Los Angeles: No more business as usual

Off Our Backs, Oct 2000 by Gowens, Pat

Los Angeles: No More Business As Usual

For one week, from August 11-17, the people took over the streets of LA. Tens of thousands of folks from across the US went into the hot and dangerous streets. They marched hundreds of miles to demand an end to injustices suffered by people in systems controlled by the wealthy. They demanded justice and peace for suffering people in the US and around the world.

Each day, a united people marched, rallied, and chanted for changes in the corporate policies that hurt workers, mothers, children, youth, people with disabilities, native peoples, gay people, poor people, people of color and Mother Earth. People issued a challenge to the mainstream notion that countries in which politicians are ruled by the rich are democracies. They pointed out that a country ruled by the very wealthy (like the USA) is actually a plutocracy, not a democracy. Webster's dictionary defines plutocracy as "a government in which the rich rule."

While the sun took a toll on activists in LA, the real menace to the people in the streets was the overwhelming military presence of ten thousand police. Armed only with signs, banners and puppets, the people faced thousands of police everyday at every corner and every rally. The police used ten types of weapons against unarmed, peaceful people joined together in legal actions, with legal permits. Weapons included: rifles with rubber bullets, rifles with beanbag bullets, metal clubs, shock grenades, horses, helicopters, pepper spray, motorcycles, bicycles, and squad cars with sirens blaring. The police used fear, noise and violent force to intimidate the people. Because the protests were non-violent, the police were protecting rich ideology, more than property.

Despite the massive presence of people and police in LA, most folks who were not involved had to ask, "What were you all protesting?" Daily media across the US, which is controlled by six multi billion dollar corporations, referred to "police using restraint with protesters." True to their wealthy ownership, the mainstream media whitewashed the unreasonable military force used by police, and whited-out the destructive policies protested.

People took to the streets to let the politicians and the world know that they are no longer confused about the cause of so much suffering among the regular people. Several actions took place everyday including:

March for Housing Justice: fair housing, no lending discrimination, affordable housing

Mothers Convention on Welfare: a demand for recognition of motherwork and women's overwork caused by welfare deform

Day of Action to Stop Genetic Engineering of our food and seeds

National Raza Protest and Memorial: for all people who died crossing the Mexico/US border

A Homeless Convention

March and Rally for Mumia Abu Jamal's Freedom

Celebration of Democracy: held outside democrats' high-priced fundraiser on Santa Monica Pier

March to Get Big Oil: (Occidental Oil - Gore owns stock in) Out of U'wa people's land in SA

Shadow Convention on Campaign Finance Reform: to draw attention to the widening wage gap and fake war on drugs

March against World Trade Organization and Corporate Global Devastation

March for Our Lives: human needs not corporate greed

Protest of Exclusion of Nader from Presidential Debates

Million Billionaire March: "what plutocracy looks like."

Value Women's Work, Value Women's Lives: march against no pay, low pay and overwork

Justice for Youth: end the racist system

Anti-Racist Rally: a march for civil rights

Pilgrimage for Public Education by United Teachers of LA

Fair Share for Working Families: SEIU local 660 county workers

Save the Iraqi Children: stop deadly sanctions and bombing now

Critical Mass: celebration of the bicycle

Queers and Their Allies: stop gay bashing, a movement, not a market

No More Ramparts: civil disobedience at Ramparts Police Department. End police murders, beatings, corruption, racial profiling and criminalization of the poor.

March and Rally against Mass Incarceration Police Brutality, Death Penalty, and Political Prisoners

Youth are the Future: demand a better world

End Corporate Control: destructive practices of corporations like Citigroup

From Ballona Wetlands to the Yangtze River: keep the wild places wild

Rally to Stop Sweatshops: fight for a living wage, immigrant rights, and global justice

US Navy out of Vieques, Puerto Rico Now

Candlelight Convergence Outside Democratic Convention: all groups participated

Final March to LA Twin Tower Jail: where protesters and the poor are jailed

The organizers of the LA Direct Action Network agreed on four action guidelines for activists: 1) no violence, physical or verbal; 2) no weapons; 3) no alcohol or drugs; 4) no property destruction. When asked: "Why protest at the DNC?" they responded: "We live. We eat food. We work. We breathe. We have basic needs. We are human. Decisions affecting all these aspects of our lives are being made by a few wealthy individuals. This rich corporate elite hides behind a mask of democracy, political party conventions and elections to legitimize their acts."