some of the participants started fires in trash cans, and others, following behind them, put the fires out. The police tend to be cool and calm about the whole thing--I guess they kind of have to be. But it's cool to see the fellow marchers helping those with strollers, saying "excuse me" if they bump into someone else...also funny to see all of the people lining the streets to watch the protests, like it was some kind of parade.

Speaking of which, the Gay Pride Parade is much better organized. I think gay men would just not put up with any of this moseying business. They would be in the front saying, "Come on, people!" I'm sure of it. The whole march would have taken twenty minutes, and would have been far more stylish.

We were talking about Gay Pride Parades at the DEVO concert in the park as well. We were walking toward the concert like, as one of my friends put it, "Like some kind of indie Gay Pride Parade, only we're not gay, and not particularly proud." We started referring to ourselves as the "Indie Shame Parade."

Anyway, on the walk home I think I may have stress-fractured my ankle again. I can't really walk right now, but I'll see what it's like tomorrow.