(2003-02-13) Anti War Demonstrations

This Saturday , Feb15, there will be anti-WarOnIraq demonstrations in many cities. The one in NYC will be on 1stAve north of 49thSt, starting at noon. Bring your own mp3 player to avoid hearing the annoying speakers. To our great shock and outrage, a federal appeals court upheld the decision by Federal Judge BarbaraJones ruled on February 10 that the City of New York can deny United for Peace and Justice a permit to march on February 15. Citing "heightened security concerns," she ruled that we may only hold a stationary rally. We are accepting the rally permit, and our massive demonstration to stop the Iraq war will go forward no matter what. (Complaint info)

This Peter Bagge cartoon captures my ambivalence quite well.

Feb24 addenda: (a) text of her ruling. (b) The Department Of Justice apparently filed an amicus brief, but I can't find any official record of it.

Feb25 addendum: here's the New York Sun editorial in support of the ban, which will probably keep me from ever buying that paper again (Boycott). The longer they delay in granting the protesters a permit, the less time the organizers have to get their turnout organized, and the smaller the crowd is likely to be. And we wouldn't want to overstate the matter, but, at some level, the smaller the crowd, the more likely that President Bush will proceed with his plans to liberate Iraq.