Thanks to this link, I’ve realized there will be a white supremacy march going on about an hour from me. I’m thinking of taking a dozen dozen eggs for the occassion, but I was wondering if anyone could suggest some rather creative forms of annoyance that I might beset these ignorant bastards with.
Also, if anyone is interested in going, please let me know that as well.
In the past I’d have agreed, but I’m growing increasingly cognizant that the way to end this crap is not through passivity. It certainly hasn’t done a damn bit of good thus far.
Eventually, decent, humane people are going to have to stand up and say, “we won’t tolerate this, anymore.” The police and government might not be able to prohibit their display because of our fine constitution, but we as citizens can let them know we won’t stand for it in our communities.
I’m working on some slogans for roadside signs. Any suggestions would be helpful. Here’s what I have so far:
“Hate Groups == National Terrorists”
“Dear hatemongers, please do not procreate. --humanity”
“We’re doing just fine. Take your hate back home.”
“Do your community a favor: run over a hatemonger today!”
“Celebrate diversity.”
Surely this broad community can come up with something besides, “just ignore them?”
looking at time of post damn, you’re probably already there. With any luck the ISO is out there as well - let me know if they were, would you?
I for one definitely applaud you going out there and counter-protesting, although egg-throwing wouldn’t be my personal method of choice. That just starts fights, and fights in the presence of police (who are guaranteed to be there) always end up with heads getting cracked. Better to organize a loud and angry counterprotest to drown them out.
So, having coached from the sidelines… how did it go?
booooo. Cheap shot. The south has come a long way since the 60s. To note, I should point out that these wackos are based out of west-virginia - not local.
I originally wanted to do a burma shave theme, but figured I’m not clever enough to come up with enough slogans in just 2 days.
While I’d like to cover them in eggs and urine, you are correct. I’ve since changed my mind to at the very least
posting the signs and hosting a table near the end of the march where I give out lemonade and “how to overcome hate” pamphlets.
Aw Christ. Those scum just don’t give up. They’ve been up here in DC four or five times in the past three years. It’s getting irritating. Last time they showed up they put out the word on a white power concert, but you could only get the address if you showed up at their rally. So all the skinheads showed up, bringing their total to about 250 versus our 150. A tad disappointing, to be sure. The NA themselves are suit-and-tie Nazis, led by whatsisname Pierce, the guy who wrote the Turner Diaries. They’re not the shave-your-head, Doc Marten-wearing “oi” types… these guys are honest-to-God fascists.
The lemonade and anti-hate pamphlets are a brilliant idea. But don’t do it by yourself if at all possible. Get two or three buddies/co-workers/other anti-Nazi types to hang out there with you. If you’re anywhere near the NA and they see you by yourself, they’re going to try to target you. Bad news all around.
Don’t know what else to tell you, except spend some time raising awareness among the people you know about this march. See if you can get 'em out there as well. Your response to Efrem and Ice Wolf is spot on and would be a good one to use elsewhere.
When it’s all said and done, come back here and post how it went. I’m very eager to hear how it turned out. And I do find it likely the ISO will send at least a contingent; if you meet anyone selling a paper called Socialist Worker, them’s my comrades. Be nice to 'em. They’re out there for the same reason you are.
The best solution I’ve heard is to give money to an organization that promotes better values, based on how many people attend the march. So if more of their guys show up, you give more money to the NAACP, or your local peace group, or whatever organization you support. If you have a table, you could put up a sign with the amount you’re donating. Yelling at them doesn’t help, 'cause they have really thick heads.
If you truly feel the need to react to “hate groups” – I think MagicEyes’s suggestion has merit. It gets them in the other aspect which can make 'em hurt – providing money, by their actions, to the groups who are equipped to counter the lies with the truth (hopefully).
Placards, chants etc do a lot to vent your freelings towards groups like NA, okay – but they also cement in the brains of their followers and fellow travellers that, “Hey! This is a great way for me to get attention! Let’s do this again! Tell all our loser friends about this!”
You’ll be doing the placard-chant schtick next year. And the year after that. And the year after that. It’s been nearly 60 years, right?
Those supplying the stuff for making the placards would be happy, though. They’d do a roaring trade.
Get in touch with your local Anti Fascist group, and attend the march handing out anti-hate literature and /or collecting for local charity / equality groups.
We won’t use guns, we wont use bombs
we use the one thig we’ve got more of
And thats our Minds.