embrace my inner radical

may not be all that inner….

has been thoroughly embraced.

Metro police, hotel security guards, and a a few casino management people looked on as more than 100 of us gathered in front of the Venetian Resort from 1pm to 3pm on Saturday, March 22, to protest the start of our sixth year of war in Iraq. The reason we chose the Venetian: its billionnaire owner, Sheldon Adelson, is one of the main contributors to a right-wing lobbying group called Freedom’s Watch, which supports continued occupation of Iraq and future incursions into Iran. The local CBS, NBC and Univision news teams were on hand, and we got about 30 seconds of fame on TV Saturday night.

As the photo shows, it was a beautiful day for a demonstration. Under the guidance of experienced protest organizers and advised by the ACLU, we kept moving in a picket line within ten feet of the Las Vegas Boulevard curb. More than a few tourists stopped to have photos taken with us and our signs as we chanted, “Bush lied, people died” and “No more endless war.” Some of them even joined us for a circuit or two.

The congressional candidate I’m working for, Andrew Martin, supplied five cases of bottled water for everyone. Many of us know each other from previous rallies and political activities, including some organized by MoveOn.org. It felt a little like a family reunion, with lots of hellos, hugs and handshakes. I’d say that I wish we’d do it more often, but the truth is that I wish we didn’t have to do it at all.

Shame on Sheldon. Support the troops. End the war.

March 22 will mark the fifth anniversary of Bush’s blunder into Iraq in search of WMD. A rally is being planned for that afternoon on the Las Vegas Strip to protest the financial backing of the war by one of our local casino barons, Sheldon Adelson (same fellow who hosted Dick Cheney’s fundraising visit here last year). The organizers are stressing the non-violent nature of the protest, but because it is going to be held in a tourist area, they have said this:

We expect media coverage, and most likely a police presence. The rally will be spirited, fun and non-violent. As usual, it is our policy to try to work with law enforcement to ensure everyone’s safety and constitutional rights. If any passers-by want to give us a hard time, we do NOT engage them. Most people will be supportive, and the bigger our turnout, the more support we will get.

Anyone who would like to be a part of the rally is invited to join in. First-time protesters are especially welcome. The details can be found at Nevada Workers Against the War.

I attended a training for our county convention coming up on Saturday. It was a good example of volunteers coming together to make something great happen. BUT…

Almost all of the local party leaders were present, so I hung around afterwards to speak to several of them. In particular, I wanted to speak to the volunteer coordinator about how I might help get some more volunteers. I stood patiently waiting for her to finish her conversation with another woman. It was obvious I wanted to speak to her, but as they finished, she ignored me and moved to walk away. I stopped her, said my piece, then went up to one of the Vice Chairs to remind him that I had volunteered months ago to help on web site and database committees, but I had never had a response from him. Again, he was busy in conversation. I waited patiently. Again, he started walking away, ignoring me. I stopped him and told him I was still available to volunteer on his committees and that I could have been helping out for the past couple of weeks. I gave him my card (again).

Then I stopped and talked to a couple of supporters of the congressional candidate I’m working for. I mentioned the two cold shoulders I had just received. Did I have garlic on my breath or something? One of them explained that the “powers that be” are very territorial and threatened by newcomers, especially those who seem to know what they are doing. That’s pretty much true in all volunteer organizations, I think, but what got me was their rudeness.

There’s more to this I do not feel like airing on the Internet, but I can feel a fight coming up. The old guard feels threatened, and they have reason to feel that way. The times they are a’changin once again. Politics as usual will not cut it after November 2008. I intend to be part of the wave of change. It’s exciting, but I anticipate some very real confrontations ahead. It may not be pretty.

at school this week. Yup, me!

There’s a woman in the admin who holds everything together, and is a wonderful soul. They are laying her off, end of this month. Besides being unjust (everyone agrees she’s terrific) we really have no idea how things will function when she’s gone and all the gaps she’s covered start showing.

The Board of Governors met at school on Monday. We were told No Trouble while the bigshots are here. Do NOT rock the boat.

yeah, right

A little group of fifth year students organized, got 3” buttons printed up saying, “What will we do without Carol?” and made sure every student was wearing one on Monday. When asked about it, we were APPRECIATING her. But lots of conversations were had, and they are re-examining options.

Dunno what will come of it in the end, but at least we raised some questions, and Carol feels like the students care about her.

but I don’t know where else to put this. Certainly I am passionate about it.

I went to the John Edwards rally in downtown LA today on the roof of the SEIU Local 721 office. We were excited, excited among other things to see each other: other people who support Edwards! Buttons, signs, home made signs, bumperstickers. “Carpenters for Edwards,” “SEIU Local 721 supports John Edwards,” a working class crowd for the most part. I saw a few suits, a lot of work boots, and a few people who brought their kids.

He came. We cheered, we hollered, we stomped, we called out to him. He said things so good I had to scribble them on edges of my sign. The one that will stick with me forever:

“We have to be patriotic about something besides war.”

He’s an underdog, no doubt about it. I want people to hear what he is saying about the Big Business ownership of Washington D.C. I believe that part of the reason his message gets virtually no media attention is that most of the media belongs to Big Business these days, or depends on them for advertising revenue. They don’t want us to know what this good and decent man is saying; they just keep talking about that d*mned haircut.

I looked this evening on the LA Times website for a story about the rally today: there’s a photo, nothing more. I searched on Edwards and all there was was a feature about “hairstylists to the stars” in L.A. who charge $800 plus a haircut and, you guessed it, there it was, the Edwards haircut.

There was nothing on the radio during the day. There was lots about Britney, and yes, a story about Sen Clinton in Compton, but nothing at all about the Edwards rally at the union office building in LA. I found out about it because I’m on the campaign’s email list.

It was great. I left feeling irrationally hopeful. I don’t think he has much chance of being elected, but I do believe in the power of words to make change.

but I just wanted to put something here about the WGA strike, and my support for the writers. It’s reasonable for them to want to be compensated for the multiple uses to which their work is put.

The heat is definitely on. This strike is hurting a lot of people, and there is pressure to just take “whatever” to make it go away.

Just wanted to voice my support.

Emanuel Levinas lately.

Dozens of us gathered at noon today outside Congressman (R-NV) Dean Heller’s office to urge support for SCHIP legislation. News media were on hand. Only 15 more votes are needed to override Bush’s veto. Heller’s could be one of them.

After the rally, we presented a letter to an aide to pass on to Heller, urging him to reverse his previous vote and to provide funding for the expansion of healthcare coverage for children.