“The gay movement sustained a serious setback in California. The campaign to beat back the right wing that framed our oppression out there---the defeat of marriage equality as an exercise of religious freedom of all things---didn’t work. [The gay movement] didn’t mobilize gay and lesbian people and our allies to go door-to-door. They didn’t put a gay face on the issue. In fact, they did the opposite. They de-gayed the campaign in an effort to appeal to the people they thought would be offended by the images that most people in fact found very compelling---the images of gay and lesbian people getting married in California. They de-gayed the campaign and they sustained a serious defeat.
I want to contrast that to what happened in this very plaza several weeks ago when 5,000 people --- GLBT and our allies --- came out here in angry denunciation of the defeat in California to demand equal rights.”
Schwartz also spoke about the Republic Windows workers and cited it as an example of why we must demand change and work for it from the ground up.
“We saw a second example of grassroots activity that delivered the goods. The Republic Windows workers occupied the shop floor and demanded them what was due to them," said Schwartz. "They demanded backpay due to them under federal law. They achieved an important victory in getting six to eight thousand dollars in benefits that were due to them. These are examples that we should look to do when seeing how change comes when organized from the bottom up.”
Father Bossie appropriately put this organized event into perspective:
“I was thinking of Margaret Mead’s comment, “Never doubt that a small group of people that can change the world cause that’s all that ever has.” I was riding down on the bus here this morning and I was thinking of Che Guevara’s great words that a true revolutionary is motivated by feelings of great love. I really firmly believe that.
There’s a silence over our land today deeper than the cold and snow of winter itself. That silence is being broken by us today as we say no to U.S. aggression to Afghanistan and Pakistan---an aggression to which the Obama Administration has already committed itself.
I hope that he is up in his office today looking down upon us as his most dedicated friends.”
As each person stood up to speak from these groups and later 9/11 Truth and the Green Party (the person who spoke was the Green Party candidate running in the special election for Rahm Emanuel’s seat in Congress), each person spoke about truly bringing real change and justice by advancing their agenda further. While it may seem like many people were simply advancing pet projects, all called for an end to the “war on terror,” something the activists find to be sorely needed in this country not only because the American people will benefit but because innocent civilians are being tortured and killed because of the endless ideological conflict being waged by America.
Activists there were very cognizant of the fact that this country needs bold and courageous individuals to step up and take a stand.
The leaders planned, in advance, a "sidewalk walk" up and down State St in the Loop. This area where many Chicagoans come to shop especially during the holiday season made it possible for the groups who had come together to make an even bigger impact than they did in the plaza near Obama’s transition office.
While this was an important action for the fact that the antiwar movement had a presence, organizers were not able to get people to attend like the Prop 8 organizers have been able to get people to attend their protests. Unfortunately, it seems like too many simply think the wars are going to end all by themselves now that Obama is going to be president or some think the wars are in fact really over because they do not see regular reports on the news or the people just do not think their voice matters.
Some members of the antiwar movement, who have been regularly protesting for the past six to seven years, have grown weak in their opposition. Feeling the need to cautiously ask Obama for change, these people have gone from fueling a vibrant inspirational force to being a poor, sorry advocate for so-called hope and change.
The UFPJ assembly this weekend was important because UFPJ is in a position to bolster the antiwar movement in this country and give it a charge that will bring about real change and justice. If what David Swanson writes in his report on the assembly is the truth, Americans might see a truly organized and united antiwar movement take shape and make an impact like the Prop 8 protests over the past month have.
It would be great to give UFPJ the benefit of the doubt, but typically, they have wanted to handle Obama as gently and as little as possible.
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