Peace Group Cancels Sit-in; Activism Ebbs

The probability of only a marginal turn-out led to the cancellation of a nonviolent civil disobedience demonstration originally scheduled for today at the Federal Building in Boston.

Joan Tighe, media relations staff member of the People's Coalition for Peace and Justice (PCPJ) said yesterday that the new apathy has compelled a reordering of Movement priorities. The PCPJ was an umbrella group sponsoring the proposed rally.

"The Movement is in a real bind now," Tighe said, due to what she termed "lowered energy levels" among former anti-war activists.

Tighe said media coverage is "deceiving people" into believing the war is winding down. "We're not even page two or page three news anymore. You really have to hunt around for information on the antiwar movement," she said.

Priorities of the PCPJ are changing as a result. "We're organizing around issues now, not just activism. We're talking to people about political issues like the economy and welfare. We used to spend all our time just building for these fall and spring offensives," Tighe said.

Three thousand demonstrators gathered last spring to disrupt business at the JFK building in a PCPJ sit-in similar to that called for today.

Members of the PCPJ steering committee decided to cancel the rally at an open meeting three weeks ago when it became apparent the demonstration might not draw as many supporters as had the spring offensive. "The October 13 rally was just not that successful." Tighe said, citing the Veteran's Day antiwar action as one indicator of a change in feeling among many former Movement supporters.

"Lots of people are confused and frustrated. They've just retired back into their shells," she said.

Tighe is not the only one to note the change in mood. "Last spring the political climate was different," another Movement activist, who asked that his name be withheld, said. "There was pretty clearly a majority (anti-war activist) feeling that just doesn't exist this fall," he added.

The time for a reordering of priorities is clearly at hand. Tighe noted. "We have a lot of hard self-criticism to do," she said