As hundreds of thousands of people marched today past Madison Square Garden,
the site of the Republican National Convention, the chant "Impeach Bush" and
"Bush Lied, Thousands Died" echoed through midtown Manhattan.
Today the people spoke. There were military veterans, soldiers, family
members of soldiers in Iraq, trade unionists, students, the elderly, womenÂs
organizations, every antiwar and peace group and others who stood united in
their opposition to the criminal policies and acts of Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld
and other high officials. Some of those marching today may have believed
Bush at the start of the Iraq war but they donÂt anymore. They know now that
they have been lied to and they are angry and frustrated and they want
action taken.
Today's huge demonstration in New York City revealed the depth of opposition
both to Bush's criminal war in Iraq and its reactionary assault on civil
rights and civil liberties at home. The Mayor and the police worked to
stifle and limit dissent by restricting free speech rights and by creating a
climate of fear and intimidation. They were assuming that people would
capitulate without a struggle.
In the last few weeks in New York City, however, the opposite happened.
People got mad, they spoke out, a political and legal challenge was
undertaken. The political climate changed dramatically. Four days ago the
Daily News reported that 71% of New Yorkers agreed that the demonstrators
should have the right to have a permit in Central Park.
Now the police and government are once again trying to minimize the
demonstration by using a ridiculously low crowd estimate. ThatÂs par for the
course.
