I appreciate the contributions to the summation of Saturday's action. Could we lighten up on the personal attacks, though? I just want to add a few points.

1. We should keep in mind that whatever the flaws or shortcomings, the day was a victory for the anti-war movement. That the coaltion and it's member organizations were able to mobilize at least 3000 to hit the streets, despite the unprecedented level of intimidation and opposition is no small accomplishment. I didn't speak to anyone who marched on any street, who didn't feel empowered. As I walked back to my car at the end of the day, I was stopped at least 4 times by people in the street who congratulated us for having protested or expressed their opposition to the war.

2. Of course, there were weaknesses. There were things that could have been better. Turnout is important. I tend to agree that organizing might have been stronger. My own group could have done better and I was surprised by some places where I didn't see as much about the march as I expected.

But fundamentally--rather than pointing the finger at the group or section of the movement that is at fault--let's put the blame where it belongs: the City and the police (and all the other bourgeoise institutions that make it extremely difficult for people to protest). Many people WERE intimidated or confused by the police and the city. Again, I think it's a victory that 3000 people came out anyway. But while the police were not entirely successful in preventing protest, there actions had an effect. How much is hard to say--I know of people I've talked to, but I assume there are many others.

3. I also think that 3000 may be a low estimate for the whole day because there was never one time and place where everyone was together. A lot of people left after the marches got to Fed. Plaza. Some people never were able to find anybody and gave up. Some came directly to Federal Plaza without marching at all.

4. Finally, about the marchers on Clark Street: I don't think it's correct to dismiss everyone there as capitulating to the city. Sure, the people who risked arrest--and got arrested--deserve our solidarity and praise. But do we really want to imply that there were NO legitimate reasons for anyone to NOT want to risk arrest? That's a pretty narrow anti-war movement.

But even more importantly, at the point when people left Bughouse for Clark street, there was no other choice. I was there. We couldn't get to the group on Dearborn. (Unless we had been able to break through a line of horses. Given that a significant number there were people with kids, older people, or immigrants--that just was not going to happen.) At that point, it made perfect sense to march down Clark Street. Would it have been better to get on the el or some different route to Fed. Plaza? I doubt it. I saw at least two groups of people try to make a break from Clark to Dearborn, only to be--literally--thrown back by the cops.

Were the marchers on Clark Street a bunch of wimps cowering before the ruling class or the sellouts who chose the Democratic Party over the March 19 Committee? Hardly. It was a loud, spirited march of people who were there for the same main reason as the rest of the marchers--to protest the war and occupation. I wasn't ever ABLE to get to Oak and Michigan so I won't presume to tell anyone what happened there or what was in the minds of the people there. That was a weakness--and a small victory for the cops--that the march was kept fragmented. I wish that people who weren't on Clark street would refrain from declaring what the march was like or what the motives of the marchers were.

I actually tried 3 different times on Saturday to join a feeder march, or the main group on Dearborn and was physically prevented by the ridiculous level of police force. Ultimately my choice--and I think the choice of many on Clark street was to march there OR not at all. In fact my understanding is that before I got to Bughouse at about 1:00, MOST of those there DID join with people on Dearborn Street. I heard from people who got to Oak street after the march had moved to Dearborn and they were told just go to Federal Plaza. Wouldn't it have been better for them to have joined the group on Clark street? Let's not pose the two marches against eachother as if it's a political conflict in the movement. Tha's what the police and the city would love to see. If they divided us physically, they shouldn't be able to divide us politically.

5. Celebrate our victories, learn from our mistakes, and let's come back stronger and more united in the next battle for free speech and against war!