If we the left, at large, means to assume power in this country, I don't think the A.N.S.W.E.R. coalition will get us very far. They are not repellant to the tens of thousands that attend their events, like the one today in Washington, and they know how to plan an event, but their message and their leadership is not on point.
The issue of consensus drawing the great number of people today to Washington today is American aggression in Iraq. There are a countless other reasons drawing individuals and various factions: the deficit, civil liberties, cronyism, election reform, hostility in other parts of the world; the list goes on and on. And its great that, I'm sure, that the protest attendees are informing one-another of the the issues other than Iraq that they care about. But ANSWER, the organizers of the event, despite being responsible for the protest today against aggression in Iraq, use their platform at this protest promote their agenda on other issue. On the banner behind the stage, there's a sign that says, "end the occupation from Iraq to Palestine." The issue of Israel and Palestine is ver important and an important debate to have. I don't know exactly where ANSWER stand on this issue, and I think I might well lean towards ANSWER's position, but this is not the venue. They should organize a 'Free Palestine' rally. The issue of Iraq is important enough that we should have a single issue rally. That's what should be going on today. Furthermore, ANSWER's mixing Iraq with other issues exposes those who oppose the war to criticisms from the right for things not immediately related with the aggression of Iraq. Yes, Israel and Palestine and the war in Iraq are related, but this is confusing to the public at large. And this makes us vulnerable to debate why we're not anti-semetic for attending an anti-Israel event; even though that may not be a proper characterization of ANSWER's position.
ANSWER shows poor leadership for vocally advocating a perspective on controversial issues during what attendees should expect to be a single-issue-organized rally. There are other problems with their leadership. ANSWER staffers are not worthwhile speakers, but every other speaker is one. There should be no shortage of prominant speakers for such an event. If ANSWER were not so controversial a group, perhaps party leaders would not shy from their stage. Furthermore, shouting repeatedly protest slogans from the stage by event organizers is lame (by attendees, sponateously, is different. ANSWER's trying to force enthusiam, but it feels like brain-washing, and the crowd's participation is usually reluctant). And I remember attending one of the pre-war ANSWER protests, the man on the microphone shouting "Free Palestine," expecting the corwd to join in. Again, have a free-Palestine rally. Don't cloud a Stop a War Against Iraq rally. Don't make me defend ANSWER's position on Palestine when I'm trying stop a war against Iraq.
I think Moveon.org would be much better suited to hold a massive Washington protest. Or United for Peace and Justice. Their organized protest in NYC was very good and stuck to the message. I've attended past protests against the war, but I didn't for this one. It would have been a long drive, there's a concert in NYC I'm going to, but had ANSWER not been the organizer, and a far less embarassing group organized today's event, I would have surely dropped my plans and endured the imposition of the travel.