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A
protest is reported in numbers, issues, actions and quotes. For last
weekend’s phenomenal pro-Palestinian protest in Washington, D.C.
that translated to more than 75,000 in attendance, support for
Palestinians and disgust with U.S. support of Israel, a march to
call for desperate change and speeches saying in effect “We’re
not going to be satisfied until there is a free, independent
Palestine.”
But
what newspaper articles and television coverage often miss - though
not for the lack of trying - is the underlying artistic passion and
fervor so crucial to the success of a rally or protest.
Last
weekend’s protest was fueled by the intimate artistic touches
brought by each individual. These small things - from hand-drawn
signs to mass-produced ones, from the beating of real drums to the
banging of overturned plastic pails, from the chanting of pre-fixed
slogans to the spontaneous call of an Arabic Qu’ranic verse, from
the very dress the protestors wore to advertise their feelings - all
helped make the protest successful.
In
the early morning hours of the protest, people gathered from across
the nation and converged in front of the White House. A sea of signs
bobbing up and down was the first thing to be seen. The signs
sported a range of sentiments, featuring such slogans as “Fund
Education - Not Occupation”, “USA, You Decide”, “Protect the
Holy Land”, “Stop Billions in Aid to Israel”, and “Stop
Palestinian Holocaust”.
But
more striking than the words were the pictures. One, of an innocent
baby shot through its chest with the words, “Murdered by [Ariel]
Sharon”, drew much attention from passing protestors. Another
heart-wrenching photo showed a young Palestinian crying in fear, his
pants wet, surrounded by gun-pointing Israeli soldiers.
Other
signs went for a more artistic route. One large sign in green showed
a beautiful white dove, the international symbol for peace. Hanging
from both sides of the sign were numerous origami doves floating on
the breath of the wind. Another huge, colorful poster showed a large
paintbrush crushing a gun, with the words “Make Art, Not War”.
Many
news reports often took such placards lightly, glossing over their
importance to focus on sound bites and other facts. Yet without them
and the artistic significance they brought to the demonstration,
many protesters might not have felt so strongly about their beliefs.
Such
displays did much to feed the hearts and minds of protestors. Just
when you got tired or discouraged, you just had to look around to
see what the protest was all about.
The
slogans also served to motivate protestors. They may have seemed
trite, especially when shouted for the thousandth time, yet each
individual voice, each inflection, helped keep the energy up. When
protestors started marching after two hours of speeches, a few women
and young girls whose passions hadn’t waned kept the fires
burning.
Sixteen-year-old
Zehra Iqbal and her friends shouted relentlessly, goading other
people to join in the chants and make some noise. They shouted “Sharon,
Sharon, you will see, Palestine will be free!” and “Takbeer,
Allahu Akbar,” among other things.
Another
woman screeched in a high-pitched voice, marching backwards as she
challenged silent protestors to speak up. “Come on, what is wrong
with you? We can’t get tired! We have to keep shouting until we
are heard,” she said.
Bur
perhaps the most compelling sight and sound of all was that of the
thousands of children. Their innocent play, painted faces,
sticker-covered clothing and childish shouts gave more creative
credence to the protest than anything else. One small blond-haired
boy snuggled in his father’s arms, pacifier plugged into his
mouth. His back sported a sticker saying “End Israel Occupation
Now.”
Another
young girl perched on her father’s shoulders, waved a Palestinian
flag with one hand and gave the peace sign with her other. She had
the traditional black-and-white checkered Palestinian scarf wound
about her head. Her pure voice happily shouted “Free, free
Palestine!” as numerous people stopped to take her picture.
The
image of such small children juxtaposed against photos of slain
Palestinian children was the most potent call for justice and peace.
One might argue that the children were being exploited to make a
point, but last weekend it wasn’t a question of exploitation, it
was a question of “Would you want this life for your child?”
At
the end of the day as protestors scattered, signs were thrown in the
trash, people nursed their sore throats with water and children
slept in their parents’ arms. The demands of the demonstrators
lingered in the air, hopefully snaking into the halls of Capitol
Hill and the White House. And the art of the protest was spent.
But
like any good art, the feelings and emotions raised by the protest
smoldered in the hearts of those who came, and those who watched
from afar. Perhaps that was enough to make difference.
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