March 17, 2008
Annual "Your Commute Will Suck" Day Wednesday
Actually, last year Washingtonians were saved some driving chaos because the protest on the anniversary of the Iraq invasion was held on a Saturday. Not this year, as protesters from every possible anti-war faction will be gathering in D.C. tomorrow Wednesday on actual date of the invasion, March 19.
Organized under United for Peace and Justice, we count at least ten different events planned around the city. We'll be greeted with folks blocking the IRS and companies like ExxonMobil, bicyclists in a "critical mass" squeezing through traffic in Dupont Circle (cue the "What's the difference from a normal day?" comments), and knitting grannies hanging out by the Veterans Affairs office. Though it's likely the individual protests will be fairly peaceful, it still means that possibly tens of thousands of people will be in between you and places you need to be tomorrow Wednesday, so take a look at the list after the jump and check the event web sites for more locations, and plan your commute accordingly. Protests are scheduled from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Photo by theahnman
- "Blockade the IRS": Participants will meet at 7:30 a.m. at McPherson Square Park and march south-southeast to the IRS headquarters at 1111 Constitution Ave. between 10th and 12th streets, NW. They will gather outside the main entrance at 8:00 a.m.
- "Disrupt the War Profiteers": Student groups and activists will converge upon the streets throughout the day to rally outside offices of large corporations such as ExxonMobil, Shell, Halliburton, Lockheed Martin, Bechtel and the IMF/World Bank. Violent actions are not expected but participants may attempt to enter buildings and disrupt routine activities.
- "Separate Oil and State": Participants will meet outside the American Petroleum Institute at 1220 L St., NW at 13th St. Starting time for this event is not yet available.
- "Veterans March for Peace": The march will begin at 9 a.m. at 7th St., NW on the National Mall between Madison and Jefferson streets. Marchers will pass a variety of locations.
- "Critical Mass": Cyclists will meet at 8:30 a.m. at Dupont Circle (P St. and 19th St., NW). They will travel through downtown possibly riding south on Connecticut Ave., NW to the White House. It has been their intent in the past to intentionally disrupt traffic.
- "Granny Peace Brigade Knit-in": A sit-in is planned for noon outside the Veterans Affairs office at 810 Vermont Ave., NW. Violence is not likely and there should be minimal disruptions to routine activities.
- "Funk the War": Similar to Disrupt the War Profiteers, student groups will converge on the K Street corridor. Participants will meet at Franklin Square Park (14th and K streets, NW) at noon and travel down K Street.
- "March of the Dead": Dozens of activists will roam the city dressed in black representing those killed in the Iraq war. Minimal disruptions are likely.
- "The World Can't Wait": Anti-torture rally at 1:00 p.m. at Lafayette Square Park on H St., NW at the White House.
- "March on DNC": Participants will gather at 5:00 p.m. at the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall and march to the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee at 430 S. Capitol St., SE.
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Anyone know whether the folks clogging the Dupont Metro this past Saturday were anti-war or anti-Scientology (or something else entirely)? There were a bunch of folks wearing black bandanas and those weird masks from "V for Vendetta," and they weren't clearly identifiable as belonging to a particular movement.
I really wish these folks would limit their protests to the Federal core of DC.
Living around where these folks plan on massing before they protest, they're simply disrupting the lives of many folks who already support their cause.
If they really want to "stick it to the man," they should form a human chain blocking off the freeway ramps going to the Pentagon, or march around in Spring Valley where the real "DC fat cats" live.
Protesting the war in Dupont Circle is like pissing in your own pool.
Ha, ha! I walk to work so I don't care about any of this.
Smug,
HR
well, no one's going to mistake those of us who bike down rhode island in the morning as protestors.
they'll simply greet us with their usual shouts of "get off the road" and fly by with their middle fingers waving.
i love my suburban maryland bretheren...
I don't think my calendar is broken. Today is March 17, that would make tomorrow March 18th, not March 19th. All these events are happening on WEDNESDAY NOT TOMORROW. So, um, yeah.
i'm confused about the date as well.
doesn't matter to me though b/c i don't work in DC. have fun!
Ah, crap, I don't know what it is with me and dates lately, but yeah, this is Wednesday, not tomorrow. Sorry about that. And thanks for the usual not-at-all hysterical commenter correction. Should be corrected in a second.
Mellbell,
That was "Anonymous" activity aimed at Scientology. Nothing anti-war-related.
