ANSWER pretty much follows the tactics and strategy of the International Action Center, which is just to organize permitted rallies and marches. You won't find them organizing civil disobedience or direct action. See, the scary thing about ANSWER is that they offer a monocultural strategy of protest, whereas you and I are advocating a "hundred flowers." Even the people who do the black bloc organize many other forms of protest.
> Over the weekend I talked with twi people who basically have their
> hearts in the right place, but aren't normally the types who go to
> demonstrations. They both boarded buses for antiwar demos on Oct 26, one
> to DC, the other to SF. The one who went to DC belong to a liberal
> Protestant church in Baltimore - again, a place with its heart in the
> right place but normally not very mobilized politically. Yet the
> congregation is pretty energized by antiwar activity. Short of Nathan
> knocking on their doors, don't the demos do a lot to bring people like
> that out of the woodwork? They don't need their opinion changed so much
> as they need a way of latching on to something that's already in motion
> - e.g., big demos. And if the rally's large enough, they'll be spared
> the godawful speeches.
Yes, demos like this ARE useful for getting new people motivated and educated. This is why I pointed out the MGJ strategy of organizing permitted demos and rallies, as well as other actions. The problem with ANSWER--the self-apointed leaders of the peace movement--is that *every* major protest will look the same as the last one. This is not a good way to organize more veteran protesters who want to push the envelope.
Chuck0
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