(London protesters)
While tens of thousands are marching to protest American foreign policy in London the police in Miami are using pepper spray to turn back people protesting economic globalization. My friend Kate Lore is in Miami with a group from Portland’s First Unitarian Church. She wrote me before leaving:
Tomorrow morning several of us from church and from the larger Portland community will be boarding a plane to Miami to teach workshops at the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA)Teach-In and to participate in a large, legally permitted protest. I expect that all of us will have a wonderful and inspiring time -- as we did at the WTO protest in Seattle. From what I'm reading, however, things are likely to get messy for folks who will be participating in civil disobedience (and there is much of it planned).These are strange times and Florida is a strange state (to put it mildly). Thus, there is some uncertainty regarding just how heavy-handed the police and National Guard will be with us protesters. Hence, I am putting out this request for your thoughts and prayers -- especially on the big protest day: Thursday, Nov. 20.
