LA Marches - and Dances - in the Street on St Patrick's Day!
June Caldwell
March 24, 2007
Where did the time go? Amazingly it was the beginning of the fifth year of the Iraq War! Time does fly when you are having an illegal war. About 10,000 people (as always under-reported by mainstream media) flooded the streets of Hollywood at a march coordinating about 50 different organizations by the miracle working AnswerLA.org. Like so many other marches we have attended protesting this war, the crowd was lively and passionate, but there were some startling differences this time. They were:
1) Who came? Everybody! A record breaking divergence of ages, races and backgrounds all marching shoulder to shoulder, from young kids being carried, to high school teens, business yuppies, on up. Noticeably busloads of representatives of various colleges such as USC. Gone are the days when the marches were primarily retired white folk who remembered - with horrific déjà vu - the Viet Nam war.
2) What was the message? “US Out of Iraq” was the stated theme and the message strongly in common. But this time there was large representation from several groups, especially the “Impeach Bush” contingent. No longer a “radical” splinter group, about 30% of the signs were clearly stating that message. I no longer felt that was a sentiment I needed to hide. This was reflecting the January 2007 Newsweek poll stating that 58% of American wished Bush was out of office now.
3) Did the march rock? A resounding YES! We are talking Ozomatli, Ben Harper and Jackson Browne! At the rally after the march such luminaries as Martin Sheen, Mimi Kennedy and Laura Dern gave moving speeches. Also amazingly, the war has gone on so long there were representatives from the huge and growing contingent of Iraq Veterans for Peace who had been sent to Iraq over and over for years, telling their story. And then…the rock and roll!
In previous marches, the rally at the end had speakers and some small acoustic musicians, and many marchers faded off seeking food and a restroom! But not this time! Not one but three major Grammy winning Los Angeles area bands performed. First Jackson Browne with a moving set including the lyrics to one song “…why isn’t Impeachment on the table?” He was accompanied by two singers from an LA Choir with breathtaking effectiveness. which was answered with deafening cheers and applause from the crowd. None other than Ben Harper was next up, performing a stunning set including the incredibly moving song “Gather Round the Stone” about folks at the graveside of a killed soldier. The crowd was growing instead of leaving as the incomparable Ozomatli hit the stage next!
Ozomatli was the perfect topper with a nine piece version of the ultimate LA party and political band. Complete with percussion, drums, horns, guitar, bass, singers. Their Latin alt hip-hop mix did not disappoint. LA’s premier beloved homeboys-made-big was here with us fresh with a new album coming out and better than ever. On March 17, St Patrick’s Day – I used to think it was the ultimate party year when it falls on Saturday like it did this year – this was indeed a bittersweet occasion. The lead singer reminded us “This is a sad occasion, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t dance in the streets!” And dance in the streets we did! All of us in the street right at Hollywood and Highland. With mixed tears of frustration and hope: frustration that this shameful war our country was duped into has gone on so long…but the flame of hope that the newly elected Democrat congress is standing up to Bush and the end is finally in sight. Those tears and brave smiles were reflected on so many faces that day, after marching for so many years to end this war – and newcomers to the streets just joining in this time around. There was no better way to rally our emotion than to dance and sing along at the top of our lungs with Ozomatli’s classic “Hip-hop, socialize, get ready for Saturday night!” As I looked around, I have never been so proud to live in Los Angeles as that moment, and have never been so proud to be an American - expressing our patriotism in what we felt was the only conscionable way we could.