There was a group of N.O.-based demonstrators that insisted that peaceful protests were a must -- no violence. When those from other cities (and countries) protested the SPP loudly, these N.O.-based people politely asked them to calm down.
Needless to say, some of the non-SFUO Canadians were a bit perturbed. But they all respected the wishes of the hometown crowd.
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I meant Americans from outside of N.O. I mean Montebello sure wasn't full of locals. But even people from N.O.... I'm surprised that they're not upset at George W. using their tattered city as a platform for the "economic renewal" of the country, while not providing enough support for immediate rebuilding of N.O. But maybe that's not what's happening... Either way, it's very different than the Canadian reaction. It could also be because we have more to lose than the Americans because of SPP; and in terms of lack of public consultation or oversight from Congress, that's not how American politics works, everything there is the product of lobby efforts, especially those of big business.
I think the answer to the seeming apathy of "the rest" of America is fairly simple.
People didn't want to go to New Orleans and set up a Montebello-type protest.
A lot of the New Orleanians we talked to were happy that the SPP summit was in town, regardless of their feelings for George Bush's politics.
The last thing they want to see, from what I gather, is any property damage prompted by people-fuelled chaos.
I had talked to some of the main organizers about the lack of protest and as some of them had experienced in Seattle, that outsiders come and make activism more dangerous. they dont have to live with the consequences of protesting and the crackdowns. They said they made the conscious choice not to organize a manifestation on such grounds.
also, there's much more to activism than a protest or two. if we dont live and think about what we oppose, it doesnt mean much to go out for one day of the year and get pepper sprayed protesting something. it sucks, and you see first hand what repression tastes like, but i think activists need to change the arena and rules of their own game to see tangible results.
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