By 2 pm on the 14th of December, approximately 1,000 people were assembled and ready to march at Recreation Park in Oceanside. At this time, all active duty servicemen were asked to raise their hands-a vast sea of black, white, red, brown, yellow hands. Raised intermittently throughout the crowd, they were then asked to form behind the red people's bus and lead the parade through Oceanside, California. At this time 750 active duty GI's stepped forward and proudly claimed the "MDM Active GI's" banner. (MDM stands for movement for a Democratic. Military.) The people's bus and GI's then lead off through the streets of Oceanside.
The people's bus was equipped with a P.A. system which was being put to good use by Marine Sgt. Jack Anderson from Camp Pendleton and. sailor Bob Huntsman from th 11th Navel district who were leading chants such as "1-2-3-4 We Won't Fight Your Facist War," "Peace Now", and sang songs such as "All We Are Saying Is Give Peace A Chance".
G.I. and civilian protesters were carrying posters which stated, "No Peace Until My Brothers Are Home;" "Self Determination For All Oppressed People. " (Relating to the Racism and the class structure in the USA.) "All Power To The People'. (Which relates to the Pig power structure in the USA.) "Off The Pigs" (same as above) "We Want Liberation Not Mutilation;" (Which relates to the brutality in brigs, stockades, correctionalcustodies and base trainings now prevalent in all branches of the military service.) "End Racism Through Solidarity" (Again racism and the class structure.) "Bring Our Brothers Home Keep Us Here." (I know everyone can relate to that also.)
All through the mass of protesters there were many American Flags flying and all with one pecularity: They were all being flown upside down The Flag being flown upside down is the national distress signal
Vascillate on that for awhile.
The parade route consisted of Center Street, Division St., Home St., First St., Ditmar St., Mission St., Hill St., and Third Street.
Spectators lined the streets along the Parade route and were repeatedly asked if they were with us. We were greeted with an astounding volume of affirmation. The spectators were then asked to join our ranks and to our delight beautiful people from 8 to 80 moved away from the sidewalks into our ranks leaving the sidewalks void of all but a few lifers with tears in their eyes and a sigh in their hearts.
The Parade went smoothly until we turned left off of Hill St. onto Third and marched towards the YMCA at which time we encountered possibly 150 brainwashed Billy Boot Camps and Ricky Recruits and Renegade Recons.
They were all having a good time jumping up and down and yelling "Commie,' and "Better Dead than Red" and flashing pretty green I.D. cards and making fools of themselves in general. Perhaps if they are fortunate enough to get out of the Marine Corps one of these days their minds will be able to make a comeback. After all Major General Smedly Butler and our ex commandent General Shoup made it back into the world of logical thinking after a couple. of years of civilian retirement.
The parade continued down to the beach stadium where a revoloutionary rock band appropriatly called Of The People were making with some heavy revoloutionary jams.
Here the marchers were greeted by another 1000 supporters.
In the meantime Billy and his mindless marvels had snuck up behind the stadium undetected (except for 5000 people who just happened to notice them slithering through the sand on their bellies) in the finest Marine Corp tradition.
At this time our Parade monitors escorted Billy and his boys across the street, and showed the Oceanside Police Dept. riot squad how to form a skirmish line to keep Billy and his 149 compatriots from coming across the street and kicking all 5000 of our asses.
M.C.'ing the rally were Sgt. Jack Anderson from Camp Pendelton and Sailor Jack Noel from the 11th Navel District.
The first speaker was Sgt Jack Anderson who read the M.D.M.'s Preamble and 12 demand's.
Other speakers were, Donald Duncan, an ex Green Beret M/Sgt who brought all 5000 people to their feet applauding and cheering wildly three times during his short speech; and ex Capt. Dr. Howard Levy who refused to train Green Berets and spent 2 years in military brigs because of his moral convictions
Howard Levy gave us a report on all G.I. movements across the nation. (Meanwhile back at the beach, Billy and the boys are singing the Marine Corps Hymn and My Country Tis of Thee, while some lifer's brainless old lady runs around on the pier sounding much like a parrot yelling
"Kill a commie for Christ WAAK Kill a commie for Christ WAAK"
Next on the program were two GI.'s who explained what M.D.M. is and how the preamble and the 12 demands relate to all oppressed people everywhere. The two G.I. 'a received a five minute standing ovation.
The next speaker was a beautiful sister, Miss Angela Davis.
It was rumored that there might be an attempt on sister Angela's life so she was quickly surrounded by 15 active duty G.I.'s and made all but invisible to the crowd.
At this time she opened her speech with "All Power To The People. I'm goin to say what these G.I.'s can't because of military laws --- Our Nonpresident Richard M. Nixon is a genocidal, hypocritical, murdering pig." This statement brought the largest and loudest applause of the day.
Sister Angela spoke of the bedroom murder of Panther Fred Hampton, The L.A. Pig Dept. and it's 300 man raid of the Panther Central Ave. Hqtrs. in L.A. and in general exposed the pigs nationwide plot to annihilate the Black Panther Party.
Angela Davis' speech was followed by a short but moving speech by the beautiful Miss Susan Schnall, our ex Lt. Navy nurse who was busted for leafleting Treasure Island Navy Base from an airplane and participating in an antiwar March in full dress uniform.
Susan started her speech with "All power to the people" also. Then she said, "I know our boys in Vietnam. I have treated them. I have seen them come into the hospitals broken in mind -broken broken in spirit - - broken in body.
She then pointed her finger at the fools on top of the pier and said, "And it's all your fault, you sent them there."
The spectators then broken into 15 minutes of applause.
This was the note upon which the rally broke up and people headed back toward their homes and cars unscathed except for minor clashes innitiated by Billy and the sheep. I would like to remind you that this rally took place on December 14 of 1969.
We the people of M.D.M. have made it our New Year's resolution to bring you bigger, better and more beautiful things in 1970.
THE YEAR OF THE PEOPLE .
ALLPOWERTOTHEPEOPLE
OZZIE
Attitude Check, vol. 2, no. 1