Washington 9/12 March, Satellite Rallies, and Protest "Caravans" Manifest the Millions Involved in U.S. Mass Strike

September 15, 2009 (LPAC)—The end of the August Congressional recess and its town hall meetings did nothing to slow down the mass strike process under way since the end of July. Along with the Sept. 12 mass protest in Washington, D.C., satellite rallies took place all over the country on the same weekend, attended by masses of people, whose total count is not possible, given the extent of the phenomena and lack of centralized reporting. E.g. in Wasilla, Alaska, 1,000 turned out on Saturday, for a rally where the LPAC representative spoke.

Millions are engaged in opposing Washington. Announcements for new protest rallies are popping up everywhere, for example, in St. Paul, Minnesota, for Sept. 17, scheduled right after Obama spoke Sept. 12 in Minneapolis/St. Paul!

In the lead-up to the Sept. 12-13 weekend, thousands turned out at various stops of the "Tea Party Express" which went cross-country on two routes from West to East. On Labor Day, for example, when 400 were expected mid-way, in Illinois, 10,000 people showed up, nearly shutting down the Route 80 cross-country super-highway. Right now, a physicians' caravan "Doctors Mad as Hell" is travelling Eastward from the Pacific Coast.

Most local press accounts of these protest actions rightly report that many people are getting politically active for the first time. The LaRouche movement's leadership is critical. A partial grid of recent events follows.

Lead-Up to 9/12 Washington Rally

Tea Party Express events in the lead-up to the D.C. march on Sept. 12 included dozens of thousands of protesters; plus attendance was high at rallies called by other protest networks:

Friday, Sept. 4:

* Texas. 2,500 people greeted the Tea Party Express in Dallas. [Dallas Morning News]

Monday, Sept. 7:

* Illinois. Over 10,000 people showed up in New Lenox, for a stopover on the northern route by the Express, which was expected to draw about 400.

* Georgia. About 1,000 people turned out for a rally in Douglas County. [myfoxatlanta.com]

Tuesday, Sept. 8:

* Michigan. Several thousand gathered in Brighton, despite downpours, to greet the Tea Party Express. Local participants were quoted saying they're not being represented in Washington and complaining about Obama's takeover of GM. [Detroit News]

Wednesday, Sept. 9:

* Pennsylvania. About 2,000 people turned out in Cranberry, just east of Pittsburgh, some driving up to four hours to get there. [Pittsburgh Tribune Review]

Thursday, Sept. 10:

* Pennsylvania. About 500 people packed Courthouse Square in Scranton, to meet the Tea Party Express. Aside from the usual, populist, anti-government rhetoric, speakers and participants also cited Obama's support of living wills, the government takeover of Chrysler and GM, and Obama's use of so-called "czars" to make and control policy. [thetimes-tribune.com]

Friday, Sept. 11:

* Connecticut. About 1,500 people gathered outside the Hartford state capitol, standing out in the rain for two hours to hear speeches in support of Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) and calls to defeat Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.). [Hartford Courant] More than 100 people withstood driving rain in Bridgeport, Conn. to greet the Tea Party Express, which included a speech by conservative commentator Ann Coulter [Connecticut Post]

* New Jersey. When the Tea Party Express arrived in Toms River, a crowd estimated at 3,000 was waiting to greet it. Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi were among the crowd's targets. [Asbury Park Press]

Satellite Rallies on Sept. 12-13

There were also dozens, perhaps hundreds, of satellite events around the country in parallel with the Sept. 12 D.C. march, some organized by the 9-12 Project, led by Fox News' Glenn Beck. Here is a sampling:

WESTERN STATES

* Texas:

Fort Worth. A crowd estimated by organizers of the local 9-12 Project chapter at 10-20,000 in downtown Fort Worth chanting "You lie" and "No more czars," targeted not only the health care reform, but also the bank bail-outs. The crowd cheered wildly, when Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Tex.) told them, "You stopped health care reform this summer in its tracks." Republicans also came in for criticism for passing the Patriot Act. [Fort Worth Star Telegram]

Jefferson. About 100 people attended the event in this eastern Texas town, including a few from Shreveport, Louisiana. Many indicated they had become interested in politics only recently. [Marshall News Messenger]

* Utah:

Salt Lake City. More than 1,500 people gathered at the state capital to bash Obama's policies in an event organized by the 9-12 Project. [Salt Lake Tribune]

* California:

Orange County. About 1,000 people turned out in San Juan Capistrano to express their outrage at Obama's policies at a protest organized by the local 9-12 Project chapter. [Orange County Register]

Temecula. About 300 people gathered to call on voters to reject Obama's policies, including the bailout policy. Another 100 or so gathered in nearby Murreita. [Press Enterprise]

* Idaho:

Pocatello. Local News reported "hundreds" showed up at a city park. [localnews8.com]

* Montana:

Great Falls. About 200 protesters. [KRTV, Great Falls]

* Alaska:

Wasilla. A crowd of 1,000—this is Big—turned out here, where LPAC's organizer got out 250 leaflets ("LaRouche Calls Out Obama" and the mustache graphic), and raised enough from the friendly crowd to pay for another leaflet run. The LPAC organizer spoke at the rally for 3 minutes, calling them to "turn to LaRouche, who has been fighting for the Republic for 40 years." This short address was well received, and sharply differentiated LaRouche from Rush Limbaugh and the prior speaker's dull, right-wing balther. (LPAC firsthand report).

EASTERN STATES

* Illinois:

Quincy. More than 2,000 people turned out for this satellite event, which was themed "Lincoln's Legacy: Patriots on the Prairie." The local reporter notes that Abraham Lincoln debated Stephen Douglas in the very same location. [connecttristates.com]

* Kansas:

Topeka. Hundreds attended a rally in a Topeka city park organized by the local 9-12 Project chapter. [Topeka Capital Journal]

* Pennsylvania:

Jeannette. 2,500 people turned out for a rally in this rust-belt town, east of Pittsburgh, expressing their opposition to "Obamacare." [Pittsburgh Tribune Review]

* Rhode Island:

Providence. "Hundreds" of protesters gathered at the state capitol against Obama's health reform plans and cap-and-trade. [Providence Journal]

SOUTHERN STATES

* Mississippi.

Hattiesburg. 1,350 showed up to express their distrust of state and local officials at an event hosted by the local 9-12 Project chapter. [Hattiesburg, American]

* Georgia:

Columbus. About 250 people protested outside the Columbus Government Center, with signs against Obama's health care plans, cap-and-trade and high taxes. [ledger-enquirer.com]

* Florida:

Stuart. "Hundreds" of people spanned the 1 mile bridge over the Saint Lucie River. One was quoted about saying about his sign (not otherwise shown), "It's showing Obama, he's doing the same thing Hitler did, controlling everyone by taking over health care." [cbs12.com]