“Occupy the Occupiers”
Not On Our Name called a demonstration Friday night in Los Angeles at the Westwood Federal Building. Due to a tactical error on their part, the permit wasn’t issued until about a week before the event, which didn’t give them much time to organize hence the crowd was small.
However the L.A. Times ran two photos of it, and the speakers, music, and rappers got the message across. The top photo shows Ron Kovic, of Born On The Fourth of July fame, speaking.
I know Ron a bit from the various demos. He’s a friendly gentle man who believes we are living in historic times, and that we, the peace movement, can and will change the course of history. It’s always inspiring to hear him speak. He gives me hope.
Back in the Vietnam days, Ron helped start Vietnam Veterans Against the War, a group who played a major role in turning public opinion against the war. The media and right wing suddenly had little to say when Viet Vets like Ron, who lost the use of his legs in ‘Nam, were suddenly on the front lines of the antiwar protests. And 35 years later, he’s still at it.
The second photo is one of the Aztec Dancers, a group who appear at leftie and cultural events everywhere in L.A. and who, through their drumming and dancing, always get the crowd energized.