IF WAR BREAKS OUT
WALK OUT!!!

Signs from the San Francisco Peace Rally
March 15, 2003

The very well organized demonstrations in San Francisco today were a peaceful testiment to this city's commitment to the anti war effort.  The environment felt more like a parade and festival than a demonstration, though.  I guess it was all the vendors at either end of the parade route, the massive PA systems, the portajohns, the yellow vests all the organizers where wearing...  The police kept a respectful distance, and everyone stayed well within the lines of acceptible behavour.  A little boring; no tear gas, no riot, no arrests (that I saw).  Only two police officers on rooftop, no drawn or tripod mounted guns.  Police helicopters circled for about two hours.  Several bus-sized paddy wagons went unused. 

This is the fourth protest in Five months in San Francisco.   In addition to at least 100,000 protestors, there was a marching band, a few gaint-headed costumed individuals holding dead iraqi puppets children.  There were some nice constumes (including three girls in translucent dresses and black negligee'; ) and two or three separate drumming groups.   The Parade route started at the civic center, went for about ten blocks in close to a loop, and then ended at a park who's name escapes me...  There were speakers, hip-hop groups (Red Dawn), dancing troups, and, well a very large turnout.  The message of the event expressed in two part chant, sign, flyer, and teeshirt, button, sticker, etc. was:

• IF WAR BREAKS OUT, WALK OUT!
• Stop Mad Cowboy Disease
• REGIME CHANGE BEGINS AT HOME.
• How many oil executives does it take to screw in a dictator?
• Bomb a parent, Create a terrorist.
• You can bomb the world to pieces
  You can't bomb the world to peace.
• Stop World War W.
• If war is inevitable, Draft SUV drivers now.
• Disarm by Example
• Preemptive Impeachment
• Side one:  I'm a drunk driving, pretzel choking, election stealing corporate puppet.  What can I say?
  Side two:  Let me put it to you this way: I am not a revengeful person.
• BU**
  SH**
• WAR IS SO RETRO
• Wake up America, Its happening here!
• Embarrassed by my President
• Don't hurt those Arab Hotties!
• Its stupid, STUPID!
• Bush is Lubed up for war
  Fuck Him!!!
• Redneck Go Back to Texas
• Feral People Against War
• How did Our oil get underneith Their Sand?
• We can't impeach a president we didn't elect.
• Bush-Blair-Sharon, Axis of Evil--Why we need a world court.
• WAR ORPHANS MAKE GREAT TERRORISTS
• Impeach Bush, the U.N. Bomber
• The first gulf war produced Timothy McVeigh.  What will this war produce?
• Give Impeachment a Chance
• If reason can't reach him, we must impeach him.
• dubya dubya dubya.bushoncrack.com
• Bush is a moron.  Don't let him get his war on!
• Stop mass murder! www.votetoimpeach.com
• First strike, We're all out!
• Bush is a WANKSTA
• Sexy French Women for Peace
• Dumb Blonds against Wars
• Beards for Peace (carried by Hassidic Jew)
• Midlife Menopausal Hippies for peace
• Bush for Lawn Ornament
• Make faces not war
• Dead does not equal free
• Jurasic Bush (complete with mockup of movie logo)
• Bush needs a time out
• Bush = Sauron
• Al Quada,  IraQ. we already have a clear link!
• to bomb a nation is abomination
• Realize Real Lies
• Just say D'oh to war (yah, complete with Homer graphic)
• (chant:) "From Iraq to the Philipenes We're gonna stop the US War Machine"
• (chant:) "a: War in Iraq!  b: Not in OUR NAME"
• Smush Bush
• War is Bush Shit
• Lost Bellicose Moron: [insert picture here] If found, please return to The Hague
• Laura, please trim your unruly Bush
• It has become appallingly clear our technology has surpassed our Humanity.
• UnCheney my Heart.
• Help! My country is being held hostage by an outlaw regime!
• Preemptive Invasion is a job for Hitler and Stalin, not my president!
• Consequences???
• If you can't take care of your own country, how can you take care of another?

The only misplaced oportunism I saw was one man selling two styles of teeshirt.  One said, "Say no to war."  The other had only a picture of Che Guevera on it...  I stared on, puzzeled for a moment.  I was going to confront the vendor and protest, but as an ineffectual intellectual, I could kinda relate so I let it stand.