March to Bring All the Troops Home Now
“We’re not just talking to ourselves or to the people of this country we’re talking to the people of the world. … we’re
telling them that this is not our war this is the government’s war … we are not racist we are not islamiphobic we are not
colonialist and imperialist we are peace loving and we want an earth, a planet where wealth is used for people and not
for war and domination”
stated Larry Holmes of the Troops Out Now Coalition. Protest events in opposition to war and imperialism consist of
community organizations looking for a platform to voice their cause. Anti-war groups facilitate, provide accommodations,
and seek permits for the rallies. The events are promoted by word of mouth, fliers, and the internet. A typical activist
would be involved in many causes. The committees that create rallies such as the one in Times Square New York are
notable figures who are featured in many projects (for example Larry Homes, Tiokasin Ghosthorse, Nana Soul, and Lynne
Stewart). The Troops Out Now Coalition has made their presence felt in communities across the U.S. The coalition had a
representative at the March on Washington of September 23, 2005, at the Bush Crimes Commission of January 20 2006,
and various other events.
The March to Bring All the Troops Home Now protest took place on a brisk Saturday March 18, 2006 at 1pm. The original
rally point for the protest was the Times Square Armed Forces Recruiting Station. The station, at the appointed time of
the protest, was surrounded by barricades and police. The protestors were permitted to rally on the south side of 42nd
street while authorities blocked off the north side. The small area allocated for the rally was enclosed with barricades
and surrounded by police. A stage and mike were accompanied by two very effective loud speakers for a crowd of 1000
or so people. No fights broke out during the event, legal observers from the National Lawyers Guild were on hand. The
event resulted from the efforts of over 200 organizations.
Speaking at the event were about a dozen organizations with about two dozen groups total on hand. At first the march
seemed canceled since the original rally point was blocked off. Facilitators lead protestors to the other end of 42nd
street. Banners, leaflets, and chant sheets were handed out to the 1000 plus people on hand. The purpose of the march
was to bring the troops home as quickly as possible. The speeches throughout the event dealt with various topics.
Tiokasin Ghosthorse, the second speaker of the event after Larry Holmes, represented the indigenous people who are
oppressed by imperialist forces. Nellie Bailey represented the Harlem Tenants Council. She spoke out against the ‘shock
and awe’ policy of the U.S. imperialist forces. Nellie Bailey also stated that the democrats failed the American public.
Yoomi Jeong, of the Korea Truth Commission, spoke out against the U.S. occupiers of Korea. Waleed Bader of the Arab
Muslim American Federation, questioned why America is allowed to produce and use weapons while the rest of the world
is to remain defenseless. He called for no war in Iran.
Elizabeth Benjamin of the Reproductive Rights Project of the ACLU spoke out against the Bush administration. She
annouced that the same administration charged with war crimes is attempting to despoil women’s right to choose.
Supporters of Mumia Abu-Jamal were also on hand. A recording of Mumia Abu-Jamal was featured at the protest. Also on
hand was antiwar candidate for the U.S. senate, Jonathan Tasini. Many speakers with different agendas took the stage.
Despite separate agendas each speaker did call for policy change in the US. The National Security Strategy and the
Project of the New American Century were engaged throughout the protest. There was present throughout the event an
explicit distrust of the government. There is a feeling amongst the protestors that the checks and balances of the U.S.
had failed. The speeches ended around four, the crowd had grown from one thousand to two thousand plus people. The
protestors marched to the UN. The purpose of the UN protest was to shift focus from the Iran scandal to alleged crimes
committed via hurricane Katrina. Overall the protest was a legal and permitted event that proceeded peacefully.
