16th and broadway anti-war demonstrations debated

To protest or not to protest at the 16th and Broadway intersections over the past week were debated through emails, broadcasted on Air America and talked about amongst friends of the anti-war movement. Now it's even debated on http://www.sacindymedia.org in the comment section beneath IndyMedia photographer Gary Zimmerman's slanted article.

Interestingly, the controversy stems from a little request for courtesy.

Anti-war activists Stephen and Virginia Pearcy originally had scheduled a rally for Saturday, June 10 but decided to cancel the event due to a conflicting human rights event in Davis called Mumbo Gumbo. The event, as advertised on http://www.sacindymedia.org as the "absolutely, positively, without any doubt whatsoever... my favorite event of the year," by Sacramento resident Paul Burke, who is working on his sociology PhD.

Once the request out there to friends of the Pearcys, another anti-war activist group called The World Can't Wait took the opportunity of a once-scheduled event and ran with the date, despite requests from the Pearcys that it not go on at that particular intersection at that particular day.

Ruth and George from A World Can't Wait (Sacramento coalition) felt that they were being "red-baited" by the Pearcys since some of the organizers (not necessarily from Sacramento) are communists. Historically speaking, many have argued that A World Can't Wait is a front for the communist party who seek donations from protesters at events they sponser.

Supporters of the World Can't Wait Sacramento collective have also said that Ruth and George are "very Sacramento" and have worked diligently to organize anti-war activities. On Christine Craft's show, they were asked if they would consider themselves communists and George replied, "I consider myself more as a socialist."

Interestingly, the type of socialism that comes to pass at the demo on Saturday was another green-flag "World Can't Wait" promotion.

Some of the most slanderous comments come from Zimmerman's article: "Radio talk show host Christine Craft (KSAC 1240 AM) even devoted most of her June 9 program to promote the boycott, decrying the supposed take over of the demonstration by violent, communist/anarchist outside agitators."

Craft did devote her show to the debate. Granted, she hosted the Pearcys in her studio and took calls from Ruth and George, but she never said that she was boycotting the protest. In fact, she said that she had never even been to a Pearcy-initiated demo because on those days she takes care of her mother.

So, at first glance, you may think it’s ironic that the couple so involved in the free speech movement (with the anti-war art and all that) would be discouraging their supporters from attending last Saturday's anti-war rally. But, it’s not that they are discouraging freedom of expression in anyway, they simply are encouraging events to continue in a positive fashion.

I hope this article brings peace between the two divisions and we can continue to seap through the tough times because they don't look any better.