G8 solidarity convergence SF, more pictures...

Although many saw last night as some kind of victory, others see it as another mentioned earlier, a setback. People need to step back and truly think about what was done, mission is a working class neighborhood...and change should come by helping people out not trashing their neighborhoods. Listen, you're all probably saying oh here's another fucker trying to force his agenda, or attempting to preach and criticize us! but no, though i'm providing you with a self constructive critique, i'm in no way or shape trying to force my agenda on you. If you all have the power to do that, how about using that power to going and volunteering at small local businesses, helping each other out, providing them with services you are best at, and truly building a community. Look I see a buncha of people coming to protests, simply for the rebelious feeling, chanting "build a community" and they're not working towards it other than building punk communities and getting wasted at shows (i'm not generalizing, i'm just clearly stating a fact of reality that many of you are well damn aware of but don't want to admit, i even encountered a young guy saying, that everyone was invited to his house to get drunk that night in the middle of the protest (i don't have a problem, i'm just stating a time/place manner issue)).
Moreover, I encountered some folks last night that did not know anything about the G8, and heard a lot of redundant, generic chants, that the community didnt comprehend. Remember this was a G8 solidarity march, what happend to the anti-capitalism, anti-globalization, anti-free trade chants? okay everyone got the idea you want to smash the state, and you have the conscious ability to spot the corporate elites exploiting the masses, and from that conclude a class war..but i did not see any speeches prior to the march in regards to the G8, i barely heard 1 or 2 G8 chants, and again encountered numerous people who did not know what the G8 was.
To stay on the positive side though, i saw the AA pamphlets being passed out, and enjoyed the zeal and effort placed into making them, and the great articles and ideological points inside of it. props go out to the people that put it together, and also i encountered many with great intelligence and awareness of what was going on, and how to organize a better more community based movement. Why is it that groups like NION and ANSWER can organize more masses? their coordinators are all working people, and yet they do a fantastic job organizing on their limited time (don't get into the whole fact that their maoists and stalinists because i saw some of their members at the march last night, and as much as you hate people generalizing you, then don't generalize them) perhaps learn from their organizing tactics.
In regards to what happend to a police officer, I did not see what happend, but heard an officer got hurt. Though some of you may have mixed feelings about it...remember that the cop also has a child sitting at home waiting for him, has a wife, and a middle class family...though you may not support his ideological stance, or what he's out there doing...you have to show some respect for human life (even though i know some of you may think differently).

Before i leave you to think on this issue, i wanted to bring up another point which was that there was a lack of democracy within the groups, they never voted or tried to reach consensus dealing with issues and what was happening, it seemed to be spontaneous action, plus the person with the megaphone tried to control a lot of times, saying what was happening.
PS: i have to give props to the man on the megaphone who warned everyone that they were in a working class neighborhood and should keep it down.

Anywho, this is just a self-constructive critique and i hope that you fellow activists take it as a friendly comrade advice and adapt for a better community based tommorow. Perhaps we can learn from some of the actions folks from green bloc have been involved in, and the earth activist trainings, and things from the GE Free sonoma initiative (site: http://www.gefreesonoma.org), there are all productive ways of building a better, healthier community...just be creative.

again, do not take this in an offensive manner, but an advice...as much as you criticize who you're against, it's always productive to criticize yourself. we're all humans, afterall.

-in solidarity