January 20, 2003
2 important protests you *didn't* hear about
Reuters AlertNet - Seoul rally urges North to reverse NPT decision
About 30,000 people held a rally in central Seoul on Sunday to oppose any withdrawal of U.S. troops from South Korea and to demand North Korea reverse its decision to withdraw from a global treaty preventing the spread of nuclear arms.
Protest leaders, wearing gas masks in a symbolic protest against Pyongyang's nuclear programmes, burned a North Korean flag and placard bearing a picture of Kim Jong-il, reclusive leader of the isolated communist North.
Chanting "North Korea, re-enter the NPT (nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty)" and "Oppose withdrawal of U.S. troops" the crowd -- many from churches[And by this they mean Christian churches--Jen] across South Korea -- gathered in front of Seoul's City Hall.
[...]
It's wrong for North Korea to threaten the United States, South Korea and the whole world with nuclear weapons," said Kiel Ja-yeon, a protest leader.
"The regime of Kim Jong-il should drop its nuclear development programme, return to the NPT and support world peace," Kiel said.
The rally, the second this month, contrasted with huge anti-U.S. protests late last year that were prompted by anger over the acquittal in November of two U.S. soldiers involved in the deaths of two schoolgirls killed under the treads of their armoured vehicle last June.
And in our country in Miami, Florida, at a rally with just as many (and I think more) people as the ANSWER anti-America one in Washington, D.C. there were the pro-democracy/anti-Chavez crowd showing their solidarity with their brothers and sisters in Venezuela:
Thousands Rally In Miami To Protest Chavez About 50,000 protesters took to the streets of Miami to call for the ouster of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
The demonstration jammed the Little Havana neighborhood and slowed traffic as motorists waved Venezuelan flags from their cars on nearby highways.
Venezuelans were joined by Cuban-Americans and supporters from other Latin American nations.
Homemade signs denounced Chavez and compared him to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.
Passersby honked car horns, music blared and protesters banged pots and pans.
Later in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas, at least
100,000 anti-government protesters staged a candlelight march.
Protesters on both continents support a 7-week-old strike called by business and labor groups to force a nonbonding referendum on Chavez's rule.
So, that's really 3 protests the media ignored, if we include the one in Venezuela.
Protests that large, however, have been going on almost every day for the last 2 months there, but because it's against a Socialist dictator and for a return to democracy and liberty, the Liberal Left media guys aren't interested (except how it effects the cost and supply of oil and gas here in the U.S.).
Notice also that many of the South Korean demonstrators were Christians.
I visited Pusan, South Korea in 1988 and was surprised to learn that a large portion of the SK population are Christians!
It's a good thing we've done there, you know...
