Rocky Speaks to Thousands at Anti-War Protest
None by KCPW
(KCPW News) War veterans, civil rights activists and slam poets spoke to thousands at an anti-war protest today in Salt Lake City. But the crowd chanted most loudly for the featured speaker and rally host Mayor Rocky Anderson. For more than half an hour, Anderson detailed his anger at the Bush Administration, the war in Iraq and local Republican leaders who openly criticize him.Listen to the entire speech (approx. 30 minutes long):
During his speech, Anderson also took aim at local Republican leaders who ran an ad campaign prompting thousands to inundate the mayor's office with phone calls asking him to stop "embarrassing Utah" with his protests. To those critics, Anderson said: "blind faith in bad leaders is not patriotism."
The mayor was received with chants of his name and cheers of approval.
After the rally, the crowd marched up State Street to the Federal Building to deliver a petition calling for President Bush to be indicted for abuse of power and other charges.
Marty Brown sports a sandwich board sign at the anti-war rally.
A protestor dressed as a hybrid of Bush and Hitler at the protest in Salt Lake City.
Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom. Copyright 2008 KCPW
1. Greg Rich said:
Finaly someone speaking the facts and the truth. That I have been watching on Documentories again and again. But I thought no one was listening.
Rocky was so factual with his documentation of events that traspired leading up to the war. I know the Replicans of Utah won't listen but the facts are there.
Moral Mormons of Utah take off your blinders and your ear plugs. Listen to Therador Rosevelts words. This Administration is not one of any values or honesty!
3. Jeannette Shields said:
I couldn't agree more. Hopefully his speech today opened up some peoples' minds to what is really going on in this Administration. It's said that all great nations fall from within. President Bush and his cronies have started this downward spiral. Here's hoping more people in leadership like Rocky Anderson will continue to speak out.
4. Jeff D. said:
It is nice to see free speech (permit required) in action and also to see national leadership in Utah, even if it is George Bush.
I'd be more impressed with you, Rocky, if you'd pay attention to running this city more effectively…that is your duty.
Case in point: 500 West and Rio Grande Street between 200 and 300 South have become THE places for crack and heroin dealers, as well as prostitures. I hear at least one gunshot weekly, and do not feel that either my vehicle or my apartment building is safe from these vermin. If only you were as outraged about that, Mr. Anderson. It seems that any concern you've shown for affairs on the city's West Side is insincere.
Also, I would hope that you've not spent any of the city's (our) money or other resources for your personal agenda.
5. Chris B said:
If only the Rocky bashers would bother to LISTEN to his speech. He is the only public figure that has the guts to tell it like it is. But the sheep will never hear it; they refuse to listen to logic and reason. They were never taught to think, because if they had been - they wouldn't be sheep.
6. Jared said:
Where was rocky post 2004 with his protest? Why has he waited until now, until it no longer matters because it will not change anything, to speak out? He needs to stop stroking his political johnson.
7. Da Vid said:
Here is My e-mail to The Good mayor
Thank you for delivering a profoundly important speech which hopefully will revererate throughout this country and the world. I ,for one, know I am speaking on behalf of tens of millions of peace, loving compassionate individuals who are outraged by the unbelievable dishonesty ,criminality and arrogrance of this current administration. This country has a long history of its gov't lying and manipulating its people into war...The most noted case being the phony Gulf Of Tonkin resolution which opened the doorway to the death of 60,000 Americans and the 2,000,000 plus Vietnamese...
It has been said that We shall know the truth and the truth shall set us free...This being said, as the truth becomes progressively self-evident in regards to this administrations profound criminality it will be necesary for a Truth And Reconciliation Commission as we come to realize that we are all complicit (responsible) for the current state of affairs.
Indeed, it is time for some really deep soul searching!! Hopefully we have enough moral and/or ethical courage to demand truth and greater acountability for this current administration, Congress the silenced press who have been woefully derelict in its duties... And ourselves!!
Thank God for the internet and an awakening public that can see through the smokescreens and lies of this current administration... (including 9/11)... The truth is coming out as it always will and must and we the American people will be and are being held accountable to our core values as a spiritual/religious people who have been blessed with the finest political document ever bequethed to Humankind... the American Constitution... It is time for the American people to wake up and transform our role from that of a global neo-imperialistic bully to becoming a nation rooted in the spiritual values of peace love compassion and goodwill toward all...
