After weeks of planning, and many agonizing, extended meetings, tonight finally rolled around. Cindy Sheehan came, ate dinner with my family and a small group of supporters, and then gave an amazing speech to an almost full theater.
It all began several months ago, when we (Uconn radicals) discovered that Ann Coulter was speaking on campus for the grand total of 30,000 dollars. We decided to bring a speaker with a positive, uplifting peaceful message. Cindy Sheehan fit the bill.
After requesting funding for the event, booking rooms, paying for security, figuring out transportation, planning media campaigns, and several intense arguments with college republicans, the event was ready.
Tonight, Cindy came to dinner at my house, with my family, and several other students, and local activists, about 15 in total. After a pleasant, homemade potluck, it was time to go. Past College republicans, waving signs, chanting “Freedom isn’t free”, the room slowly filled. Finally, at 7:10 PM, Cindy was introduced, and told her story to a large, mixed audience. Hecklers attempted to disrupt her speech, and were cheered down.
I would say it was an amazing success. People were talking about it as they left, the book signing line was long, Cindy was busy hugging people, the college republicans were busy shouting at a busy street, in the cold. The press coverage was positive, student government pleased.
Thank you, Cindy!
Incidentally, today, we picked up the first copies of the UConn Free Press, our new underground weekly from the printers.
Crossposted at My Left Nutmeg and The Orange Place
Sounds most cool.
The republicans were pushing Sheehan as a polarizing, hateful speaker. She proved them very wrong.
College Republicans (if my very fuzzy memory is correct) tend to be very adept at projection.
Fantastic work! I’m so pleased you could bring Sheehan to your campus and that her visit went smoothly and got a good response.
Can you believe the utter idiocy of the CRs with their “Freedom Isn’t Free” signs? Wow, you think a woman who lost her son doesn’t understand the costs of war? What complete asses.
I’m glad that Ms. Sheehan is still doing her thing, and that you folks had the resolve to get her on your campus! What did she have to say about her recent visit to Crawford for Thanksgiving??
thanks for keeping Cindy’s message in the spotlight, her mission gives me hope that we may find our way out of the mess in Iraq someday.
Bravo toUconn and Cindy for keeping the peace movement alive. It scares me that there is so little dissendence these days.