Hey! I’m stealing some time on my brother’s computer. I had a really fun time over the last two days. I met lots of tribbers, all of whom are even more impressive in real life than they are online. Damnit Janit had mercy on me last night and arranged for me to stay in a room at the Holiday Inn rather than negotiate a complicated cross-town taxi drive in my inebriated and celebratory mood.
Of course, since the room in question belonged to Military Tracy, when she checked in at 2 am she found a strange man lying on the floor in front of the television set…sound asleep.
No worries…she has the incriminating photos to prove it. I also spent a lot of time with Cabin Girl and her totally awesome sons. Supersoling trecked around with us today, and I have a good NYC affinity for him. Super cool guy. Brother Feldspar was great. He’s a really nice guy and a great guide to all things DC. All his planning paid off really well.
MLK19569 is a really nice woman who I was really happy to get to know. She had a lot of enthusiasm for everything that was going on.
I met Maryscott O’Connor, who lives up to her reputation, but I also met her husband Adam. Adam and I spent a lot of time together Friday night, and MSOC is one lucky gal to have a husband like Adam. He’s a really interesting cool guy.
I ran into a lot of other Tribbers and Kossacks. I met teacherken, he’s a lot of fun. I met StevenD, but didn’t have too much time to talk to him.
I can’t name everyone because I will inevitably forget someone. But it was a good feeling to match user names to faces and to chat with folks and share our frustrations with the fate of our nation. I learned that BostonJoe in neither from Boston, nor named Joe. I had a good time with a few other Tribbers whose names are escaping me at the moment…you know who you are.
So what that the press won’t cover it, we came and said our piece and made some connections, and had a good time doing it. And best of all, Susan held down the fort and was her usual awesome self in my absence.
Update [2005-9-25 1:2:54 by BooMan]: special thanks to salunga…you know why…
yeah…about that flowery shirt….?
Anyway, I envy all of you! So glad you all stood up and spoke for the rest of us who couldn’t be there. Mad props (as the kids say these days) to the protesters all over the world who joined in solidarity.
Woohoo!
do you like the shirt or not like the shirt? Cuz I have a dozen more where that came from…
(that should let me off the hook…)
I LOVE the shirt- since hubbo wears those all the time! and I love his too.
Alohaleezy likes the shirt Booman…go figure…lol!
thought the shirt was hip! I buy funky shirts for
ask all the time – at first he was skeptical, but now
he wears them all the time; of course, he also likes shirts that look like pajama tops….
I thought you had stolen mine from Fiji. So yeah, it’s cool.
Susan? Susan who?
Whoa..I felt that smack across the head all the way from the other Washington. Ouch.
You want that Open Thread or not, missy?
You know she means business when she calls you “missy”.
It’s up, below this thread … I made it kinda long … trying to balance the damn page! But that clip of Viggo is way cool. And I love what he gave Charlie Rose!
needs any introduction. All other Susan’s need to get in line…
Seriously, I just wanna thank Susan for doing a great job while I was messing around doing non-blogging activities. She’s the best and I plan on telling her every chance I get.
I hear she’s accepting gifts comprised of large amounts of money.
well, actually that is a secret dammit. And it is for purely altruistic purposes. But of couse we can’t talk about it can we?
Unless of course, anyone is interested in a birthday gift for a certain anonymous someone special 🙂
I wonder how our covert surprise is going?
Does this mean I have to make Another cake?
Yeah for Susan! She and Ducktape (among all of the rest of the Tribbers who could not go) really were just amazing. I totally enjoyed the updates and the pictures and all the rest, while still keeping a lookout on the rest of the country. Thanks a million!
Are you going sightseeing with the crew tomorrow?
SO GOOD to hear from you!
The last time we spoke, you were chasing 50 cops on motorcycles. How did THAT turn out?
The last time we spoke, you were chasing 50 cops on motorcycles. How did THAT turn out?
Had they confiscated that shirt as a fashion violation?
arrested 3 people but let the rest go to cause more mayhem another day.
The cops showed a lot of restraint and performed admirably. That’s great, but it ruined any chance for me to break a giant news story.
All for the best.
The cops showed a lot of restraint and performed admirably.
Did you?
You were pretty pissed at them!
P.S. Thanks for posting a long story … Ducky and I were posting short “MARCH THREAD” stories, and all of the sudden our page was shorter than my leather mini-skirts when I was in college.
