Million Man March at about 160,000
AP Americans frustrated by the slow response to victims of Hurricane Katrina should channel their energy to changing their communities, Jesse Jackson told thousands gathered Saturday for the 10th anniversary of the Million Man March.
“We need millions more to act and react to what we saw in the gulf,” the civil rights leader said. “Images were burned into our consciousness.”
In 1995, the march called on black men to take responsibility for improving their families and communities. Women, whites and other minorities had not been invited back then, but all were welcome to the Millions More Movement, which intends to build on those principles and push people to build a movement for change locally and nationally.
Dozens of speakers _ academics, activists and media pundits _ took the microphone at the National Mall for a few minutes each. A speaker from a black gay group, added to the roster at the last minute, also spoke.
Organizers did not speculate on the size of the crowd, which was mostly black, and police would not offer an estimate. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority said subway ridership by noon was 152,000. On the day of the march 10 years ago, ridership reached just over 804,000.
Participants said they were inspired by the gathering. Rapper Ryk-A- Shay, 24, joined relatives from North Carolina for the drive to Washington. “Any time we as a people can come together it’s a beautiful thing,” she said.
Danny Bakewell, publisher of the Los Angeles Sentinel, a black newspaper, said the gathering was “a glaring symbol of the possibilities that are in front of black people. This is not the end, it’s a beginning.”
Jesse was in St. Louis, MO on Tuesday trying to get the crowd rallied up to move back to NOLA. He got all of 12 takers. He has become irrelevant to any civil rights cause.
The drop in the numbers at the Million Man March tells me that people just don’t identify with the Farrakans and Jacksons. It is the individual in the communities that are making the difference.
October 15, 2005 - 07:04 PM on October 15th, 2005
The so called Million Mom March was,nt close to a milloin moms and it was,nt organized by a surburban soccer mom Donna Dees Thomas has big time connections with the demacratic party and CBS News and as for Rosie O,Donnell and her WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH well WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR HYPOCRACY WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF RICH WEATHLY SOCIALISTS TRYING TO WRECK OUR CONSTITUTION SO JUST MOVE OUT OF THE COUNTRY:mad:
October 15, 2005 - 07:23 PM on October 15th, 2005
What a joke. The Million-Moron March turns out to be ~15% of that. Jesse Jackson is a has-been, washed-out hypocrite. I am surprised that anyone cares what he says. If I was Pres, I’d lock the door whenever he came around. I wouldn’t even talk to the S.O.B.
October 15, 2005 - 09:14 PM on October 15th, 2005
Does the fact that the most recent national opinion poll says only two percent of African-Americans approve of President Bush’s performance tell you something?
Seems to me that a turnout of 150,000 to 200,000 in the fall, during a non-holiday weekend is reasonably good. Considering that listening to any group of pols run their mouths for a whole day is boring, maybe more than good.
BTW, New Orleans media say the number of people on the buses Rev. Jackson brought to New Orleans was about 200.
October 15, 2005 - 09:22 PM on October 15th, 2005
Unfortunately we have to deal with these “chocolate drops” All JJ & LF have to do is whine. Calypso Louie should of been up in the “Revolving Mothership” recruiting. JJ is just clueless. MLK would of told JJ to go pick somethin’. “If we had known it was going to be this much problem we would have picked our own cotton”. As far as LF, get off the CRACK & HO’s dumb ass. What a JOKE these folks are.
GO TROOPS, GOD BLESS YOU.
October 15, 2005 - 10:28 PM on October 15th, 2005
3-”Does the fact that the most recent national opinion poll says only two percent of African-Americans approve of President Bush’s performance tell you something?”- no
“Seems to me that a turnout of 150,000 to 200,000 in the fall, during a non-holiday weekend is reasonably good. Considering that listening to any group of pols run their mouths for a whole day is boring, maybe more than good.” A drop in a minimum of 600,000 people is not good anyway you look at it.
“BTW, New Orleans media say the number of people on the buses Rev. Jackson brought to New Orleans was about 200.”- That was nationwide. Total. Not too impressive. But then again, neither is Jesse.
October 16, 2005 - 12:11 AM on October 16th, 2005
If Jesse and Farakhan care so much, were we the Nation of ISlam and Rainbow in NOLA handing our relief supplies?
They weren’t.
October 16, 2005 - 12:42 AM on October 16th, 2005
5- â€Does the fact that the most recent national opinion poll says only two percent of African-Americans approve of President Bush’s performance tell you something?â€- no
A national opinion poll by NBC/The Wall Street Journal that shows only 2% of African Americans approve of the job GWB is doing “means nothing” to you?
I’m gonna guess you are “white”. And I’m calling you out as a RACIST as well.
Thanks for finally showing your lack of color, babe, and painting this message forum for what it really is.
October 16, 2005 - 03:29 AM on October 16th, 2005
October 16, 2005 - 03:32 AM on October 16th, 2005
October 16, 2005 - 06:46 AM on October 16th, 2005
7-You just showed how ignorant you are. I have stated many times on this site that I don’t believe in poll; good bad or indifferent to any position I take. Why? because 900 people do not speak for the country. 900 people does not even register on the percentage scale. So why would I care about this poll? Because it involves black people? You should learn what the word means before you start throwing it around.
October 16, 2005 - 10:07 AM on October 16th, 2005
The term “Racist” has been so overused and misused that it has almost completely lost its original meaning.
It has acquired by usage and context a new meaning, and that is to actually reveal the character of the user. The person who throws out the racism charge is really saying “I don’t like what you are saying but I don’t have any good counter argument, so I’m going to resort to name calling using this hackneyed epithet to try to trump everything you said”.
Unfortunately for those who stoop to this tactic, it is now immediately recognized by almost everyone, and so almost always backfires. It leaves the user no further ahead in their argumentative position, instead just permanently labeling them as not worthy of further debate.
October 16, 2005 - 12:01 PM on October 16th, 2005
Tacking on to what Robert said, the same can be be said about these terms as well:
sexist – one who disagrees with a feminist
homophobic – one who disagrees with a homosexual
intolerant – one who refuses to change positions on the basis of feelings or inclusiveness
fundamentalist – one who believes in moral absolutes
God hater – anyone who disagrees with the idea of a modern-day theocracy
warmonger – anyone who believes a country has the right to protect and defend its interests
pacifist – anyone who believes nuking a country should be a last resort
sellout – one who disagrees with the positions of group to which they “belong”
This is not an indictment everyone who falls into these groups, but a criticism of those extremists who devalue the meaning of the words by tossing them out there anytime someone disagrees with a particular position or agenda. Nor is this an all-inclusive list.
October 16, 2005 - 03:15 PM on October 16th, 2005
At this point, if we never see another tofu post we’d lose nothing.
October 16, 2005 - 03:17 PM on October 16th, 2005
12- Thank-you for summing that up.
That is exactly what I am talking about.
October 16, 2005 - 06:07 PM on October 16th, 2005
I thought so. Just returning the favor; not that we’re keeping score.