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LOCAL News :: Protest Activity

Taste of democracy goes down well with crowds-costs less

On June 30 2004, 200 people took a Taste of Democracy to the Taste of Chicago to protest the continued occupation of Iraq and Bush's war without end.
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On Wednesday, June 30, 2004, the date originally planned for the turnover of Iraqi sovereignty, Chicagoans gathered to bring a Taste of Democracy to the Taste of Chicago. Despite the fact that Bush’s Iraq handler Paul Bremer “turned over” control to the Iraqi intern government on June 28 with a five minute speech and then fled in an armored helicopter, 200 people gathered at the plaza on Michigan and Congress to tell the public “mission not accomplished.”

Annelise Raziq addressed the crowd and asked why, under cover of darkness, Bush made an event promoted as a high point of his war in Iraq into a sign and run.

“We are being told Iraq is sovereign,” said Raziq. “Iraq is far from being in control of its own fate.”

Raziq, a member of Peace Pledge Chicago, said Iraq is still dependant on Western nations for security and under pressure to obey foreign directives when it comes to the country’s most important resource - oil. U.S. troops are a lighting rod for insurgency and attacks. Most of the victims are Iraqi civilians who happen to be too close. To the Iraqi people, the troops represent the years of bombed homes, sanctions that have laid waste to the health of the population, and the privatization of national wealth. Until the troops are out Iraq will not be sovereign nor peaceful.

Also addressing the crowd, Connie Cominski of Military Families Speak Out told with a breaking voice and shaking hands how her initial support of Bush’s war on terror turned. Seeing her own family members endure the violence of Afghanistan as members of the U.S. military, her faith in the righteousness of our actions faded and was replaced by the desire to see that no more families have to endure the horror of war. Families like the ones attending the Taste of Chicago, or families trying to rebuild their country after decades of repression and violence.

At 5:45pm the marchers headed off, north on the east sidewalk of Michigan Ave. Leading the march was an eight-foot puppet of George W. Bush. Modeled off of Woody the toy cowboy in Toy Story, the mock president was created by the inside-out foundation [insideoutfoundation.org]. Bush’s handlers gave him a blue shirt with the announcement “Let Freedom Rain,” in reference to Bush’s scribbled note upon hearing of the “handover” of power to the Iraqis. In his left hand, a falling freedom bomb. In his right the strings controlling the new Iraqi government.

The crowd contained a vocal component of young high school and college age youth that had some of the louder and more creative chants and messages. As the procession made its way past the Art Institute and east up Monroe towards the lake and the Taste, the crowds reaction was either a wide-eyed response or receptive to the anti-war call.

Turning south along Lake Shore Drive, the march got positive shout outs from people passing by in busses and cars. At the stairs leading up to Buckingham Fountain people stopped for a moment, until a lone trumpet player, standing at the top of the stairs, bugled out a cavalry charge. Stunned, amused and laughing the procession made its way up the stairs to the fountain where the march wrapped up.
 
 

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