Demographics of a Late 1960s Anti-War Protest
Back in the late 60s, I was very involved in the anti-war movement in the Washington DC area. Organizing large protests, like the ones at the Pentagon was some of the stuff I was involved with. They involved thousands of people sometimes, and the cast of characters was always interesting. Here are some of the typical characters who participated in the protests at one level or another:
Celebrity Organizers - Most often, these folks didn't really do that much, except to show up, speak, and help attract others. An interesting group, for sure.
Actual Organizers - Kind of the central committee for each protest. Smart people who knew what the event would likely turn out to be, and were willing to put in long hours trying to put things together so that the protest would be effective and relatively safe. Maybe a dozen people, at most. Their contribution was ideas and strategy.
Dedicated Workers - These folks did all the heavy lifting. They produced the posters, distributed and hung them, and did all the enormous amount of work that actually made these things actually happen. Some were specialists in getting parade permits or writing press releases, etc. Absolutely essential people.
Hard-Core Protesters - Front line folks. Completely committed to the cause and willing to stand at the front of the crowd and take whatever abuse came along. They got arrested, tear gassed, etc. again and again, and always came back for more. You could count on them showing up whenever things were happening. They were smart and effective and willing. Essential.
Marshals - These absolutely amazing people had a unique ability to calm down people and get them to stay out of trouble and go where they were needed. When things got hairy, they helped keep things together and the crowds more or less under control.
The Talent - You had to have music. You had to have something to keep protests going, excited, and to attract large numbers. Sometimes they were great. Sometimes they were a PITA. Along with them came roadies and groupies and hangers-on. If there was a good talent handler in the organization, that was a wonderful thing. If not, then the talent was a major hassle.
The Crazies - They were always there. Hotheads, and wackos, and a strange assortment of people whose priorities and behavior was almost never possible to understand or predict. They kept the Marshals busy. If you weren't on them, they'd provoke something - guaranteed. Thank goodness for the Marshals. Most of the time, they managed to keep this group from infecting the event.
The Undercovers - The bigger the event, the more of these that showed up. Sometimes they were obvious, and sometimes not. Occasionally, one would make it into the Actual Organizers. That was not a good thing. Sometimes, others were hard to tell from the crazies. They were always there, always trying to get a foothold in the organization. Sometimes they had good dope. That was a sure sign.
The Serious Protesters - These were the many, many people who showed up and participated in whatever protest was happening. They knew how things went, were loud and vocal, had their own signs, would pick up a chant instantly, and made the protest work. Some would help the marshals keep the crowd under control but all were there for the very reason the event was happening. They were great.
The Mob - Everyone else who showed up. Some came for The Talent. Some came to get high. Some came to hook up. Some came just because it was something to do. Mostly, they stayed back in the crowd and added sheer numbers to it. Few got in trouble. Few were ever arrested. Few really knew what was going on or why the protest was happening. That was always fine. They were there. They'd join a chant and make noise.
The Media - Too few of these, most of the time. Guiding Celebrity Organizers to them was important. Getting a few minutes on the news with an interview with one of the Celebrity Organizers was a very high priority.
I'm not active in this stuff any more. I wonder if the same demographics are still applicable.
= new reply since forum marked as read
Maybe we're just old fogeys. 
It certainly is much harder to ignore 1000 postcards sitting on your desk than it is to hit "mark all" and "delete" on your computer.
Never thought about the postcard thing, forgot all about the mail scares, thanks for the tip 
