Faith=No Muslims. Charity=No Government Spending. Hope=No Obama.

(4PM EST – promoted by Nightprowlkitty)

cross-posted from Sum of Change and check out Pam Spaulding’s post at PHB for more thoughts and discussion.

Yesterday we sent cameras to Glenn Beck’s 828 rally and Al Sharpton’s rally and march. We posted a handfull of videos from each. But first, a personal comment, if you don’t mind. My parents and grandparents were civil rights activists (not to mention anti-war activists and labor organizers). On the same grass where we stood yesterday, my mother stood 47 years ago to watch Martin Luther King Jr. declare his dream for the world. I highly doubt anyone will remember yesterday the way my mother remembers 47 years ago.

We will begin with Beck’s event::

Sumofchange – Marcy and John from Ohio – Interview at Beck’s 828 Rally

As everyone knows by now, the crowd at Beck’s event was pretty big. As bernardpliers points out, it was no 500,000, but it was still pretty big. I talked to a bunch of folks, had some good, and some not-so-good, conversations. I am not going to ty to sum up everything I heard other than to say this: for a non-political event, we heard little but talk of politics. And the reason we heard little but politics is because the statement “restoring honor,” is being used as a political statement. Faith=No Muslims. Charity=No Government Spending. Hope=No Obama.

Sumofchange – Dave from Florida – Interview at Beck’s 828 Rally

Sumofchange – Debate in the Crowd at Beck’s 828 Rally

Sumofchange – Sights of the Crowd at Beck’s 828 Rally

Another observation about Beck’s rally, I have never, ever, ever, heard so many people worried that we are going to take their words out of context. We assured folks we would not, but it became such an issue that for the first time we told folks, “Anyone in our videos, if you feel we took your words out of context, you can send me an email and we will run a explanation from you, unedited. I can’t guarantee we won’t respond, but we will run the quote.” Frankly, I think they are completely justified to have that concern (See: Sherrod), I have just never witnessed it on such extreme levels. That being said, we posted raw footage. No one can claim we took their words out of context. I believe I gave everyone I talked to a fair opportunity to make their voice heard.

Last observation, for a group of people who were, supposedly, reclaiming the civil rights movement, they sure did a good job avoiding the subject. Not one person we spoke with brought it up.

Meanwhile, in another part of town…



Sumofchange – Rev Frederick Haynes – Pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church

Sumofchange – Rita Lassiter – President of The Thursday Network at Sharpton’s

A little reminder of how the original teabaggers got away with it…



Sumofchange – Original Tea Partiers Turned on Native Americans

Sumofchange – Melanie Campbell – Exec Dir and CEO National Coalition on Black Civic Participation

Sumofchange – Benjamin Jealous – President and CEO of th NAACP on 8/28

Last, but certainly not least, a message about REAL taxation without representation:



Sumofchange – Ilir Zherka – Exec Dir of DC Vote at 8/28