RE: tomorrow's activities... I am vehemently against the war and anti-Bush, but all this protesting seems like some serious masturbation to me. They can yell and scream all they want, but it's the swing voters in middle america who actually matter right now. All these schmucks are doing is jackin' off.
even if you dont work in DC, this will effect commutes all over the place. When downtown traffic clogs up, the suburbs are a mess as well.
It has been their intent in the past to intentionally disrupt traffic.
To be fair, it's tough to block traffic if you are traffic.
i wonder how my boyfriend in the Navy would feel if i joined in one of these protests . . . oh, right. if he wasn't out on that boat, he'd be right there with me.
apologies to my office on wednesday, i may be a little late.
The Pentagon is that funny-shaped building in Virginia. Just cross the river and follow the signs.
I'm just glad that I work in Virginia -- at least just for this Wednesday.
critical mass is gathering at 5:30pm, leaving at 6pm from dupont circle. Connecticut Ave will be affected during afternoon rush hour, not in the morning as stated above...
"it's the swing voters in middle america who actually matter right now"
I think the most of the protestors know that they are dealing with something much bigger than Democrats versus Republicans. Business as usual by 2 parties who do pretty much the same thing will never solve a damn thing.
Rrrright and the protests will change that.
Rrrright and the protests will change that.
I didn't say they would change anything, I am just tired of people always thinking that anti war type protesters are somehow related to the democratic party.
The problem with these morons (critical mass) is I bike commute...but after they've had their little fun I have to stay off the road for a week because they make all the drivers extra hostile and dangerous with their antics.
Here's another problem with some of these protests. Some big, evil corporations share office buildings with other, much less evil organizations. I work for a good guy non-profit, but Halliburton is on the 2nd floor of our building. Even though I agree with the sentiment of the protesters, I feel like I'm being protested too - just because I have to go inside and work at my job to SAVE lives...
Here's another problem with some of these protests.
"Takin' it to the streets" strikes me as being very old school and reactionary, like people just can't let go of the 60's or something. I'm not sure what I would do differently if I cared enough to protest any thing; but as evidenced by these comments, the protesters are doing just as much to antagonize and inconvenience people who sympathize with their cause as they are their intended targets.
I agree this seems masturbatory at this point. This is basically people just wanting an excuse to hang out with some friends and attract attention to themselves. I worked with all the protests before the war, and even during the build up. But now? In DC again? Protests of this type are all but over here. If you really wanted to make "a voice heard" (if that is even relevant anymore) then take this protest to Kansas City. Or HEY HOW ABOUT THE PENTAGON and Virginia! It might make a difference there. Protesters in DC are all but invisible at any number, even when a million come down it hardly warrants a picture on page A13 of USA today. Anything done in DC gets no news coverage, because it is taken for granted, and also preached right to the choir. The whole "our streets" thing is sort of nuts in DC, everyone already knows it's our streets. Why not take this out to South Riding or some other planned development and try it there? Although the residents might just start shooting.
Wear extra perfume and cologne to counter the effects of smelly hippies.
Your commute will suck? Really? How about the state of your country? Oh, please don't be inconvenienced by that... Tell you what: Stay in the suburbs, save a gallon or two of gas. It will help our environment and keep DC's roads clearer. But don't bitch about what's wrong with your country. Just keep letting others do it for you.
you tell em, dannodan!
seriously though, we just have to wait out bush. nothing is going to happen 'till he's gone, so i don't see the point in protesting.
Dannodan is right. The importance of my commuting time pales in comparison to the opportunity to wave around a sign reading "bush/cheney/halliburton/america is a terrorist" or "no blood for oil" for the 10,000th time. After five years of our leadership ignoring protests, I'd say the protesters' moment has finally arrived - this'll be the one that convinces Bush to resign after withdrawing our troops.
decks, it will take more than "no blood for oil" signs to smash the war machine. It will also require paper mache puppets. Also, drum circles.
It will also require paper mache puppets. Also, drum circles.
All of which you can find (And more!) at the corner of 13th & L right now. Looking out my window it looks like more police have just arrived -- they've been blocking traffic at the intersection.
Wouldn't it make more sense to protest where people who actually can do something about the war, like at the Capitol or House & Senate office buildings, are working and driving than Downtown?
I'm just sayin' . . .
i also saw some paper mache this morning . . . at 8:15am outside Farragut West station, 17th and I. they weren't doing anything, but people stopped and took pictures anyway. they were wearing paper mache masks and wearing black (probably berkas?) and carrying large floppy flesh colored dolls. some also had red painted hands . . . do we know which group this was?