Saturday was a gorgeous day for a march, and New York City is a fantastic place for one. I do, however, wish that we had been marching because we had prevented the war, rather than marching to show how angry and disappointed we are.
We took the LIRR into Penn Station and made a pit stop in Macy's to use the bathroom as the one in Penn Station was out of order. We got to 36th and 6th at just about noon. There were quite a few kids there, but a lot of adults too and there certainly wasn't a cohesive "kids contingent". This was very disappointing because Aidan had been telling us that he didn't want to march and I was hoping that he would be happy to be with a bunch of kids. I had brought white balloons to blow up and draw peace signs on and pop up into the crowd to help entertain him and the other kids, but it just didn't really work like that. The kids were all mixed in with other groups of people and Aidan was tolerant, but not at all happy.
I didn't feel too bad because it was a gorgeous spring day and he was in a stroller. About half way through we were around a completely different group from when we started and the new group was noisy. Aidan began to cry and I started to carry him. I told him that at the end of the march there would be a big park and we would go to play on the playground. This satisfied him greatly and he sat on my hip for the rest of the march. He weighs about 45 lbs, and I hardly felt him - I was so glad to be there, taking some action, being around people with enough sensitivity and compassion to march against war.
The march went to Washington Square Park, and we would have just stopped at Union Square, but we ran into Olympia, a drumming friend. Aidan was happy to see her and cheered up and we decided to finish out the march with her.
We saw many supportive bystanders in shop windows and balconies. There was a rug store with four men in work uniforms in the window giving peace signs. There was a mother and daughter on a balcony blowing a conch shell. There was a child on what looked like a restaurant balcony, waving a peace sign. The march roared and cheered at all of these shows of support. This was the nice thing about marching in New York, you feel seen. In Washington, there are no bystanders to see the march. Usually, the president is even out of town.
We ended at Washington Square Park where the playground was locked. Some fearless parents had helped to smuggle their children over or under the fence. We satisfied ourselves with the grass around the playground. Steve and Olympia got interviewed by a heavily pierced guy in a skirt from StopTheDrugWar.org. We spent about an hour at the park, just relaxing and enjoying the day and the people. At some point I looked toward the end of the march where people were still streaming into the park and noticed what looked like cops on top of the building above the end of the march. We kind of all assumed that they were snipers and talked about how ridiculous that was. Then we realized that they didn't have guns, but cameras. 35mm cameras and they were snapping pictures of the marchers. They were not reporters. Cameras creeps me out much more than guns.
I am so glad that we went. I've been telling people who say that they are lying awake at night crying to go to a march or a vigil. They will feel bouyed by the experience.
I have decided that I am not going to take Aidan to any more rallys or marches unless he asks to go. He is very sensitive to the noise and it scares him. He doesn't like fireworks either, which is almost as disappointing to me. I have told a few people this and they say, "well, that's no place for children anyway". But the fact of the matter is that I see lots and lots of children at these things who are just fine with it. And on principle, I don't see how it is any different from bringing your kids to church. When he grows up and asks me what I did for the world that he is inheriting, I have to be able to say that I did something.
Comments
Great piece. Glad you had a pretty good experience. I was disappointed about the lack of a kids' contingent too, but maybe next time...
I will now log my Saturday protest experience. There was a small turn out of only about 3500 or so, but anytime large numbers of people take to the street and voice their concerns it's pretty cool. I made my way up to the front of the march because I wanted to get some good photographs. We were headed to the CNN building on Sunset Blvd. There was a massive police presence and they all seemed angry, some more than others. It was interesting to watch what the cops did with their hands while they were standing guard of billion dollar companies buildings. I first noticed it when I saw one of the "peace"officers with his night stick out, ready to go. Later on I saw several with their right hands resting on the gun's handle. This was a peace protest, not to mention a protest against the factions of the media that have become nothing but propaganda machines. I love the fact that people call our country the land of the free, yet at the drop of a hat our liberties and rights can be revoked when the people in power deem just and fit. Later on this same day 80 people sat down in the middle of the street and were arrested and beaten. It was deemed an "illegal assembly".So, as the day went on I found myself at the front of the rally. Just in front of me was the pulpit as it were where people were speaking to the crowd. After about an hour I see Tim Robbins standing next to the guy with the microphone. Seconds later I hear someone behind me yelling, "Tim! Tim!...Tim! Tim!" over and over and over again. I turn around to see this guy standing there with these fucking sunglasses taken straight off the sheriff from Cool Hand Luke. It was a reporter. And his cameraman kept hitting these two girls in the head with his camera's lens. I asked him if he would shut the hell up, but he seemed to have either not heard me or didn't know I was talking to him because he kept yelling for "Tim!".
