“Stop bombing Libya! U.S. out of Africa!” echoed throughout San Francisco’s major intersection at Powell and Market as more than 125 activists and supporters gathered to demand an end to the U.S./NATO bombing of Libya and call for the money spent on war to instead provide for people’s needs. The demonstration was sponsored by the ANSWER Coalition (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism).
While participants picketed, a number of people spoke. A common thread throughout the speeches was that the U.S. government claim of “humanitarian intervention” is a lie.
Antoinette Marquez, an elementary school teacher and member of Teachers 4 Public Education, opened the program and spoke of the pressure put upon her in the classroom by the budget cuts. "I'm fed up with the politicians and the government telling us that there's no money for education. Then how can the government spend $10 million a day on bombing Libya and killing people?!"
Palestinian youth activist and University of California student Tamara Khoury expressed her anger at the continued U.S. intervention around the world and the increasing hardships for people living within the United States:
"If you look back in history, the United States has never funded or supported a real popular uprising, a mass movement of the people for the benefit of the people. Why? Because the imperialist powers only care about profits and power. Just look at the growing number of homeless families in the United States, or the number of students who have had to drop out of their universities because they can't afford to pay fees. Where is the humanitarian intervention here?" Khoury also elaborated on the irony of the United States claiming to act in Libya for humanitarian reasons while continuing to fund the Zionist, apartheid state of Israel.
Omar Ali, a student at San Francisco State University and an organizer with the ANSWER Coalition, echoed Khoury's sentiment when he spoke about the role the United States played during Egypt's revolution earlier this year. "As an Egyptian, I stand against the NATO-led bombing on Libya, which has left more than 800 civilians dead and more than 4,000 Libyans injured. While Egyptians were fighting against a U.S.-backed military dictatorship, protesting in the streets of Egypt, and attacked by thugs, the United States remained silent."
Another theme was the call for unity. Attending his first demonstration, Lester Myers, a Liberian now living in San Jose, spoke of the need to break out of the stigma and stereotypes that have been applied to Africa, and to develop unity amongst Africans to fight back against the attempts of their former colonizers to keep them subservient. "Unity is good for everyone. It is good for the people of the United States of America, and for all the people around the world."
Stephanie Tang of World Can't Wait also called for unity in the anti-war movement: "When it comes to standing up to the crimes of our government, we have to stand shoulder to shoulder."
In the spirit of that solidarity and to demonstrate concretely how the issues are connected, participants marched to Civic Center where there was a rally in support of the Pelican Bay State Prison hunger strikers. Frank Lara, a member of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, closed the joint rally expressing the groups' shared sense of unity. This unity was shown by the marchers as they entered Civic Center with a twist on the familiar anti-war chant: "Money for jobs and education, not for war and incarceration!"
