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"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has."
-Margaret Mead
this protester stands on a wall in front of a Canadian Parliament building with riot police in the background around noon on Saturday
Friday:
I drove up to the Canadian border early Friday morning, intending to cross, and go to Ottawa to protest the meeting of the G20, IMF and World Bank. Protest info suggested that I might have trouble crossing the border, so I pretended that I was going to Toronto to visit a friend. I lied directly to the immigration officer. I concealed all of my protest info in my car so that it wasn't found during a search. I was asked at least 15 times where I was going and why. I always said Toronto, and gave a slightly modified address for a friendand no phone number. I was asked to produce my drivers license, my passport,my social security card, my truck registration. I was made to wait over twohours with no explanation. I was not allowed to use the rest room, when Iaskednicely. My truck was searched and every scrap of paper read forinfothat my indicate I was headed to Ottawa. I waited with and watched twoothercar loads of people get searched, questioned and turned away. I filledoutan official requestfor entry into Canada. Finally I was awarded a visitorsvisa, a stamp in mypassport, other paperwork to later be surrendered whenI exited Canada, anda very stern warning. Were I to be caught in Ottawaallof my info was on filewith immigration and I would be in really bigtrouble.Bold face lying to theimmigration officials had been more unnervingthanI had expected when I plannedit all the night before. I had to consciouslycontrol my breath to keep myhands from shaking. The warning was about allI could take. I almost turnedaround and headed home, for fear a parkingticketwould make my an internationalcriminal. I wanted to go and take itall back,start over and swear I wouldnever do it again. Instead I stuckwith my plan,and fled for Ottawa as fastas the speed limit would take meand not one Kilometeran hour faster.
I relaxed as I drove and worked it out. I realized that I was going to be in big trouble if I got nabbed for any reason in Ottawa. Even if I was falsely accused of some protesting offense, I would be simply sent home, maybe after some jail time, and told never to come back. I realized lying to cross the border and get in trouble is just barely worse that simply getting in trouble in a different country. The I realized that I have been an internationalcriminal already, when I worked as an migrant apple picker in Ontario a fulltwo days longer than I was allowed to by law without a work visa. This ironymade me laugh, thinking that Canada brings out the worst in me.
I still can't shake how odd it was to feel like Canada was a hostile nation. I was so much more on guard everywhere I went. I carried my passport andkeys in a special pouch, around my neck, that I haven't used since I traveledin Central America. Everyone I talked to in Canada had never heard of Americans getting visas. I asked immigration, when I was allowed in, if it was post 9-11 security, and he said it was just for the protest. On the way out, I was told that the visas were issued routinely, 3 a day (in Ogdensburg), especially to people who might not have a reason to go home, like people without steady work , i.e. Me.
I arrived in Ottawa just in time for a Rally and Snake March to convene in a small park. I know now that a snake march is one without aplanned route, that just goes where it wants. This was tried by the BlackBlock when I was in Washington, and it is what got them surrounded by Policeand detained for hours while they negotiated. Post 9-11 anyway, Canadianshave more rights to protest in their capital that we do in the U.S.
The rally started with four speeches. Two women from Quebec. Sadly I didnot understand much of their speeches or get down who they were. The finalspeaker was Jackie Singh. (Jahgi Singh was one of the key organizers with the Anti-Capitalist Convergence at Quebec City last spring. He was arrested and held on ridiculous charges. He wasn't released when all of the others were. 11-21 I am now informed-thanks ella) I am not sure of the spelling and didn't get his affiliation.Apparently he is very active and well known in Ontario, andhad some injunctionagainst him to not use a megaphone. It must be a goodstory because everymentionof it produced a bit of a snicker from the crowd.I can't imaginewhat he didwith one, that prompted a judge to ban him fromusing one, butallow him touse a P.A. system. The first speaker was themost important andmemorable forme.
Starhawk is a modern day priestess, and author. I had not met her, or seen her speak before this weekend, but I have known of her. In Guatemala I found and excerpt from one of her books on a volunteer's room wall, and kept itfor myself. the Declaration of the Four Sacred Things.
a crowd of about 200 listens to Starhawk speak at Friday's snake march rally. Quoting someone else, a permaculture guru, whose name I didnot write down, "Evil is stupidity, rigorously applied."
