I SAW KNOXVILLE’S ANTIWAR PROTEST, which amusingly was held at the mammoth West Town mall because the protesters realized that if they held it downtown on a Saturday no one would see it. I took a couple of pictures, but I’m not posting them. That’s because (1) they suck — taking pictures from a moving car, in the rain, when you’re the one driving tends to produce lousy images; and (2) they give the impression that no one was there. There were actually about 30-40 people when I drove by, but they were spread out enough that it was impossible to get more than a few into any picture.
Notably absent from the Knoxville protest: pictures of Che Guevara, signs proclaiming support for communism, and anti-Bush slogans. Also, there were no guys on stilts.
Sadly, the London protests, which Perry DeHavilland covered and photographed, were a more-representative collection of nastiness and communist-sympathizing. As Perry writes: “All the usual people really. Yawn.”
More proof: Bianca Jagger spoke. And — though this is redundant — said something heart-stoppingly dumb.
UPDATE: Here’s a report from Phoenix, which seems to have fallen somewhere in between. He has pictures, too. So does Howard Owens, from Ventura. Same old, same old: “Bush is a War Monger, No blood for oil, yadda yadda.” Here’s a report from Houston, and here’s Asparagirl’s report from NYC, with pictures. Plus she has more pictures on her new photoblog. My favorite: “Defend Iraq’s Sovereignty!” from the Young Socialists.
UPDATE: Letter From Gotham reports:
This article compares the down-home normalness of today’s protesters with the hippie degeneracy of the Vietnam years. From personal experience I’d say it was the exact opposite, but I didn’t get a chance to see the mass of demonstrators near Dag Plaza, I saw the hippie street theater types.
That’s it, folks. Anyone who says that the city was shut down is not telling the truth. On the West Side life went on as usual.
Which is weird enough. Meanwhile Anna at Petbunny posts pics from Washington. They seem kind of, well, empty, though. And here’s a report from Hollywood, with pics.
Okay, one more — don’t miss this report of the massive protests in Estonia.
ANOTHER UPDATE: Here’s more on Knoxville antiwar activity:
The first incident took place early Thursday morning when a 26-year-old UT student was arrested for allegedly spray painting anti-war slogans on two UT buildings, police said.
Caleb Eugene Wilson of White Avenue was charged with vandalism of property valued at more than $500, public intoxication and evading arrest, according to UT police officer Ed Cummings.
Meanwhile, Hooter’s restaurant has fired back at the protesters who (as reported here earlier) covered a Hooter’s billboard with a sign reading “Frodo has failed — Bush has the Ring.”
Employees of the Hooters restaurant at 8050 Kingston Pike responded with their tongues firmly in cheek. They posted a sign out front saying: “Frodo Has Failed – Hooters Has The Wing.”
I hear they’re spicy.
ONE MORE UPDATE: Today’s (Sunday’s) Knoxville News-Sentinel reports that there were 500 people there. There sure weren’t when I drove by, but that was at 11, which was the official start time for the protest. More folks must have shown up later.