After the official march from Federal Plaza was over, a smaller and more boisterous group of protesters continued on, playing drums and dancing through the streets . . . until Officer Friendly announced, “If you take the streets again, you will be arrested”. But we did, and we weren't.

We went around several blocks (mostly on the sidewalk) then set up shop in front on the INS building, locking arms in front of the doors, drumming, and dancing. Signs bearing Bush’s name were thrown down and trampled. Red and Black flags waved. The corporate news hawks hovered, looking for some real action (arrests, uncivil disobedience).

After a while the officers forced us to move on, but we did eventually come back to the INS in order to have a three minute moment of silence for all of the past and future victims of war. Even the cops respected the silence, after which we peacefully dispersed.

THIS WAS A LOT MORE FUN THAN THE OFFICIAL ACTION!

And I’ll tell you why . . .

I’m sick of freezing while people on stage shout slogans and sing songs I can’t understand the words to. I know a protest is an educational tool, and that’s fine, but standing in a slush puddle with freezing toes, listening to the same thing you're heard a thousand times before, is no fun.

I’m sick of marching in a orderly, forced pattern with horse shit on one side of me and pigs on the other.

I’m not a novice or a veteran of the peace movement. For about a year I have been going to marches here and in DC, and they are starting to bore me.

SO I HAVE SOME SUGGESTIONS:

- more street theater and autonomous actions, a la the day after the large TABD protest.

- more diversity in the staged acts. Lets have more bands, more crowd participation (aside from mindlessly screaming back chants), speak outs, theater, etc . . .

- why not have a huge dance and drum circle, again a la TABD, which is a million times better than standing around freezing?

- why not split into groups of forty and take over all the streets downtown?

- why not make a huge human chain around the Federal Building and leave something behind in the Plaza other than pieces of paper? Spray paint anyone?

Please, organizers, its just getting dull. Lets shake things up. Please stop hogging the stage after every march; let the crowd take over . . . .