over 200 peace and enviromental activists 'educate' Obama at American Legion Convention in Mpls 8/30

[annm4peace]

Run time: 05:49 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2YE-YvzQl0   Posted on YouTube: August 31, 2011 By YouTube Member: UpTakeVideo Views on YouTube: 94   Posted on DU: September 01, 2011 By DU Member: annm4peace Views on DU: 1736

 
When President Obama came to Minneapolis to address the National American Legion Convention about 150 protesters roamed the park across from the Convention Center. The protesters were from dozens of peace organizations and groups opposing the Keystone Pipeline.

Most of the people in the crowd had been Obama voters in the 2008 election and they had gathered many times to support his campaign. This time it was a mixture of sadness and outright anger about recent actions of the Obama administration including the expansion of wars, ignoring Bush-Cheney era war criminals, environmental losses and now seeming to balance the budget with cuts to Social Security and Medicare.

The morning serenity created by thousands of Minnesota Somali residents gathering to celebrate the end of Ramadan was soon broken with chants and shouting.

Groups represented at the protest

MN350.org is part of an international effort to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere to 350 parts per million to ensure global population viability. (It’s currently 392.)
Many veteran’s groups joined in protesting the current wars including: Veterans for Peace.
Iraq Veterans Against The War.
Military Families Speak Out.
Adding their voices were The Committee to Stop FBI Repression,
Women Against Military Madness plus a number of other groups.

[annm4peace]

1. see the police horse block the view of the protesters from Obama motorcade

Many of us took the day off trying to put pressure on Obama to bring the troops home, stop grand jury trials, end torture and Guantanamo, and stop the Keystone pipeline



The protestors walked to the rear of the convention center where the Presidential motorcade was to depart. At first they were allowed to gather across 12th Street from the exit, then as departure time approached mounted police moved the crowd further west so they could not be visible from the departing vehicles.

we are lucky to have the Uptake in Minneapolis, Citizen Journalism

http://www.theuptake.org/2011/08/30/obama-supporters-turn-the-other-cheek/

[annm4peace]

5. The corporate media didn't even show any of the protests

even MN NPR and locally owned Progressive radio station, KTNF ignored the protest.
How can we get ahead if progressive stations ignore the voices of the peace, social justice and environmental groups.

I have to strongly thanks local online citizen journalist bill sorem with The UPTAKE
the real public radio station KFAI. several of the hosts on that station were there at the event and were interview protesters and cops.

[MplsAnnie]

2. It was great to see a strong demo against Obama's war policies!!!

[annm4peace]

3. thanks Annie,, I hope people see all the Vets who are protesting

It was a great day!

[bananas]

4. Good to see this - there should be protests everywhere he goes.

Thanks for posting this!

[annm4peace]

6. when we have more troops commiting suicide then dying in combat and US troops executing children

I find it continued shameful that local media and national media fails to show those who are speaking out.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4981088

[truth2power]

7. "..eloquent speaker with empty words." I'd say so.

I don't expect that protest is going to alter Obama's thinking. But, at least they try, which is more than Obama does in standing up to Congress.