There is a tendency in the US to focus on "lobbying" for change rather than "coalescing." I know this has been a problem with the women's movement, but lobbies really do work against coalitions. Coalition building is popular in Europe and it was effectively used in the past with the civil rights movement, although this time around and agreeing with your observation, African Americans were definitely under-represented at the march in Detroit. I did see African American representation from nonreligious groups, but it was the black religious group portion that was missing -- I quite agree with you that the "issue of the impending war has not made it into the Black churches here yet."
I also agree that the visible labor coalition for peace at the rally is significant...and we're sure to see more. The labor for peace activities are extending themselves to a Feb 22 rally as you mention; in addition to a talk by Mark Gaffney (President of the Michigan AFL-CIO), Bob King and Millie Hall (Coalition of Labor Union Women) will be there among others.
It was a very kid-friendly march with lots of smiles/compliments directed toward everyone but especially the children and their enthusiasm. We were asked to pose for a photo with our placards by two different photographers. Of course the kids don't always have the patience needed to stick out rally speeches, so we left Cobo to explore the new Detroit Riverfront Promenade (oooh the gale winds were brutal), Hart Plaza with the Underground Railroad monument (near where 40-50,000 slaves found their way to freedom in Detroit), Mariners' Church of Detroit (explained the 1975 sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald to the kids in near real terms), and certainly the RenCen and skywalks to keep warm :).
Peace, Diane
An excerpt of Gordon Lightfoot's haunting tribute:
"Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"
Lake Huron rolls, Superior sings in the rooms of her ice-water mansion. Old Michigan steams like a young man's dreams; the islands and bays are for sportsmen. And farther below Lake Ontario takes in what Lake Erie can send her, And the iron boats go as the mariners all know with the Gales of November remembered.
In a musty old hall in Detroit they prayed, in the "Maritime Sailors' Cathedral." The church bell chimed 'til it rang twenty-nine times for each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald. The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down of the big lake they call "Gitche Gumee." "Superior," they said, "never gives up her dead when the gales of November come early!"
At 08:36 AM 2/16/2003 -0800, you wrote:
>Just a few points on the march and rally in Detroit:
>
>Approx 3000-5000 on the march, in really goddamned
>cold weather. While this is small compared to Minn or
>other comparable cities, for Detroit it was great.
>There were other rallies in Lansing and Ann Arbor,
>too.
>
>Had indoor rally at the main convention center
>downtown, room was set for 1,700 and it was completely
>full. I understand the overflow who couldn't get in
>rallied in the conv ctr lobby. Also going on at Cobo
>Center on Sat: Michigan Democratic Party state
>convention and a boat show! Quite a few DP delegates
>joined the rally.
>
>Most significant event: Elizabeth Bunn, international
>sec/trea of the UAW, Richard Shoemaker and Bob King,
>UAW international vps appeared at the rally, and Bunn
>spoke strongly against the war. In Detroit, labor
>doesn't do anything without the UAW International's
>blessing, so this could be a green light for more
>anti-war activity from labor. The head of the Michigan
>AFL-CIO is committed to speak at a Labor Against the
>War event on the 22nd.
>
>Other good thing: official representation from the
>Chaldean (Iraqi Christian, quite large population in
>the metro area) and Yemani communities at the rally.
>
>Biggest disappointment: very limited African-American
>attendance at the march or rally (good representation
>on the speakers podium, though). This tells me that
>the issue of the impending war has not made it into
>the Black churches here yet. Not much in the way of
>Palestinian representation, considering the size of
>that community in the metro area.
>
>For more info see www.michiganimc.org
>
>Alan Jacobson
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