Report on World Can't Wait

[flyby]

There is so much to report from this powerful, even historymaking start -- that I think I'll just open a thread and let everyone else add their impressions and experiences.

I watched a school walk out -- full of excitement -- and then a march of a couple hundred through downtown chicago to the main convergence. The walls were shaking with "Drive out the Bush Regime."

There is a lot to say about what followed -- but what stands out for me is the energy and the freshness of it all, so many new people, especially from high schools, and so much determination.

The Federal Plaza was full (I didn't count myself) and the march through downtown drew tons of attention from the packed sidewalks. I saw lots of p eople cross through the right police to join in, and the march grew as it circled the loop.

What an incredible start! Message from Howard Zinn and Studs Terkel, speeches by high school students who had marched out of Roberto Clemente, and so much more.

I can't sum up the whole national scene, but here is what the World Cant Wait (http://worldcantwait.org) says on their website:

A tremendous first step...
November 2 marked a tremendous first step torward forcing Bush to step down and changing the whole direction of society. There were convergences from big cities to small towns, determined high school and campus walk-outs, prominent voices speaking out, and all this was covered in the major media. This powerful day of resistance reflected the Call for the World Can't Wait - Drive Out the Bush Regime!

Check out all the reports from Nov. 2nd, and send us more, as we are seeking to get as full a picture as we can. We will also be posting speeches from rallies across the country as they come in. And, we urge everyone who took part in actions on Nov. 2nd, or just heard about this movement for the first time to become an organizer. Hook up with your local committee , or start one where you are. Raise money so we can sustain this enormous effort. And start organizing for the next step , drowning out Bush's State of the Union speech in January with massive protest, and demanding that Bush "step down, and take your program with you."

They then give links to reports from major cities (http://www.worldcantwait.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=40&Itemid=90)

PROPS TO EVERYONE (INCLUDING ON THIS MESSAGE BOARD) WHO DID SO MUCH TO MAKE THIS NEW STAGE OF POLITICS POSSIBLE -- opening the door to de-legitimizing this regime, and putting revolutionary politics in position to end this beast!

Something else: there was an announcement of the next stage for WCW -- Bush's "State of the Union" in January -- making that moment a time for everyone to declare he must leave and take his agenda with him!

Here are some other links to pictures, videos and reports that give a sense of what went down:

CBS local news in NYC (http://wcbstv.com/topstories/local_story_306153653.html)

CBS national news -- including a great discussion of the need for revolution by RCP's Carl Dix (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/11/02/national/main1005030.shtml)

San Francisco coverage:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?
f=/c/a/2005/11/02/BAGKAFHM8U1.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea

Initial photos of the NYC WCW action (indymedia) (http://nyc.indymedia.org/en/2005/11/59622.html)

More NYC photos (http://www.worldcantwait.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=227&Itemid=86)


I'm sure more will come from many sources.

On to the next stage of this: Drive out the Bush Regime!

[Martin Blank]

I attended the Detroit demonstration, along with another League comrade and a member of the Detroit Working People's Association. The longer report listed on the WCW website is pretty accurate, and I would agree with its numbers. What most impressed me was the fact that it was not just a gaggle of leftists, but a lot of people who were relatively new to organized leftwing political action.

The three of us agreed that, even though the demonstration wasn't in the thousands or millions (which none of us expected anyway), this was a good start and it got some publicity -- which was almost impossible, since it had to "compete" in the local media with the Rosa Parks funeral.

We're looking forward to the "State of the Union" in January.

Miles

[flyby]

This was a great start -- and has the possibility of being a political watershed at a time when the right has had initiative, and opponents have been far to passive and passionless.

Were there millions? Heh. Well not yet, and there could not have been in this first action. But there were walkouts in many many schools and campuses, and actions drew in lots of new people and energy.

The power here is that THIS speaks for and to millions -- and has a great potential to take off from this great beginning and project a powerful anti-government movmeent onto the political stage (where it can, and I hope will, actually contend.)

Cheers to the folks taking the streets in Detroit, and everywhere else!

On to the State of the Union.

[Martin Blank]

I agree that the WCW campaign spoke for more than those who were on the streets. It seemed like virtually everyone who passed by the demonstration honked their horns, slowed down to grab leaflets, shouted their support, etc. There certainly was no feeling of isolation there!

Democratic movements always start relatively small and only explode as the "moment of truth" draws nearer. And, as democratic movements go, this one is starting on a good basis. Our congratulations to the organizers of the WCW campaign.

Now: On to January! Drive out the Bush regime! Build a workers' republic!

Miles

[Bad Grrrl Agro]

In milwaukee we got between 125 to 200 people