Got some somewhere… I need a scanner. I wore the skirt when I played Helena in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” (We did a faux modern version with Judy Collins songs … “Both Sides Now,” etc.)
I kinda think ‘Send in the Clowns’ might be apropos.
(damn hiding under sofa again)
I don’t even know where they are this time.
Is he single? Is he of legal age? Does he like old, cranky women with raging PMS?
My brother is not single, he is of legal age, and he probably is not fonder than average of cranky women with raging PMS.
He also is basically an identical twin of mine even though he is 13 years older. So, if you wanna know what I am gonna look like…
of people in the streets scare the shit out of the “authorities.”
I think that one of the most important revelations to come out of Daniel Ellsburg’s Pentagon Papers is that the anti war demonstrations were having a much greater effect on the Johnson administration than we realized at the time.
So let’s congratulate ourselves on this accomplishment.
This anti war movement can only build from here on out.
The 60’s anti-war movement was a labor action. What was marching was to a large degree the draft pool. Of course the establishment had to pay attention to it.
Today’s resistance is much more indirect, although it’s still relevant because of the low popular support for the Iraq action resulting in low recruiting numbers for the volunteer military.
Also, this economy in unimaginably wealthy and, unlike in the 60’s, this economy’s owners are actually much more activist than the people are. Between media ownership, think-tanks, pro-regime religion and other opinion leaders–the people need to operate a very substantial, constant nationwide resistance just to break neutral.
This fall the military debuts a marketing barrage to get its recruiting numbers up. It’s going to be tough for the people to counter unless the opinion numbers remain negative for Management.
It’s great to be inspired by past movements, but we’re living in a sci-fi world now that Management has understood far better for the last 30 years than the people have.
You have many interesting and valid points.
I’d like to see a diary devoted to a serious analysis of “Apples” and “Oranges”, that is an analysis between today’s movement and the those of the 60s. I think it would elucidate much that would be relevant to today’s situation.
Viewing the Sept 24 demo on CSPAN I was amazed at the diversity of the crowd – a great diversity in all aspects. Actually, I see a greater power in that composition than when we had just the “draft pool” and their girl friends.
Besides being just “inspired by past movements” a serious analysis of history could lead to much more comprehensive strategies for dealing with the present authoritarian regimes.
Hit my sig line for just that.
AHA– I knew it had to be a dirty deed- done by you Boo- OMG- sleeping on the floor–that is hilarious- brofeldspar was keeping it a deep dark secret!
Oh – that was Booman passed out on the floor. I’m so naive sometimes. I just couldn’t figure that one out…
is so judgmental. I was nonresponsive.
unresponsive–I will remember that one oh boy – I guess they didn’t call an ambulance?
……….or REM thinking…..:o)
There is no place like DC to get bombed …….
I am so very glad that everyone had a great time. I admire each of those how were there. I could feel the excitement in all the voices heard and the pictures seen.
From all my past experiences in DC, the police for the most part are not that bad. They have had to go through some of the best/worst demonstrations known….
I am so very proud of you guys for your going and doing what needs to be done. Thank you for giving to our cause the voice that is always needed.
Again, a sincere and very huge hug and congrats on surviving……:o)
It was a great time on Friday and I missed hooking up with everyone on Saturday cause I overslept. Got there late and missed the meet up. I’m not Ghandi I guess. Saw Jackson and Cindy speak, well heard them. You couldn’t see much with the crowd. Then they passed right by me when they started the march. I got to shake Cindy Sheehan’s hand so that made up a little for missing marching with everyone. Its a great group of bloggers here at Booman Tribune. I’m glad I had the opportunity to meet some of you this weekend. I want to thank you all. When is the next rally I’m motivated? 🙂
P.S. Your very welcome Booman.
Well, I am disappointed I didn’t get to meet the famous Booman — I even wore my BooTrib froggy t-shirt! — but my feet were giving out on me near the end of the march itself, so I thought I’d better hie myself to a subway station and home while I could still make it home from the subway. I figure we’ll have to have another rally or something. (Unfortunately, I suspect there WILL be others… as the need for them will still exist.)
But it was great to meet everyone I did get to meet, and be a part of something really big, even if it did seem rather chaotic at times.
