Sent: Mon 7/3/2006 7:03 PM
Subject: Brief report on anti-Nazi rally at the Copitol

I wanted to thank everyone who took part in the
anti-NSM rally. We outnumbered the Neo-Nazis 50 to 1
in numbers and more than 100 to 1 in spirit. Here is a
brief analysis, an update from the press release Jeff
and I wrote earlier, with help from Filemon. I
encourage others to share their experience, analysis.


             Olympia Rejects Neo-Nazis

On Monday, July 3rd 2006 in Olympia, more than 600
concerned community members from Olympia and the
surrounding Puget Sound region rallied to oppose the
presence of a neo-Nazi group called the National
Socialist Movement (NSM).  

Our rally began at 1:30 p.m. at the capitol campus,
near the steps of the Legislative Building and
concluded a little before 4:00 p.m., when the NSM
left.  The NSM had only 11 members for their rally
although they invited their members and other white
supremacists from California and the Northwest to join
them. We turned our backs on them and turned their
rally of hate into one for justice, diversity and
equality.  Anti-racist clowns attended, making fun of
the neo-Nazis. Their small and pathetic turnout shows
the total failure of these white supremacists in
mobilizing people. 

The Olympia Movement for Justice and Peace  played a
central role in spearheading the organizing necessary
for our rally. Other organizations and individuals
joined us in seizing this opportunity to demonstrate,
with a fundamental goal of building a sustainable and
ongoing movement working for racial, economic, and
social justice. We challenged and will continue to
challenge the Nazis and all forms of racism and
inequality, whether it comes from inside our community
or from the White House.

A broad cross-section of communities, including
members of diverse ethnicities, genders, sexual
orientations, religions, and political persuasions
confronted this hate group peaceably, utilizing
various non-violent tactics. We ignored the neo-Nazis,
turning our backs on them shouted, "One Race, The
Human Race". We sang, played music and had a community
speak out with an open mike.   Our counter-rally was
one of numerous activities the Olympia community and
many organizations have participated in, including
educational workshops, outreach, and community
organizing. 

The NSM has been trying to reach out to disaffected
white youth on the basis of scapegoating immigrants,
Black people, Jews, gays and lesbians, and disabled
people. While recognizing and committing ourselves to
challenging and changing this unequal economic system,
where poverty inequality and economic insecurity are
growing, we want to do this, based on solidarity among
all oppressed people. United, we want to take power
from the corporate and government elites who are the
cause of the Iraq war and the many economic problems
facing us today.

Our demonstration today, affirmed and celebrated
diversity.  We used this unfortunate occurrence, the
rallying of a neo-Nazi hate group in our town, to
create a celebratory, powerful and participatory
afternoon of community solidarity, drowning out the
negative message promoted by the NSM.  It is a step on
the path of forming an atmosphere of unity and
compassion, of turning their rally of hate into one
for racial, economic and social equality.

We will get together again tonight for a silent vigil
for victims of hate crimes at 8 P.M. at the Tivoli
Fountain at the State Capitol Campus.

#######################################################

Subject: Brief report on anti-Nazi rally at the Copitol
Date: Mon, 3 Jul 2006 19:32:27 -0700

"The Copitol" was probably a Freudian slip,
but it sure looked like the COPitol today.
Channel 5 claimed there were 13
Nazis and 275 police--a ratio of more than
20 to 1.  It was offensive that police were
exclusively facing in one direction--in effect
criminalizing citizens against the Nazis,
rather than protecting the rights of both
sides by facing both ways.  (Yet the only people
to have been killed at one of these rallies
in the U.S. have been counterprotesters.)

I love Olympia.  You go to a rally to oppose
white supremacists, and two other right-wing
fanatic groups also show up. It's kinda like ordering the
meatloaf and finding out you get two free side dishes.

First, the anti-choice fundamantalists tried to
hijack our rally by making parallels
between the Nazi Holocaust and abortion--
but lots of our people covered up their offensive
signs.  Then some of the most extreme pro-war individuals
in Operation Support Our Troops (from the Fort
Lewis bridge rallies) decided to attend.  As they
left, they told us that next time we're rallying
for Lt. Watada they'll "bring the neo-Nazis" with them
to the bridge (we didn't have the heart to tell them
that the NSM opposes the Iraq War.....).

Great job today everyone!  The crowd showed real
spirit--from the clowns to Hogan's Heroes to some
awesome freestyling.  I've never had so much fun
at an anti-fascist fiesta.  But we should remember
that these guys are not buffoons, and can be
pretty sophisticated and dangerous organizers.
We ignore that reality at our peril.  Our greatest
victory is that they were not able to recruit anyone
in our community today, but they'll be back for
their quieter and more threatening work behind
the scenes.