Mar 7

Mar 7 Anti-Iranian War Rally

Chicago, Demonstrations, Donald J. Trump, Performance, Protest, Public Declarations

While the majority of Americans oppose Donald J. Trump’s war on Iran, the United States has yet to pay a high enough price for Trump’s folly, which is why middle-class suburbanites have yet to show up in mass for anti-war rallies. If the conflict continues into the summer, with more Americans coming home in body bags and Congress forced to appropriate money for additional weapons, the suburbs will speak, particularly in an election year.

For the time being, as might be expected, the Far Left and members of the Palestinian community are carrying the weight. Today, about 75 people gathered in Jane Byrne Plaza, the site of Chicago’s historic Water Tower, for a noon demonstration against the war.

Since the ceasefire in Gaza, the Palestinians have not been holding Saturday demonstrations, but Trump’s and Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision last weekend to attack Iran have brought the Palestinians back into the streets. In fact, I think they provided the sound system for today’s demonstration.

While the war in Iran should have been the focus, the demonstrators were still focused on Israel’s continuing involvement in Gaza. It is hard to blame them. Netanyahu has clearly manipulated Trump. When Trump greenlighted the Iranian war, Netanyahu had his opening. Along with attacks on Iran, Israel decided to open another front in Lebanon, which has only served to inflame the Middle East. Netanyahu is an opportunist.

Following the rally, the group marched south on Michigan Avenue, apparently ending somewhere near the Trump Tower. I left before the march, heading to Federal Plaza for the Stand Up for Science Rally scheduled for 1:00 PM. No doubt there will be plenty of anti-war rallies in the months to come.

[Click on an Image to Enlarge It. The Images Are Not Necessarily in Exact Chronological Order]