In Washington, San Francisco and other points around the globe; the nabobs of organized leftism marshaled their shambling forces on behalf of their favorite dictator, Saddam Hussein, and all the the other usual causes. Attendance was light in the USA ("not all the buses have arrived"). And of course, Saddam thanked them. I wasn't able to devote more than casual attention, but some lowlights were:
Washington - carried on C-SPAM and the odious WorldLink, this was truly the Festival of the Inanities. Some of the "speakers" to the meager crowd:
- Some Korean wingnut got to say F*** the USA on camera
- Queers for Peace and Justice shared their deep thinking
- Tyne Daly (apparently on the run from Captain Ahab) and Jessica Lange represented the washed up Hollywood celeb crowd
- Multiple Stalinists from A.N.S.W.E.R. got to spout their cant in return for organizing the hoedown. Tiananmen Square massacre anyone? They were also passing the red collection bucket - no change, just greenbacks.
- Some welfare rights whiner and someone upset with "gas guzzling SUV's"
- Ambassador from Neptune, Ramsey Clark. I think he was the one who wanted to impeach President Bush.
- Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson (looking like something smelled bad - it probably did). Jesse tried to whoop up the crowd with "louder" but the zzzz's went on.
- Ex-US Representative Cynthia McKinney. No sign of daddy and the J-E-W-S.
- Representatives from various USA Muslim, Islamic, and Palestinian groups. The CAIR representative referred to CAIR as mujahadeen. Nice of him to admit it.
- Some black activist who addressed the crowd as "Comrades" and warned of the USA starting a war in Africa.
- Bobby Mugabe pal, Charles Barron, chimed in and so did somnolent Democrat US Rep. John Conyers who offered greetings from Michael Moore who couldn't make it. (Maybe there was a volume discount at McDonalds?)
- Some "Free Mumia" goofball. No lefty demonstration is complete without one.
- On the upside there were some great counter demonstrators. Sign of the day, "Pacifists are the Parasites of Freedom", and counter demonstrator of the day. That must have been chilly! Some of the counter demonstrators were carrying signs based on a new graphic from Registered.
San Francisco - via web sources for this one, since I was unwilling to waste more time.
- Joan Baez and Martin Sheen showed up to smirk with their pals
- The usual SF characters: aging hippies, ecoweenies, belly dancers and butterfly power.
- As for Saddam's Streakers, I have no evidence that they made an appearance, with clothes or without. Maybe they couldn't find a dung laden pasture?
The forces of global wingnuttery are promising a reprise on Feb. 15. I could use a good snooze, but maybe the nudists will actually march!
UPDATE: Anna has on-scene photos from Washington. Living in the country where we don't have this kind of thing, I missed the obvious - of course, there would be street vendors hawking food and souvenirs!
