November 22, 2009
UTNE READER

United for Peace and Justice, Today's Protestors are Mature, Artful, and Productive

(Page 3 of 3)

August 2004
Jacob Wheeler Utne.com 
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

The activist parade route also featured its share of challenges for the protesters. But holding it all together was the cool and collected presence of Robert Baum. The United for Peace & Justice volunteer steered activists through the gauntlet, trying to keep them focused as they passed an epic string of hurdles when forced to turn onto 34th Street and head back to Union Square. Confronting an enormous police presence at Madison Square Garden, walking under a nerve-racking billboard of the hated, right-wing Fox News cable station and an intimidating 'In God and Pres. Bush We Can Trust' placard held by several loud and boisterous 'bible-thumping' activists threatened to derail what organizers had worked so hard for. But Baum encouraged nearly every one of the hundreds of thousands of protestors to ignore the right-wingers on 34th Street.

RELATED CONTENT

'It's important that everybody understands that activists also do crowd control,' he said while coaxing several demonstrators yelling 'Shame, shame!' at the top of their lungs to move on. 'We're concerned about safety and about getting our message out but also staying focused because what the person behind me is uttering is complete nonsense. If people were to bum rush this guy, that creates a situation, and it doesn't accomplish anything.'

Comments? Story tips? Write a letter to the editor

Like this? Want more?Subscribe to Utne magazine

Page: << Previous 1 | 2 | 3 |
Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print

Comments

Add Your Comment

We’d like to know what you think. To comment, please use this form. E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments. First time registrants: You will receive an email confirming your email address. Once you confirm, your comment will be posted. Questions about our comments policy? Click here.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Utne Reader?
Sign up to share comments.
Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.
Name*
Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*
This will be your login ID.

City State Zip Code

Password*


Confirm Password*

Comments
1500 character limit (Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)
Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


Pay Now & Save $6!
First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Want to gain a fresh perspective? Read stories that matter? Feel optimistic about the future? It's all here! Utne Reader offers provocative writing from diverse perspectives, insightful analysis of art and media, down-to-earth news and in-depth coverage of eye-opening issues that affect your life.

Save Even More Money By Paying NOW!

Pay now with a credit card and take advantage of our Earth-Friendly automatic renewal savings plan. You save an additional $6 and get 6 issues of Utne Reader for only $29.95 (USA only).

Or Bill Me Later and pay just $36 for 6 issues of Utne Reader!