Being one of half a million people in a single event in a single city, sounds really small.
It felt huge.
I've always been an adrenaline junkie, and a protest proved a whole new source of that thrill.
It kind of just sounded like a good thing to do, until the morning of the protests as I procrastinated by watching the news.
Suddenly it became incredibly important.
Protests all around the world showed that Bush and the U.S. are believed to be the largest threat to world, with North Korea #2 and Iraq & Saddam #3.
People carried various "down with Bush" kind of signs, and American flags covered with Nazi symbols. Essentially the world is united against us, and it's no longer the threat of war with Iraq
that is frightening, but the great possibility of WWIII, with the US seen as the perpetrator.
Happy Thoughts.
The protest rocked my world. And I was literally on the front line of sooo much.
Considering it was 11 degrees, not calculating the ferocious wind chill, the code orange warning which I seriously think was fraudulently declared & revoked by the government with impeccable timing in relation to the planned protests, and the completely illegal denial of a permit to march for the protestors in NY, it was a damn good turn out. Though I was shocked that supposedly twice as many people showed up for the march in London. I think perhaps that
it was a miscalculation due to the fact that so many groups were barricaded, arrested, or otherwise forced out of the main protest area and thus dispersed in large groups throughout the city.
The first large group I happened upon was by 50th and Lexington.
Traffic was blocked for atleast two blocks by this random convergence. The diversity, music, chanting and unity were beautiful.
I thoroughly dislike protesters who insinuate that all police are the enemy and shout "fascist pig" at the men with the big guns. I completely believe that many, if not most, become a cop for
authentic, want to do good and protect my community sort of reasons.
That being said, what amazing assholes many of our best and brightest proved to be.
TWICE, the person I was standing DIRECTLY (like no one in between us kind of directly) next to, was hit by one cop, tackled by many and arrested. Three other times it happened to someone in the very near vicinity. Two of those people were sisters. Placid, classy, not hippie, didn't do a thing wrong women, other than being one of the thousands who didn't move fast enough.
I heard stories of horses stomping into a placid crowd a few blocks away.
We were screaming "Drop Bush, Not Bombs" when the guy near me with the megaphone announced "And here comes the cavalry!"
Twenty cops on horses lined up and faced us. The group turned to face the cops and all held hands. I jumped in between the two opposing forces to snap some shots. Then the riot
gear guys arrived - at least a hundred - complete with helmets, batons and the occasional semi-automatic. Everyone sat in the street.
(BTW - I believe this was the only group in the city to have a sit down protest.)
Moments after putting my ass on the pavement, and studying the faces of the mounted men in front of me - some snarling, some laughing, some looking quite frightened and regretful
- people behind us were jumping up, screaming and running to the sides.
My initial reaction: bummer. I thought we'd last a lot longer than that! We're giving in already?
Then I turned and saw a slew of horses had entered the crowd from the other side of the block. The animals were going kind of ballistic, twirling on their hind legs and kicking wildly.
It worked. We were on the side walks and traffic could once again pass.
I believe I got some brilliant pictures. And vivid memories.

My night was almost as interesting as my day. I'll spare you the details of it, aside from an amazing bit of irony:
After fighting cops most of the day, I later pinched the cheeks of one police officer, and inadvertently ended up kissing the lips of another.
There's a big march in DC in front of the white house on the first.
I will make every effort to attend.
Sweet dreams and peaceful aspirations.