COLORADO COLLEGE- Energized students held a successful march on Monday from the CC campus to a downtown early voting location. Though billed as a non-partisan EARLY VOTING MARCH, the event was purely a pro-Obama rally, and as such, was rigidly controlled.
For example, unannounced speakers included pro-war US Senator Ken Salazar and other local Dems. The marchers were dispatched ahead of schedule, to thwart other participants and sent along Cascade Avenue instead of the highly more visible Tejon Avenue a block away.
It was great to see college students activated and excited, but really they were just wound up and herded like cattle to the polls. As if the local Dems didn’t trust the students to listen their speeches and remember to go vote. The organizers provided further encouragement by bringing a grill and promising a cookout for after the students emerged. Bluegrass accompaniment too. After all, the students had missed lunch to attend the rally. I’ve heard it explained once before by student organizers. If you want participation, serve food.
The upside I suppose was that the students didi take to the street. They felt the excitement of ringing chants. Of projecting a political purpose in public.
Once when a heckler pulled alongside, to boo and display a NOBAMA sticker, the students answered back with boos, until curtailed by their handlers. The same handlers collected the various Obama signs when the group neared the polling place. Will these activist types be lending their skills when things don’t go as planned on November 4th? Will they be rallying the student to take action when elections don’t offer remedy?
It looks like a religious procession almost in support of the Two Party System. You can’t get these same folk to march against torture and war, but you can get them all to go to march out for the Second Coming of Clintonism! Don’t they ever get tired of the promise all, deliver nothing Democratic Party?
Wait for half of them to become unemployed due to the Democratic Party-Bush Federal Funds give away to the super rich not going as poorly planned ‘rescue’. Then they’ll have some real Passion added into their lives! Right now they look mildly bored in that picture, as well they should be with their choice of what issue to get active around…. voting for Obama. Yawner. He’s as good as in already. So what? The Empire’s Commander in Chief will seem a little less absurd, perhaps?