Protesters dog Bush in North Carolina

When President George Bush came to North Carolina on Oct. 18, he was met by protesters all through the day.

He came to the predominantly African-American Waldo C. Falkener Elementary School to tout the supposed success of his No Child Left Behind Act. Some 45 people showed up to demonstrate against his policies of endless war, torture, neglect of Rita/Katrina victims, and dishonesty. One protester held a sign that said, “No child left a dime!” to highlight the Bush administration’s tax cuts for the wealthy and gutting of social programs for working and poor people.

Afterwards, Bush was greeted by a group of protesters in Randleman, N.C., when he went to the Victory Junction Gang Camp, a camp for children with health care needs.

Then came the real-life nightmare on Elm Street, when Bush returned to Greensboro to attend a private Republican fundraiser in a wealthy enclave near Elm Street and Sunset Drive, where he raised over $900,000. People are so disgusted with Bush and his policies that even some people in the neighborhood joined the protest.

Some 130 people rallied, demanding Bush be jailed for his war crimes and subversion of constitutional rights. It was a lively protest with drummers keeping everyone’s spirits and energy up. People chanted to the beat of the drums saying, “There’s a killer in the White House, time to drive his ass out,” “End the occupation,” and “Bush is bananas, b-a-n-a-n-a-s. This war is bananas, b-a-n-a-n-a-s.”

When protesters attempted to march into the neighborhood to demonstrate in front of the fundraiser, a line of cops formed. Progressive attorney Louis Pitts, after speaking with police, informed the crowd that their rights were being violated. Police claimed the area was a “secure area” but were allowing cars to drive in, and Bush supporters were visibly on the sidewalk ahead. Demonstrators held an impromptu street meeting to decide what to do next.

Before the discussion ended, police had closed off the entire street, but the rally continued as people marched around the busy intersection. There was a makeshift jail with Bush inside, a towering orange arrest warrant, a hula-hooper for peace, a coffin with “Roe v Wade” painted on the side, and a large pink banner saying “Impeach to support our troops.” Several people were able to sneak around the block and protest at the fundraiser.

Almost all the protesters wore an orange ribbon and some dressed in orange to show their opposition to the recently passed Military Commissions Act of 2006, which legalizes torture. The act also strips away the right of habeas corpus to anyone Bush declares an enemy combatant, among many other unconstitutional aspects.

The protest was organized by Greensboro World Can’t Wait with the support of Action Center For Justice and Char-Meck Code Pink. People from around North Carolina participated, including the cities of Charlotte, Reidsville, Kernersville, Burlington, Wilmington, Winston-Salem, and Chapel Hill.

The protest was covered by a couple of local news stations and Greensboro’s News and Record. As usual, they underreported the number of people and ignored many of the most significant statements and details of this incredible display of opposition to the Bush administration.