[Cross-Posted from my blog, Forged Demon]
I have an uneasiness with many anti-war organizations, and I am sometimes relunctant to join with them because of these misgivings. One of these is that the organizations seem more about vilifying their enemies (Bush and the police) and scoring political points rather than staying on the anti-war message. Case-in-point: one of our local anti-war organizations, St. Pete for Peace.
More after the flip...
A little background. For the last few months, St. Pete for Peace has been holding weekly protests every Saturday night outside a place called Baywalk, which is an upscale shopping and dining plaza in the heart of downtown. They make lots of noise, yell and holler, and generally annoy everyone going there. Of course, the Baywalk merchants don't want them there, and have tried all sorts of nefarious plots to oust them. There have been some scuffles with the law and even a few arrests. This seems to have given rise to a huge amount of enmity between the protestors, the city, and police.
To me, it seems that this particular organization has now been co-opted into an anti-police movement because of this enmity. They are too focused on their conflict with the city and the police. They are losing focus on the peace message, deciding instead to fight the wrong battle. They've got signs suggesting the police are fascists, they chant about the loss of their first amendment rights, they purposefully violate ordinances. But what does any of that have to do with war? Why not obey the ordinances of the city? Keep the noise level down and be respectful of the police and your fellow citizens. By breaking the law, they are just giving the merchants a chance to crack down on them. They are engendering anger in all the Baywalk patrons and the police, rather than getting their message across. And, perhaps most importantly, scaring off law-abiding (fearing?) citizens who otherwise agree with them. I hate to say it, but these protestors could really learn from their conservative counterparts. The Schiavo protests in Pinellas Park were far more effective, and almost all the arrests occurred as planned acts of civil disobedience. The protestors were respectful of the laws and the police, for the most part, and they were able to communicate their message as a result.
To St. Pete for Peace I ask, why not try this: be respectful of the police. They're just doing their jobs. The majority are not fascist pigs, especially here in St. Petersburg. Thank them for being there to protect you (even if you think they're not). Bring them soft drinks, water, and snacks so they don't have to be so pissed off about standing around in 100 degree heat watching you hoot and holler in your shorts and Birkenstocks. Talk to them and find out how you can stay within the law and keep people from being arrested. Apologize for demonizing and attacking them. Why make the police into enemies with name calling and verbal violence? These are your neighbors and they're part of your community. They can be an aid to the struggle rather than a hindrance.
So what if the ordinances limit your style of protest? Deal with it. Instead of yelling and making noise, confront Baywalk visitors with disturbing but silent images of maimed children and soldiers. Hold candlelight vigils. Conduct street theater performances. Give solemn speeches rather than raving demogoguery via bullhorn. Have religious leaders come to the rallies to speak out and lead prayer services. Megaphone chanting and noise-making is juvenile and will only serve to annoy people.
And, please, stop the Bush bashing and cliched anti-right slogans (no blood for oil, Bush lied people died, etc.). It's great fun to bash chimpy, I know. But it just polarizes us, and gives those who most need to listen (Republicans) an excuse not to ("you're just being partisan"). Also, stop with all the immoral and illegal war talk. We all know it was illegal. And no modern war is moral. Change up the message and focus on the victims (the U.S. soliders and Iraqi people) and the horror and injustice of war. It doesn't matter that the president is a liar - everyone with half a brain knows that now. What matters is that we end this war as soon as possible. Unless, of course, you're pushing a partisan agenda.
I can't in good conscience join an organization which gives off the appearance of not having pure anti-war motivations and gets side-tracked into pissing contests with the local officials. I'm not getting arrested because some anti-war leader wants to prove he/she has bigger balls than the police and city council. If you're peaceful, respectful, and obey the laws, maybe people will listen and you won't go to jail. When you're rude, disorderly, and confrontational, you will achieve nothing and you will probably get arrested. People must empathize with you before they will listen to you.
Cindy Sheehan is showing us how a protest can work in the modern day. They are being peaceful AND respectful, and the media is lining up behind them. They are on friendly terms with the police, who are helping them. This isn't the sixties. It's clear that the old confrontational style of protest is ineffective at best, and catalyzing at worst. Let's not re-create Kent State. Let's not make more enemies. The enemy is war, and that's more than enough.
I'm far from an expert on protests, and maybe I'm completely off base with this assessment. Believe me, I'm as angry as the rest of you. But to me it's clear that "angry mob" protests aren't accomplishing anything but further polarization. I don't want to offend anyone, but maybe it's time we looked at new tactics that persuade and move the people, since our politicians learned how to cover their ears a long time ago.