The DC police did very well — their major concerns seemed to be (1) keeping the massive swell of people that was the march on the assigned route, which was good because none of us really knew what the route was otherwise, (2) keeping the crowd from getting too close to the White House fence, also good thinking, given the emotional state of some of the marchers, and (3) keeping the anti-war and war supporters from doing anything more than yelling at each other over barricades and a line of police officers, which was VERY good, considering the high emotions on both sides. (I heard there were two or three arrests, but I think those were confined to the much more disorderly group that was trying to put up barricades of their own and disrupt things.) So the primary purpose of the police seemed to be crowd control, and given the incredible size of the crowd, they managed that very well.
Whether the media covers the march — or gives any indication of its SIZE, everyone who was there couldn’t help but see how many OTHERS of their fellow citizens thought the same as they did, and that can go a long way to ecouraging them to not only get more involved, but to encourage others they know who feel the same way to join the movement. And I think that’s the true value of a march like this — not to convince the President, because we know he wasn’t watching (vast mobs of people who disagree with him apparently make him nervous), or even the Congress (who may not have been watching, but they do pay attention to the mood barometer of their home voters). What it does do is spread the word among the marchers, and then to all their connections back home, that we are not alone — and that word is spreading. Cindy Sheehan’s message is spreading — and the anger Americans felt at the lackidaisical response by the government they trusted to the tragic and unnecessary deaths in New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf is spreading.
And that is good news indeed!
This is a good point
The DC police did very well
given how much we holler about how bad the cops have been at other events. People who were there could write letters to the editor of their local papers, saying what a great and all-inclusive rally it was, and how respectful the DC police were of citizens’ constitutional rights of assembly and free speech.
I’m so totally impressed with what everyone is writing here about the weekend, and very grateful for the first-hand accounts.
i was amazed…the D.C. cops were 1,000% better than cops at any portland protest i’ve attended. granted, the portland ones rarely obtain permits and we block traffic for hours on end, but still…i was impressed.
Good morning friends :o) I slept in a little this morning after running on fumes all day yesterday having gotten to bed at 2:30am Sat. morning and gotten up at 5:30 to get into DC on time.
Where to start? First, I have lots of pics but no way to load them till I get home Mon. night, so I’ll definetily do a diary when I get back. I’ll be heading back in to DC in a little while to see what’s going on today. I know there’s a plan somewhere, I just can’t remember it yet :o)
Yesterday was the most amazing day. Meeting all the Tribbers (and some of the Kossacks) was definetily the best part. I walked up to D. Janet in the holiday Inn and said, hi, I’m MIke and she shook my hand and said, I’m Janet, nice to meet you, and something like, who are you here wi…….SUPERSOLING!!! and proceeded to give me the biggest hug you’de ever want to get :o) That moment expressed the love and commaraderie that I feel for all of you. I’d never met Janet, but here we were huggin like old buddies who haven’t seen each other in a while :o) The same with Cabingirl, more about her sons later :o), Mlk, Brother Feldspar,Military Tracy,Steven D and his son,Boston Joe, and Booman, though we weren’t hugging each other :o), but we connected in many other ways. I had a chance to spend a couple of hours with him walking around and sharing ideas like how the Yankees need to pick up a couple more games on the Red Sox to be safe :o) and finally finding a Sabbretts hot dog stand, a little piece of home, to fuel up for the rest of the day.
If any of you are worried about the future and whether or not our young people are engaged in the world, let me lay those fears to rest. Cabingirl is raising the most amazing little men. So full of energy and questions and ideas. Her oldest son, and I’m ashamed to say his name escapes me right now, kept finding me all day and engaging me in conversations that you wouldn’t think a twelve year old would have on his mind. What impressed me the most about him were his questions. He wanted to know how all this is moving us closer to an America without Bush in the White House. Not in a critical way, but from a practical standpoint of how to best bring about that result. We talked about his willingness to speak up in school when there are so many other kids who love Bush but could never tell you why. I kinda got the impression that he was a little frustrated with the march. Like he was hoping we were gonna actually move on the White House and physically remove Bush! Listen, if someone would’ve given the go ahead, he and I would’ve been at the front of the line volunteering! I am proud to know them and I’m grateful for the Cabingirls of the world who are raising thier children to be active and engaged in the process. There’s so much to tell, but I’m saving the rest for a diary. It was so good to finally meet Military Tracy, who I missed meeting in Crawford, and I’m fortunate to have been standing with her in line waiting to get some coffee. You can sense in her a quiet, no really!, but fierce determination. All in all I have to say that with people like her and Janet and Cabingirl involved, we only have wonder when, not if, our country will be saved.
