Street Theater Slams Bush Tax Cut at Lilac Fest

Street Theater Slams Bush Tax Cut at Lilac Fest

(May 17, 2003) The Creative Protest Affinity Group protested Bush’s economic policies this evening at the Lilac Festival in Highland Park. The ten activists aimed to call attention to Bush’s tax cut for the rich as well as to the Defense Department awarding contracts to Halliburton without free market competition.

In a parody of the “support our troops” rally, activists held signs reading “Support our CEO’s” and “Money for Mansions, Not for Schools.” They carried fifty-cent US flags and donation jars containing play money and decorated with photos of Skilling, Lay, Fastow and Ebbers. They also distributed fact sheets on the two issues.

The activists were positioned near a flag concession, the country and western concert with pro-war speeches and the vacated Clear Channel tent. (Clear Channel had organized a pro-war rally in this same park during the US attack on Iraq.)

The reactions from the crowd were mostly supportive smiles and chuckles. There were some with blank stares and a few who took the message literally. Several out-of-town visitors offered compliments. There were no hostile confrontations.

Later in the evening festival producers kicked out the activists.

The Bush tax cut would reward wealthy campaign contributors and add to the federal deficit at the expense of health care, education and protective services. This community effectively stopped similar budgets by the County Executive and the Governor.