[Paleopsych] People's Weekly World: CPUSA in thick of antiwar actions

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CPUSA in thick of antiwar actions
http://www.pww.org/article/articleprint/7832/
[I am very glad the old fight keeps going. It must take incredible character to 
persist.]

    Author: [2]Dan Margolis

    People's Weekly World Newspaper, 09/29/05 12:26

    WASHINGTON The Communist Party USA played an important role in the
    Sept. 24 demonstration against Bushs Iraq war, bringing its own
    members and mobilizing others to come, as well as forming a large
    contingent in the march.
    We had a wonderful delegation in Washington, said Sam Webb, CPUSA
    national chair. We joined with hundreds of thousands of others in
    calling for ending the occupation, bringing the troops home and
    rebuilding our country.
    On Sept. 26, 11 members and friends of the Communist Party were
    arrested in a planned act of civil disobedience to protest the war in
    front of the White House, along with more than 350 others, including
    Gold Star mother Cindy Sheehan. The protesters began attaching the
    names of Iraqi and U.S. war victims to the fence in front of the White
    House when police ordered them to disperse. When they refused, the
    police made mass arrests. Those arrested were issued tickets and later
    released.
    Still other party activists participated in visits to congresspeople
    on the same day to lobby for a speedy U.S. withdrawal from Iraq.
    The CPUSA has been involved in all of the major antiwar
    demonstrations. This time the party organized itself to have an even
    greater public presence in the actions.
    In New York City, for the first time in years, the party organized its
    own bus. With the party still maintaining a focus on working with
    other organizations, and therefore a large percentage of its
    membership traveling on buses organized under the banners of other
    groups. As it turned out, one bus was not enough.
    We had to turn people away, said Gabe Falsetta, who helped organize
    the New York bus. The phone kept ringing, and I had to tell so many
    people there was no more room. Its too bad we didnt have two or three
    buses. The ages of people on the bus ranged from 15 to 89.
    Besides the bus, the CPUSA organized a contingent that marched behind
    a huge red banner reading, U.S. Out of Iraq! Rebuild America! No Money
    for War! The diverse, multiracial contingent was made up of hundreds
    of members and friends, some of whom came from far away, carrying
    signs and American flags.
    I feel great! said Matt Parker of Dallas. This is my first national
    march to come to, and its really a positive and inspiring thing to see
    all these Communists united here behind our banner. I think people
    will notice and it might undo some of the stereotypes that have
    damaged our reputation. Its a real positive effort.
    The CPUSA and the Young Communist League had tables at the event, and
    both received warm responses. In addition, party members and
    supporters of the Peoples Weekly World distributed nearly 10,000
    sample issues of the newspaper to those attending the actions.
    [3]dmargolis at pww.org

References

    2. http://www.pww.org/article/author/view/397
    3. mailto:dmargolis at pww.org?subject=