Love to all,
Mike
Oh Mike you are so special. Thank you for sharing your experience with all of us. I know I can speak on behalf of all the Tribbers here, we LOVE you too.
Safe journey home and I look forward to your diary and pictures upon your return.I for one vote we have a Booman Meetup next year somewhere in the middle of the nation to make it easier for all to come. Shall we have a poll to see if there is interest in such a gathering?
We can have everyone come to Austin (lotsa, lotsa beds here) about this time next year, for the Asutin City Limits Music Festival!!
Yes, poll please!!
As long as it isn’t in August Cat!!!!!!!! I don’t think I can go through another case of heat exhaustion…lol!
October is good too — not a high travel month and usually very nice here in Central Texas….maybe we could really do the retreat thing — there are some really beatufil ones out in the Hill Country — don’t know about price though, I usually just look at them on the web and imagine myself there!
lol
Well, lets work on it. I think the first thing to do is take that poll. If there is high interest then we can go from there.
Consider me in!
We’ll come!
Lee, if I’m special then the reason is because I’ve found my way here and to all of you. It is my home, and you all are my family.
i’m almost positive i met you yesterday – can you jog my memory a bit? i know everybody’s face and would hug them if i saw them again, but damn if i held onto anybody’s names.
meh
and i must say – i understand why you seem to be so popular here!
thank you for being you and being there! there is even a pic of you and me somewhere…lemme see if i can find.
aaah yes…coffee, cigarettes and civic protest. ‘c’ was never a lovelier letter!
from frisco’s rally pics.
A little late in my reply Cedwyn. How could I forget meeting someone like you who managed somehow to procure a Homeland Security Jacket :o) It was a great pleasure to share some time, conversation, and smokes with you, and the fact that you were there all the way from Oregon (holy land to me) made my trip from Long Island seem so insignificant. Meeting you and everyone else was just as important to me as the reason we all gathered there to begin with. I feel like lifetime of friendship and shared purpose have been forged and I know it’s only a matter of time before we all gather on a different field to voice our dissent, though eventually I hope we all gather to celebrate our inevitable victory :o)
Mike, let me add my appreciation to the long list here for the very exquisite words you wrote. You made your words so vivid and visual I could almost hear CG’s son questioning you…( I have gone through a few of these political sessions with my own grandkidlets)good for him, them, her, you, all of you, this will go on and build and continue and you all are now a part of history!
Hi Mike. It was great to meet you. Hope all is well.
It was great to meet you and Daniel too. I’m bummed that we got seperated from each other during the rally, but when Cindy came up to speak, you know I had to get closer to the stage :o) I am certain that we will meet again, though I hope for better reasons.
You made me cry reading this…in a good way. Thank you.
(I am dog-tired, more tomorrow…)
CabinGirl :o) You are doing such an amazing job raising your sons. I pay attention to things like that you see because I’ve been there. I’m glad I made it to the Natural History Museum in time to say farewell. You and the boys looked so exhausted, though you kept smiling :o) Glad you’re home now safe and sound :o)
I just wanted you to know that mostly hung out here for my protest updates and pictures – you guys here at Booman seem to have covered this better than anyone! Many thanks to all the attendees who shared photos so quickly.
There were comments in the diaries at “the other nameless very big site” asking why there wasn’t more protest coverage there, and recommending that folks come to BMT to find out what was going on…
😉
I’ve hacked into the system and given this story a “Recommend.”
I tried to visit MSO’s blog last night and this morning, but it’s down.
Does she know?
that is so !@#$%& funny!
i heard a story from cabin girl (i think) about some message on her voicemail about “a strange man in a boo trib t-shirt passed out on the floor of my room.”
then i met military tracy and heard her tell it firsthand. and now we know the culprit!
i guess it doesn’t sound nearly so funny on the screen, but trust me – it was highlarious!
i was so happy to get to meet military tracy and cabin girl (if indeed i have the right person – former deadhead with two adorable sons), booman and everybody else and to hang out with mlk again. i lost track of you guys way too early at the rally. if the rumored socialness for tonight gets coordinated, please give a shout!
You got the right one! I was so glad to meet you too!
Nice meeting all of you. Capital City’s got some mean BBQ pork nachos. Holla.
Serious dude. I ate half of those. They were goddamned good.