Carl is someone I respect (though I don't know him personally,) but I have to agree with Chris on this one.

The two goals are not mutually exclusive. It's not an either-or proposition. The crowd saw that on Saturday, and spontaneously found its own solution.

While one contingent was blocked on Dearborn, the rest just decided to stop waiting, and made for Clark street. This freaked the cops at first, because they had the bulk of their force on Dearborn, and had just agreed to allow the march on Dearborn.

Those who were inclined to focus on the anti-war message marched on Clark. Those who were inclined to emphasize both the anti-war message and the first amendment issue marched on Dearborn.

While some expressed concern that our march was "split", the fact was that we split the police too, took two streets, instead of one, and had a bigger impact as a result.

The Clark street march was so lightly garrisoned that the few police who were there were very nervous at first. But they relaxed once they figured out the people on Clark (mostly) were there, not to confront them, but rather to confront the war.

There was a home for those who wanted to focus solely on the war, and a home for those who also wanted to deal with the first amendment issue. We began, and finished, at the same places. And there was plenty of intermingling between the two groups.

For what it's worth, I wouldn't insist on either group having the final say-so on which issues get addressed. The world is wide, the latitude for diversity is unlimited and, together, we have a greater impact.

Those who wanted to confront the police got their chance. And those who didn't want to confront the police got their chance. All in all, it worked very well.

If I had any suggestion for improvement, it was that turnout probably was somewhat suppressed by people who did not want to risk arrest. I knew a lot of people who didn't want to come because the papers were saying it was "illegal." For every one I talked into coming, I suspect there were many more who were afraid to. You had to read the papers closely to figure out that there was a "legal" alternative.

Perhaps, in the future, we make it a little clearer with our PR that both alternatives are available?

There is no reason, as I see it, why we can't have our cake and eat it too. The crowd was very wise on Saturday, and found their own solution to a problem nobody else could really solve.

We should listen to the wisdom of the crowd.