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More than ten thousand activists from all over the country and of varying political persuasions gathered on the first day of the Republican National Convention earlier this week. They converged on the Minnesota state capital in St. Paul, just down the street from the Xcel Energy Center where Republican delegates were set to meet. The main demand unifying all the activists was an end to the war in Iraq. Among the various groups gathered were war veterans, immigrant rights advocates, and welfare rights activists. I had the chance to speak with many of them and today we’ll hear some of their voices and causes. <\/p>\n
Iraq Veterans Against the War has been a major force in the anti-war movement, bringing first person experiences to the horrors of war, and the suffering of soldiers and Iraqi civilians. We’ll hear first from one former marine with IVAW who served in Iraq, followed by Sami Rasouli with Muslim Peace Maker Teams, and Adam, an eight year old who showed up with his mom, dressed as Uncle Sam.<\/p>\n
Making a strong connection with the war, were many immigrants and their advocates, who spoke out about the increased attacks on their communities by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the on-going vulnerabilities facing immigrant workers. MIRA, or the Minnesota Immigrants Rights Action Coalition (no relation to the Mississippi group with the same acronym) was the main organizing force behind the immigrants rights contingent present at the rally and march on Monday. I spoke with a representative from MIRA, and several other immigrants and their advocates about why they were present at the rally and what their demands were. <\/p>\n
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On Tuesday a large march of welfare rights advocates marched on the streets of St. Paul, demanding human rights for low-income Americans. The Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign, which organized Tuesday’s march, were also present in full force at the anti-war march on Monday. I had the chance to speak with one of the group’s leaders, Cheri Honkala, who is also a national organizer with the Kensington Welfare Rights Union. <\/p>\n
While activists are united behind ending the Iraq war and other major issues, there is serious disagreement about which candidates they may support. Last week during the Democratic National Convention, major media played up differences between Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama, reflected in some progressive Democrats. Republican John McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin is seen by some as an effort to seduce those Democratic supporters of Hilary Clinton disappointed by her loss to Obama. One protester in St. Paul made a sarcastic statement with a sign she was holding up.<\/p>\n
Not all those demonstrating at the Republican National Convention were Obama supporters however. Rosa Clemente, Vice Presidential candidate on the Green Party ticket addressed Monday’s major anti war march. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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