Voices of Dissension:

They came from every corner of the United Statestens of thousandsflooding the streets of Manhattandetermined to deliver their message before the onset of the Republican National Convention (RNC). And while some needed to take a red-eye flight or hitchhike their way cross-country, many of the protesters merely had to cross the Queensboro Bridge to make their voices heard.
Seventh Avenue was the site of the protest, which began on 14th Street and proceeded to the convention site at Madison Square Garden before ending up back at Union Square.
They carried flags, signs, posters even photos of loved ones lost in Iraq. The printed languages were different, but the defiant message was the samePresident Bush must go.
Amid the protestors were carnival-like figuresUncle Sams on stilts, a dancing Statue of Liberty, and those who wore rubber George W. Bush replica masks and t-shirts that read "My daddy made me do it." A group known as Black Bloc set fire to a paper-mache dragon head outside the Garden.
But there was no more impacting site then the procession of one-thousand flag draped coffins, carried symbolically for each of the war dead lost in Iraq, at the close of the protest.
Richmond Hill resident Paul Weiss was one of the pallbearers. "I realize that these are tough times," Weiss said. "Terrorism is not something that goes away with the snap of a finger, but to offer up more of our people to die in this war was certainly not the answer." Weiss lost two childhood buddies in the attacks on Iraq and says he still has three friends who have yet to come home.
Sonia Hernandez of Jackson Heights was among the protestors who came from Queens. Hernandez told The Queens Courier that she was there out of respect for those who were killed in Iraq.
"My niece is a Marine sergeant," Hernandez declared. "She was lucky enough to come home in time to celebrate her twenty-ninth birthday and now she is finished with her tour. But looking around at all these other people whose families were not so luckythats why I am here."
Hernandez and Weiss were but two of the many Queens residents who took to the streets in the anti-Republican protest. As the most ethnically diverse place in the world, many of the protestors from the borough felt that this was their only chance to be heard because they do not have citizenship and are unable to vote.
Raul Molina, Guatemalan immigrant and spokesperson for the Red por La Paz y Desarollo de Guatemala (Network for the Peace and Development of Guatemala) located in Jamaica, Queens attended the march with many members of his organization. He said however that many more did not come because they were afraid of being arrested.
"We had a meetingand there were hundreds [of immigrants]," Molina said. "And they all said they would love to come and support it, but they were afraid the police would arrest and deport them."
Molina went on to say that his group believes that, "the world deserves better leadership in the U.S.
"Many of usmost of uscannot vote, so expression is what we are focused on. Its not that our numbers would mean a lot in the elections, but in terms of voice and support, its very important."
Yet another Queens resident, Chris Maloney of Woodsidehis 14-month-old daughter Saiorse strapped to his backtold media who surrounded him that his "daughters name means freedom in Gaelic. "I didnt want to just sit home and complain, so I came to share my voice." Maloneys words echoed those of those so vehemently opposed to Republicans and the Bush administration, that share the belief about the war in Iraqit represents the presidents personal and political agenda with no consideration of the sacrifice of American lives.
At the head of the march was the Rev. Jesse Jackson, standing side-by-side with actor Danny Glover and Fahrenheit 9/11 director, Michael Moore. With bullhorn in hand, Jackson declared, "Hope is in the air, help is on the way."
The mass of protesters was estimated by the NYPD to be about 150,000, but protest organizers escalated that figure to 400,000. The day saw approximately 200 arrests.
E-mail these reporters at forumcourier@aol.com.