Liberal Activists Rally for Jobs in Washington

By Steven Greenhouse
New York Times
October 2, 2010

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/03/us/03rally.html?hp

WASHINGTON

Tens of thousands of union members, environmentalists
and peace activists rallied at the Lincoln Memorial on
Saturday, seeking to carry on the message of jobs and
justice that the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
trumpeted at a rally at the same site 47 years ago.

More than 300 groups organized Saturday's march on
Washington to build momentum for progressive causes
like increased job-creation programs and to mobilize
liberal voters to flock to the polls next month.

The rally's sponsors, including the N.A.A.C.P., the
A.F.L.-C.I.O., the Sierra Club and the National Council
of La Raza, said they also hoped to demonstrate that
they, not the Tea Party, represented the nation's
majority.

The rally's organizers called the Saturday march "One
Nation Working Together," saying they hoped it would be
an answer and antidote to what they called the
divisiveness of the Tea Party.

"We believe that by working together we can build
abundance to lift up everyone," said Bob King,
president of the United Auto Workers. "We can't do that
through divisiveness. We believe that we have to
rebuild a social movement in America."

As the spirited crowd spread out along both sides of
the reflecting pool, demonstrators shouted "Yes, we
can" and carried signs saying, "We March for Hope not
Hate," and "N.A.A.C.P. Says Tell the Senate More (Good)
Jobs Now."

Demonstrators flew in from Los Angeles and Denver, took
buses from Oklahoma and Tennessee, and carpooled from
New York and Massachusetts.

Complete story:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/03/us/03rally.html?hp

(2)

'One Nation' Rally Draws Unions, Progressives To Mall
To Counter Tea Party

By Krissah Thompson , Spencer S. Hsu and Lori Aratani
Washington Post Staff Writers
Washington Post
October 2, 2010

Tens of thousands of people gathered on the steps of
the Lincoln Memorial on Saturday, part of the "One
Nation Working Together" rally - an effort by
progressive activists hoping to serve as a counter to
the conservative tea party movement and energize the
electorate amid fears that the Democrats could lose
control of Congress.

Ed Schultz, host of MSNBC's "The Ed Show," served as
one of the masters of ceremonies and harshly criticized
the tea party and conservatives.

"They talk about the Constitution but they don't want
to live by it," he said to applause. "They talk about
the forefathers, but they practice discrimination. They
want to change this country."

He then led the crowd in a chant.

"Are you America?" he yelled. "Yes!" came the loud
response.

The four-hour event was the culmination of months of
planning by civil rights organizations and labor
unions. More than 400 supporting groups signed on for
the four-hour rally that kicked off around noon and
featured speeches, poetry and musical entertainment.
The rally drew participants from the Washington area,
but also from New York and Detroit.

Complete story:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/01/AR2010100104440.html?hpid=topnews

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