The following report covering the Michigan Peace Network Labor Day statewide peace mobilization is reposted below because we feel that it is important reading for those involved in building a more effective antiwar/anti-imperialist movement. The report, whether consciously or not, is a reminder of the immense work that needs to be done in building an effective movement to end the occupation of Iraq. Fear No Arts, an independent media group in Traverse City, prepared the report.
On Labor Day weekend the Michigan Peace Network held its first ever-statewide peace action. It began on Saturday, Sept. 2nd with a 2-day, 2-night Peace & Justice Solidarity Camp Out in the wilderness near Carp Lake in Northern Michigan. This was a wonderful meeting of activists from all across the state of Michigan and Wisconsin. Just over 100 campers and another 25 or so visitors showed up. It was a fabulous weekend of networking and comradery. Workshops went on all day Sunday, winding up with some great entertainment and inspiring words. Enthusiasm ran deep for the following day's march on the Mackinac Bridge.
On Monday at 4:30am we rose from our tents as buses and vans from Traverse City, Kalamazoo and other areas of the state were enroute to the bridge. We formed a peace convoy in the dark to Mackinaw City where we were met by thousands of eager bridge walkers, police and National Guard troops. We were scattered by the parking situation, which caused us to run a little late getting started. Our plan was to gather in mass in St. Ignace and march as a group across the bridge. It was felt that we would receive better visibility that way. The bridge walk started at 7am. At that time, some of us got anxious and decided to start walking. By 7:15am just over 300 of us were finally all together at the rendezvous point. We began to march. Immediately, our group was split in half as the police broke us up to allow busses to pass through. As a result, we began to scatter throughout the walk. As the morning passed we had peppered the bridge walk with our black "Bring the Guard Home" t-shirts, allowing for greater exposure than we had anticipated. People walking the bridge were constantly commenting on how we were everywhere. In fact, everywhere you looked you would see our message. After an hour of walking I was convinced that our original plan was all wrong and that because we were 300 in a crowd of 45,000, we were most effective being scattered throughout the walk. People were introduced and reminded of our message over and over while they walked over the bridge. And finally as everyone came off the bridge we drove the message home with World Can't Wait and other protestors welcoming every walker with banners and signs and shouting "WHAT DO WE WANT?!…PEACE!!…WHEN DO WE WANT IT?!!….NOW!!!" They also saw the power image of activists wearing orange jump suits in manacles with bags over their heads, reminding them that George Bush is holding prisoners in illegal torture camps all over the world. We met with very little opposition during the demonstration. Governor Granholm even stopped to pose for a photo with one protestor,holding up a peace sign (who ever took that photo, please email it to me so that I might pass it along).
There is no doubt that we took over the Labor Day Bridge Walk this year. We had a captive audience of 45,000 for 3-4 hours on Labor Day. The anti-war message was all over the event. The Mass March on the Mack was a huge success!
Thank you to all of you who made it happen. It has been suggested that it be an annual Michigan Peace Network action.