9. Wesley A said:
I would like to address my comments to Jeff D. If you were near as aware as you think you are you would have realized that the people you are referring to are HOMELESS PEOPLE not as you have indicated. They are from the Homeless Shelter or can't get into the Shelter and they are there trying to survive.Homeless People do not have money enough to buy Drugs they are to poor and in most cases don't even have five bucks. And as to shots fired nightly, you know that is absolutely not the truth. Get a life Dude. And it's very obvious to me you didn't listen to Mr. Anderson, if you did I doubt that you have the IQ to understand correctly anyway if that is the conclusion you came to about those street people, and political issues. wesley
10. Jeff D said:
I've lived here for 2 years, Wesley, and the homeless don't bother me - except for when they defecate and urinate in the halls, stairwells and rubbish rooms.
So you know what's REALLY going on, do you?
How much time do you spend in the Rio Grande neighborhood? The Gateway doesn't count.
Do you see the all-night crack/heroin/prostitutes drive through from your bedroom window? How is my observation incorrect?
Why would innocent loiterers scatter like roaches when cops go by or when shots are fired? I wonder.
These vermin aren't the homeless - they're criminals that make my neighborhood less safe and undesirable to live in. They're new to the area.
Oh, Wesley, did I say I hear gunshots nightly, or did I say I hear them weekly? Do you know what a handgun sounds like? Do you ever fear that a stray bullet could buzz through the window?
I can safely say that this sample of your reading comprehension is sub-ninth grade. You're surely one to speak on IQ's.
These observations, my fellow listeners, come from a person who makes an uninformed, knee-jerk, indignant response to anything that sounds remotely unmerciful or disparaging of the less "fortunate" or of the Mayor who can do no wrong.
How original.
You believe your non-experience trumps what I deal with and live in the midst of because you're more politically correct? Because you're a dogmatic Liberal?
My comments have nothing to do with the Mayor's legitimate beef with the Bush Administration and everything to do with the lack of passion he seems to have for other basics such as crime.
My point: if he wanted to get rid of this problem, he could.
I saw fewer crack dealers in my old L.A. neighborhood than I do here, and there are seemingly 5x more officers per capita in this quaint little city.
In sum: shutup Wesley. Vous ne savez rien. Je vous plains.
11. Cliff lyon said:
Jeff D.,
I'd be happy to buy your apt from you assuming you own it, and therefore pay city taxes?
12. Jeff D said:
Cliff,
I'm not sure if your statement is declarative or interrogative - I sense some very dull sarcasm, though.
Is my complaint (as are the complaints of other renters) less valid because I/we don't pay this "city (property)tax"?
I'm a student, I don't like that the livability of my neighborhood has deteriorated since moving in, and I believe that something can be done about this.
I'll soon own a place in this city, likely away from here, and I'll continue to state the same simple thing: crack dealers have no place here and are a detriment to the quality of life of those who live and work and play and shop and eat near their hangouts.
Do you disagree with me on the merits or are you just chiming in because I've criticized Rocky - even though the subject has NOTHING to do with the topic of his speech? C'mon now.
13. Andrew Yu-Jen Wang said:
George W. Bush’s sentence-by-sentence speaking skills are deteriorating. Apparently, this may be due to a mental illness called “presenile dementia.” Bush may or may not be secretly still drinking heavily. Bush lied, and thousands of people died. Bush suffers from narcissism and megalomania. Moreover, Bush has been arrested three times. Bush was arrested for disorderly conduct. Bush was arrested for stealing. Bush was also arrested for a serious crime—driving under the influence of alcohol. There are reasons to believe that Bush suffers from a learning disability. Bush’s learning disability would explain a lot of things. All in all, Bush is a severely mentally ill individual. Bush is not fit to be the president of the United States.
Anti-war protesters are great.
Submitted by Andrew Yu-Jen Wang B.S., Summa Cum Laude, 1996Messiah College, Grantham, PA
2. MATHEW S. said:
we need a real leader
not a lieing one
give us the truth