I had come to Ottawa partly to learn about these protests and what this movement was all about. Starhawk addressed every one ofmy questions. She was in Quebec City. She was in Genoa. She has seen thehard protests and understands that this is a hard time. People have calledforactivism to take a back seat to patriotism, to take a break when it ishardto speak out. She says when it is hard to speak is the time when itis mostimportant. This movement is different than the ones in the sixties.In thesixties white middle class people could give it up, and accept a relativelycomfortableworld. Now the world is in such a state, that there will neverbe a comfortableworld to go back to. There is nothing like having your backagainst a wall,to make you act. This movement started in Seattle and hasbeen called antiglobalist. She says we are not anti globalist. We believein global economy, as longas it comes with global economic justice, andglobalhuman rights, and globaldemocracy. It is time to focus on what wewant thatis good and start workingfor that, while we work to shut downthe institutionsthat have been doingharm. She told the story of her friendwho was refusedentry into Canada, andwas given the choice to return tothe U.S. willingly.She instead chose tostay and be jailed, wait a hearingand forcefully bedeported. All this gavea huge chance for publicity. (Italked to severalpeople not involved in theprotests who knew of Starhawkonly through thisincident. Canadians in generalseem much more upset thatsome of their freedomsare disappearing. They say,"I can't believe thisis happening in our country,"speaking of tear gas, bitingpolice dogs, orpeaceful protesters being turnedaway at the border.) Everythingthat Starhawkhad to say was what I was thinkingand feeling but needed tohear to be fullycommitted to the protests I hadcome to take part in. I supposethat is oneof the objectives of a rally.
As soon as the last speaker was done, we were instructed to follow the "Smash the State" Banner. I was prepared for a peaceful march and not happy when I saw the Black Block carrying the banner, and leading us into the streets.
"Smash The State End the Hate" The Black Block Banner leads Friday's snake march
The Black Block is a group of self proclaimed anarchists that wear all black and cover all of their skin at protests to hide their identity. They advocate direct action, and sometimes destruction to get their point across. The two stories I knew of them was one at the inaugural protest, they marched asa group behind some police, and remained non violent. I fully approve ofthis kind of action, where they are breaking the letter of the laws of assembly but certainly not the spirit of the freedom of assembly. At the Peace rally in DC in September, I also saw them as completely non-violent, getting into big trouble simply for marching where they weren't allowed to, on publicstreets. Still they have a reputation, which is why riot police tense upwhen theyare around, and why I wasn't too sure about having them lead meon a march,ina country I had lied to enter.
Our small rally snaked through the streets relatively easily, shouting chants, getting some attention, and blocking traffic. Sure enough just half hourinto the march we find ourselves at the blockade of the conference center,where the Blacks waste no time in taking down steal barricades meant to keepusout. After this we see a lot more police who seem to want to keep us fromgoing where we might snake. The Blacks are still leading us and pause atalmostevery intersection, I assume out of indecision, and give the policea chanceto block at least on of our ways out, and funnel us where they wantus. Stillwe move relatively freely. Then the Blacks attack a street ad reading,"Abortionstops a beating heart!" When they break it, I think to myself goodriddance,I wish I had done that. Then they quickly turn to the windows ofthe McDonald'snext to the sign and smash everyone. I distance myselffrom them, buttryto stay in the midst of the protesters which is not aparticularly easytaskis such a small group. Though it feels relativelysafe because thereare somany spectators it is easy to blend into that crowdand disappear intothecity. Strangely as close as the police are theydon't do anything.Wefinally move on to the lawn of the supreme court. Oneorganizer seems tobesaying we can meet another march that started elsewhere,but can't getthecrowd to decide. We are stopped in indecision for almostan hour. Whentheyfinally leave to meet the other march, it is time forme to find my hostessfor the weekend.
As I drive across town, to meet my billeter, I listen to the radioreports. My march has made it to the Human Rights Memorial, and has met theother march. One concussion grenade is fired at protesters who get too closeto a police line. It is fired just as a group of Muslims had asked for silenceso they can pray for Ramadan. After the grenade they can not pray in thepresenceof violence.
I find my home away from home for the weekend, and head out again for a teach-in, a long list of speakers who tell us why we are here. I went to the wrongaddress, and the wrong event, and was late. Luckily I ended up at a welcomecenterat the University of Ottawa, and found out that Starhawk was leadinga ritual that I could make in time. So I find two travel buddies and setoff to walk and bus to a Waldorf School Gym.
I am in a new environment for me. I have had the chance to be more spiritual in the past. I have had chances to be part of these ceremonies throughout my life. The new part is that I now want to. For the second time in three weeks I am wanting, needing to be a part of a group where I will ground myself, call in the directions, focus on a vision, chant, breath, sing, share, dance, look people in eye and thank the spirits. It is a charging experience for all of us, giving us all that much more courage and focus, and peace forthe next day.
I also cement my feeling of affinity with Starhawk and her affiliated groups. I have done a dangerous thing coming to a protest completely alone. I have no one to help me look for trouble in a crowd or protect me if I am singled out by police. No one really knows that I am here, or who to call if I am arrested. There is no group to vouch for me if I am pegged as an undercover cop. And I do look suspicious as I move from group to group and around the edges of crowds looking for people I know. I hope to find someone I knowby some off chance, (in DC I found two people and heard of several more later, that I missed) I become less and less hopeful as I am meeting no Americans. They were all turned away. Now I have a group to march with if things get ugly, and some of them know who I am.