This Is What Democracy Looks Like

The news reports are already showing the pictures of the burning police car, the smashed windows, the wanton destruction. They are showing the hundreds or so anarchists masked in black that stormed the legions and legions of armed police.

What they are not showing, is the fifteen or twenty thousand peaceful protesters who marched today side by side for global social, economic and environmental justice. Hundreds of different organizations came together, advocating for change on a range of issues from domestic poverty and climate justice, to women’s rights and making trade fair, to the Robin Hood Tax and green jobs. The unions were there, the church groups, the environmentalists, the local community activities.

We all came together with different visions for a different world, but we were all speaking with one voice and marching to one beat.

“This is what democracy looks like” as one of the many people walking through the streets said.

I couldn't agree more. Too bad so many of the press were just interested in what anarchy looks like.