He asked me to leave him alone and I asked him to stop yelling Tim. I informed him that there were several thousand other people there that all had very powerful opinions on both the media and the war, but he didn't seem interested. I even pointed out that the two girls that his cameraman kept hitting also had opinions and were willing to share them too! He said, "Hey man, I'm here for you. Don't attack me." I proceeded to tell him how full of shit he was and that the proof wasn't just in his choice of sunglasses, but in the fact that he cared about no one, but Tim Robbins. He then informed me that he knew Tim and that I needed to leave him alone. He then made a beeline for the police line and called over one of the cops. He then, by the way this assholes name is Jay Jackson, so Jay then tells the cop that I'm harassing him. I tell the cop that I just asked him a question, that I'm no more harassing him than he is harassing Tim Robbins! He then tells the cop that I'm assaulting him. I give the cop a look like what do you think and he suggests that I go somewhere else. I tell the cop that I'd been there an hour and a half before Jay Jackson and that there's noway in hell that I'm going anywhere. The cop walked away, but the funny thing was that several people around me began telling me to leave the guy alone, that it wasn't worth it, that all the media would air was me and Jay Jackson fighting with each other. I tried to assure them that they wouldn't air any of it because the guy was repeatedly threatening to hurt me, but they didn't care. It was a very classic Tyson moment. Everyone telling me to calm down and I'm standing there trying to convince them that I'm fine and that there's no problem. It was funny, reminded me of high school. I listened to my fellow protesters and turned my attention to Susan Sarandon speaking and then Tim spoke. When he was done he was brought over to speak to my new friend from CBS. I got to stand shoulder to elbow with Tim Robbins while he ranted for about five minutes on the ills of war and the negligence of the media. It's fair to say he tore ol'Jay a new one. While Tim was ranting I saw Eddie Vedder and Pedro Amadovar. I realized I was right where I was supposed to be. It was a very good Saturday and fortunately I left before people started sitting down in the middle of Hollywood Blvd. They got arrested. I did not.
Wow!!! With all that marching, do you have any shoes left????? I feel safe and secure because neither the east coast or west coast can be invaded!!!!
I'm not so much concerned about my well being. Besides, our counrty has already been properly invaded from the inside. It's being exploited and molested by the upper echelon as it were. And yes I still have shoes. This weekend I'll switch it up from my sneaks to my boots. I love that everyone calls this guy Brave. He's from Conneticut. And his pop got him out of having to serve. What kind of sad state of affairs is it when the arab leauge has to threaten war to protect UN charters.Bubba I know you don't actually support this guy. You even used to say that race meant nothing to you, that you just didn't like dumb people. And he's as dumb as they come, shit I'm a better speaker than him. Big one this saturday downtown. I'm going to go down and take a bunch of pictures. It's good to see people that feel the same way. It's good for morale. How's the bike? If you were a proper war monger you'd ride a Harley!
hehe - i think I love you tyson
Comments
Great piece. Glad you had a pretty good experience. I was disappointed about the lack of a kids' contingent too, but maybe next time...