The activism field is strong and building. Despite little notice from commercial media, activist organizations are gaining
the public’s notice. The network of participants, volunteers, and members is vast. In contrast commercial outlets and
popular media publications attest that there are no protest or opposition parties around. Such claims could be refuted
just by looking around in your own neighborhood.
telling them that this is not our war this is the government’s war … we are not racist we are not islamiphobic we are not
colonialist and imperialist we are peace loving and we want an earth, a planet where wealth is used for people and not
for war and domination”
stated Larry Holmes of the Troops Out Now Coalition. Protest events in opposition to war and imperialism consist of
community organizations looking for a platform to voice their cause. Anti-war groups facilitate, provide accommodations,
and seek permits for the rallies. The events are promoted by word of mouth, fliers, and the internet. A typical activist
would be involved in many causes. The committees that create rallies such as the one in Times Square New York are
notable figures who are featured in many projects (for example Larry Homes, Tiokasin Ghosthorse, Nana Soul, and Lynne
Stewart). The Troops Out Now Coalition has made their presence felt in communities across the U.S. The coalition had a
representative at the March on Washington of September 23, 2005, at the Bush Crimes Commission of January 20 2006,
and various other events.
The March to Bring All the Troops Home Now protest took place on a brisk Saturday March 18, 2006 at 1pm. The original
rally point for the protest was the Times Square Armed Forces Recruiting Station. The station, at the appointed time of
the protest, was surrounded by barricades and police. The protestors were permitted to rally on the south side of 42nd
street while authorities blocked off the north side. The small area allocated for the rally was enclosed with barricades
and surrounded by police. A stage and mike were accompanied by two very effective loud speakers for a crowd of 1000
or so people. No fights broke out during the event, legal observers from the National Lawyers Guild were on hand. The
event resulted from the efforts of over 200 organizations.
Speaking at the event were about a dozen organizations with about two dozen groups total on hand. At first the march
seemed canceled since the original rally point was blocked off. Facilitators lead protestors to the other end of 42nd
street. Banners, leaflets, and chant sheets were handed out to the 1000 plus people on hand. The purpose of the march
was to bring the troops home as quickly as possible. The speeches throughout the event dealt with various topics.
Tiokasin Ghosthorse, the second speaker of the event after Larry Holmes, represented the indigenous people who are
oppressed by imperialist forces. Nellie Bailey represented the Harlem Tenants Council. She spoke out against the ‘shock
and awe’ policy of the U.S. imperialist forces. Nellie Bailey also stated that the democrats failed the American public.
Yoomi Jeong, of the Korea Truth Commission, spoke out against the U.S. occupiers of Korea. Waleed Bader of the Arab
Muslim American Federation, questioned why America is allowed to produce and use weapons while the rest of the world
is to remain defenseless. He called for no war in Iran.
Elizabeth Benjamin of the Reproductive Rights Project of the ACLU spoke out against the Bush administration. She
annouced that the same administration charged with war crimes is attempting to despoil women’s right to choose.
Supporters of Mumia Abu-Jamal were also on hand. A recording of Mumia Abu-Jamal was featured at the protest. Also on
hand was antiwar candidate for the U.S. senate, Jonathan Tasini. Many speakers with different agendas took the stage.
Despite separate agendas each speaker did call for policy change in the US. The National Security Strategy and the
Project of the New American Century were engaged throughout the protest. There was present throughout the event an
explicit distrust of the government. There is a feeling amongst the protestors that the checks and balances of the U.S.
had failed. The speeches ended around four, the crowd had grown from one thousand to two thousand plus people. The
protestors marched to the UN. The purpose of the UN protest was to shift focus from the Iran scandal to alleged crimes
committed via hurricane Katrina. Overall the protest was a legal and permitted event that proceeded peacefully.
The activism field is strong and building. Despite little notice from commercial media, activist organizations are gaining
the public’s notice. The network of participants, volunteers, and members is vast. In contrast commercial outlets and
popular media publications attest that there are no protest or opposition parties around. Such claims could be refuted
just by looking around in your own neighborhood.
| March to Bring All the Troops Home Now Report Photo Gallery March Speeches Additional Material |
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