The labeling of criticism of the rally as macho really only reveals the only basis for why you disagree: you want props and “radical recognition” for putting a lot of time and energy into another lame spectacle of non resistance. I think you mischaracterized the crowd; only a minority of the crowd was old ladies, small children and other people you deem totally incapable of resisting (Look at the elderly lady who tied herself to the logging truck in the Crimethinc movie). Most of the people were incensed enough about the war that if a situation where resistance was possible erupted they would have joined in. Does it really matter who paid for the busses or the floats? All we saw was the gigantic World Can’t Wait banners next to the floats and the stage, and after more than a few speakers started their spiel with chants (possibly the worst oratory device EVER) we got bored and went back to what we were doing (hakey sack, debating people, enjoying company and food).

As I emphasized in the article the Union Park convergence was fun! We should just have convergences like Union Park for people instead of lame disempowering marches that bore to death people not ideologically programmed to think that boredom = necessary sacrifice. Then we could work on having break away marches from the convergence.

Most criticisms have totally ignored the parts of the critique that it would have been stupid to attempt direct action under the circumstances of the march. I never questioned the guts of the radical protestors, but the tactics. Obviously there was no point to breaking out of the Iraqi Holiday Float Parade Sponsored by the March 18th Coalition. Some referenced other direct action experiments that have failed in Seattle, San Francisco and Quebec. From the critiques I have read about them from the antiauthoritarian perspective they didn’t really have too much relevance to what I was proposing.

I think I misplaced the emphasis on the long trotted out criticism of the permit route instead of the alternative (which seems to me to be completely ignored by the people commenting on the thread). A citywide coalition dedicated to direct action could easily lead workshops on demo militancy AS WELL AS lead workshops on tactics used by Chicago Pink. Chicago Pink’s tactics aren’t an opposing model to traditional militancy at protests but a necessary second punch.

Regardless of police infiltration a city wide coalition or collective could accomplish much that isn’t being accomplished by our dedicated liberal cadre of people paying for permits, floats, busses etc. Workshops could be given on the basics of non demo direct action, like banner dropping and the like. A few friends and I have been busted for trying to drop a banner before because we had no idea how to do it (crimethinc instructions aren’t the same as a workshop) Workshops on how to do a lockdown, or how to lock arms and other tactics at protests would provide valuable training and give people confidence they could actually resist police. Makeshift protection from batons for hundred or so people could be collected and training given on tactics on breaking out and taking a street (hell we could also give training on how to build the protection) Providing the actual tools to undertake direct action and the training to give confidence to people is something that has not been attempted in Chicago yet.

Radical spaces are popping up all over Chicagoland that could store the banners, shields, art work, direct action materials made by the coalition and also be places where the workshops could be held.

Workshops could literally be held anywhere, imagine if at the Union Park gathering a workshop was held on taking and holding a street. Otherwise static convergences could get new breaths of life through crazy and fun workshops designed to give confidence to those wanting to resist.

There’s no reason why the liberal created stereotype of crust punk youth activists would be the only ones involved in this organization either. Anyone and everyone should be encouraged to engage in it. The permitted march model of protest is boring and doesn’t draw new people into any movement, except a movement away from the march and towards home. A model of protest that was fun creative and had an element of actual liberation would be a much more likely candidate to getting people into the progressive scene. This new organization is hardly a pipe dream as a few of the organizers of the M18 coalition would like to believe. It could easily be done by maybe 40 committed individuals from different groups. There isn’t a shortage of people who would want to participate. In the next few weeks (maybe during downtime at BIO) we’ll plan a meeting and post it on the Chicago wire and turn theory into action.