Photo credit: Jay Smooth

In this massive international antiwar mobilization, the largest protest in the U.S. was held in New York City despite bitter cold and unprecedented official obstruction. A free-speech struggle emerged as Mayor Michael Bloomberg refused to grant the main organizers, United for Peace and Justice (UPJ), a permit to march on the U.N. UPJ Co-chair Leslie Cagan said on the eve of the event: “It’s an outrageous shredding of the constitution, but it won’t deter our massive mobilization for the permitted rally.” Organizers estimated there were 500,000 protesters. (WBAI carried live coverage.) —Bill Weinberg, WBAI producer and editor of World War 3 Report (www.ww3report.com)

Photo credit: Jay Smooth

Members of Rockland Friends of WBAI joined groups from New Jersey, Westchester, Connecticut, and Long Island to march behind the Friends of WBAI banner in the Peace March in New York City. Shouts came at us from the sidewalks: “I love WBAI!” and “I’m a member!” I met a Korean sister who said, “I love going down to the station to volunteer. You meet such cool people!” Best were the roars that spontaneously arose from either end of the march and surged toward us like tidal waves. We were swept up in them. This sound transformed us from a bunch of individuals into a huge mass, a powerful dragon! —Sheila Hamanaka, Rockland Friends of WBAI

Photo credit: William Farrington

Almost 4,000 people converged on Riverside Church for an antiwar program entitled “Echoes of Martin Luther King’s ‘Beyond Vietnam’: An Evening of Resistance to the War on Iraq.” This amazing event, sponsored by WBAI and the Church and aired live, marked the 36th anniversary of Dr. King’s historic sermon against the Vietnam War, delivered there a year before his assassination. The program featured a rich pastiche of music, poetry, and soaring prose from a broad array of activists, artists, and clergy. Recent Academy Award-winner Michael Moore drew thunderous applause and laughter as he mocked Bush’s lies. Other presenters included Ossie Davis, Pete Seeger, Sapphire, Camille Yarbrough, and such WBAI voices as Don Rojas, Amy Goodman, Robert Knight, Sharan Harper, Mimi Rosenberg, Tiokasin Ghost Horse, and Rosa Clemente. —Rose Kim, WBAI listener

Photo credit: William Farrington

Hundreds of members of the Harlem community braved a cold rain to march and rally in a protest linking opposition to the U.S.-led war on Iraq with the 35th anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination. The protest was organized by the Black Solidarity Against War Coalition. Organizers stated, “Dr. King and others set a standard for how we should respond to an unjust war: ‘We must resist.’”
—Lisa Vives, WBAI listener

 

Dear WBAI, I managed to hear the whole rally on your station. You did such a great job of making it real for listeners. I’m glad you focused more on the speeches than on what the media produced—mainly how many arrests were made. It’s incredible how the media missed the important messages given that day.

  

Dear WBAI, Kudos to all of you. If I needed proof of WBAI’s worth (which I didn’t), the wonderful coverage of Saturday’s rally certainly did the job. When I heard that the WBAI listener group was five blocks long, I cheered and wished I could have been two people (I walked with the Community Church). I would never have heard any of the rally without WBAI on my walkman. Thank you to all whose efforts made it possible.