Tuesday, March 28, 2006

The LA March: Radio DJs Made It Happen

The Los Angeles Times has a really interesting piece that shows the crucial role radio DJs made in getting their audience to take part in the Great March of March 25. Half a million people showed up when organizers initially expected maybe 20,000 and Latino djs who urged and urged their audience to go are a major reason. They also pushed people to bring their children, bring American flags to show they love their country, avoid violence and clean up after themselves. The next big demonstration? The Great American Boycott on May 1, when people are called to boycott work, school and all consumer activities.

Students organized a pro-immigrant rally on Monday, with some 40,000 kids skipping school and protesting (mostly peacefully). I'm still shocked at how the NYT downplayed the march on Saturday in its coverage. (It was buried deep inside the front section, maybe page 31.) And now this student protest -- also amazing for its size and the modern way it was organzied (lots of texting, obviously) seems equally newsworthy.

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