I will now log my Saturday protest experience. There was a small turn out of only about 3500 or so, but anytime large numbers of people take to the street and voice their concerns it's pretty cool. I made my way up to the front of the march because I wanted to get some good photographs. We were headed to the CNN building on Sunset Blvd. There was a massive police presence and they all seemed angry, some more than others. It was interesting to watch what the cops did with their hands while they were standing guard of billion dollar companies buildings. I first noticed it when I saw one of the "peace"officers with his night stick out, ready to go. Later on I saw several with their right hands resting on the gun's handle. This was a peace protest, not to mention a protest against the factions of the media that have become nothing but propaganda machines. I love the fact that people call our country the land of the free, yet at the drop of a hat our liberties and rights can be revoked when the people in power deem just and fit. Later on this same day 80 people sat down in the middle of the street and were arrested and beaten. It was deemed an "illegal assembly".So, as the day went on I found myself at the front of the rally. Just in front of me was the pulpit as it were where people were speaking to the crowd. After about an hour I see Tim Robbins standing next to the guy with the microphone. Seconds later I hear someone behind me yelling, "Tim! Tim!...Tim! Tim!" over and over and over again. I turn around to see this guy standing there with these fucking sunglasses taken straight off the sheriff from Cool Hand Luke. It was a reporter. And his cameraman kept hitting these two girls in the head with his camera's lens. I asked him if he would shut the hell up, but he seemed to have either not heard me or didn't know I was talking to him because he kept yelling for "Tim!".
He asked me to leave him alone and I asked him to stop yelling Tim. I informed him that there were several thousand other people there that all had very powerful opinions on both the media and the war, but he didn't seem interested. I even pointed out that the two girls that his cameraman kept hitting also had opinions and were willing to share them too! He said, "Hey man, I'm here for you. Don't attack me." I proceeded to tell him how full of shit he was and that the proof wasn't just in his choice of sunglasses, but in the fact that he cared about no one, but Tim Robbins. He then informed me that he knew Tim and that I needed to leave him alone. He then made a beeline for the police line and called over one of the cops. He then, by the way this assholes name is Jay Jackson, so Jay then tells the cop that I'm harassing him. I tell the cop that I just asked him a question, that I'm no more harassing him than he is harassing Tim Robbins! He then tells the cop that I'm assaulting him. I give the cop a look like what do you think and he suggests that I go somewhere else. I tell the cop that I'd been there an hour and a half before Jay Jackson and that there's noway in hell that I'm going anywhere. The cop walked away, but the funny thing was that several people around me began telling me to leave the guy alone, that it wasn't worth it, that all the media would air was me and Jay Jackson fighting with each other. I tried to assure them that they wouldn't air any of it because the guy was repeatedly threatening to hurt me, but they didn't care. It was a very classic Tyson moment. Everyone telling me to calm down and I'm standing there trying to convince them that I'm fine and that there's no problem. It was funny, reminded me of high school. I listened to my fellow protesters and turned my attention to Susan Sarandon speaking and then Tim spoke. When he was done he was brought over to speak to my new friend from CBS. I got to stand shoulder to elbow with Tim Robbins while he ranted for about five minutes on the ills of war and the negligence of the media. It's fair to say he tore ol'Jay a new one. While Tim was ranting I saw Eddie Vedder and Pedro Amadovar. I realized I was right where I was supposed to be. It was a very good Saturday and fortunately I left before people started sitting down in the middle of Hollywood Blvd. They got arrested. I did not.
Wow!!! With all that marching, do you have any shoes left????? I feel safe and secure because neither the east coast or west coast can be invaded!!!!
I'm not so much concerned about my well being. Besides, our counrty has already been properly invaded from the inside. It's being exploited and molested by the upper echelon as it were. And yes I still have shoes. This weekend I'll switch it up from my sneaks to my boots. I love that everyone calls this guy Brave. He's from Conneticut. And his pop got him out of having to serve. What kind of sad state of affairs is it when the arab leauge has to threaten war to protect UN charters.Bubba I know you don't actually support this guy. You even used to say that race meant nothing to you, that you just didn't like dumb people. And he's as dumb as they come, shit I'm a better speaker than him. Big one this saturday downtown. I'm going to go down and take a bunch of pictures. It's good to see people that feel the same way. It's good for morale. How's the bike? If you were a proper war monger you'd ride a Harley!
hehe - i think I love you tyson