Support Vigils All Over Upstate NY!!! Get Your Upstate Peace Vigil Pics!

[DistressedAmerican]

This will be the first of two posts I have for you on the great series of vigils that were held in my neck of the woods. This covers the great rally and what I know about a few others.

I just finished a phone interview with a reporter that was doing a story for the Albany Times Union.

http://www.timesunion.com/

She is doing a write-up on the local events and filled me in on the Albany event. She told me that approximately 500 people showed up to show their support for Cindy and the cause of ending this war. She indicated that it was very peaceful and positive.

I attended the rally in Saratoga Springs NY. That is where the shots are from. The organizers for the event had a permit for a 300 person rally. The actually collected signatures of roughly 400 who were in attendance.

It was held outside the Post office in the center of downtown Saratoga. A spot with heavy traffic and great visibility. We also marched a circuit around the downtown letting out signs and candles do most of our talking for us.

Following the march There was a quick speech by the organizers and them they opened the floor for comments. I popped up and let folk know I was heading for Crawford tomorrow. Folks got really fired up at that. So I let folks have it.

Kicked on the public speaking button and reminded people of the parallels between this movement and that we saw started by Rosa parks. I reminded them that this was a historic turning point in our struggle to end the war. Then I reminded folks of the cost in lives on both sides. I wrapped up with the message that it is us the people that will have to rise up and force the politicians on both sides to end this war. This I told them is Bush's accountability moment, in Crawford, in Saratoga, In washington and all across the nation.

That pretty much sent it off with a bang. The organizers came and found me to find out who I was. They were very interested in setting up some interviews since I was heading down. Hence the phone call I mentioned above.

There were an handful (3) counter protesters. One notorious pro-war freep that folks just call "The Colonel" He flipped out when I arrived with my signs calling Bush out as a coward and a snake, the other was a disgusting Pro lifer with a huge dead fetus sign. I will leave the details on that for my next post. It was instructive and would be seen.

But, I really do not want this set of pics and those pics to even come into contact. Sorry I do not have more. Batteries failed. Poor planning.

Link For the other thread is here BE WARNED GRAPHIC PHOTOS:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4384828


So here they are:

[feelthebreeze]

1. Big turn out for New Paltz, appx. 250

God how I love upstate! I'm home!

[Cha]

2. Those are great pictures..fun to

see them from around the country. We were in Clinton, New York..you probably know where that is.

We had about 80..it was a very beautiful, quaint setting on The Green and had representatives from two papers taking a lot of pictures.. The Observer Dispatch(Utica) and the Rome Sentinal.

We drove about 26 miles and saw a lot of familiar faces:)

[trogdor]

14. Damn.

I live in Clinton, and I could have come down to see you on my bike. Rats. I will tell the larger DU community that Clinton has a population of around 3000 or so, probably less during the summer when Hamilton College is out of session, so getting 80 people to show up for a demonstration is a big deal. Congrats on getting the Ofuscator-Disgrace to cover it.

[malta blue]

3. That's me...

Glad to have pix of my daughter at the rally to show her later. The turnout was great. The march down Broadway turned a lot of heads, all the fancy diners in the outdoor cafes really checked out our signs as we walked quietly down the street

Your impromptu speech was impressive, and hopefully inspired people to become active in this movement.

Thanks again!

[DistressedAmerican]

7. Thanks Malta! You Rocked Out There!

[maddezmom]

21. Thank you

:)

[katinmn]

24. Your daughter is a sweetie!

Glad you brought her. :)

[faithnotgreed]

4. love kick for ny

where i grew up and where will always be home (dutchess county)

[Scout1071]

5. Yes! Great job Upstate NY!

We had 300+ in Kansas City. I'll try to post pics tomorrow night.

[havocmom]

6. Great! Real Americans standing for truth

Thanks for the pictures. Thank you, upstate NY for being counted for peace.

[Nite Owl]

8. Reporting from Albany

We made the top of the news on all three networks and the local cable news. It was impressive. We did a walk from Washington Square to the Plaza stopping at the Korean War Memorial. The police were great and handled the traffic well. Amazing crowd. Will have pics tomorrow. There were two speakers in the opening. One was a gentleman whose son is a Marine and he is shipping off to Iraq in a few months. He thanked us for being behind him and asked us not to stop, they need to come home. The other was an Iraqi woman who is now a US citizen but her family is still in Baghdad. She said that they are wealthy and live in the suburbs and it is just awful there. They have electricity for about an hour a day. It is not safe and she said that democracy would never happen under occupation.

There was a 'pro war' counter protest with 3 people across the street!

[dxstone]

9. Wonderful! Inspiring!

Kicked and nominated!
d

[brettdale]

10. is there a thread?

That has the pics from the vigils from all over the states?

[DistressedAmerican]

11. Some Are Collenting Here...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4384425

[DistressedAmerican]

12. One Little Fun Story I Forgot To Mention.

A lady saw my sign (Crawford Kid) and walked up and said, "I have a sign really similar to that." She showed it to me and it was the Crawford coward graphic that Malta Blue was holding.

Apparently she had grabbed it off of bartcop and printed it for the rally. She was most suprised to meet the guy that designed it at random at a rally. We all had a good laugh that we bumped into each other.

I love when I run into my work floating around and getting the job done!!!

[malta blue]

13. link to story in Albany paper when they interviewed DA

DA,
Here is the link to the story about the local vigils in the Albany Times Union. You are quoted at the end!



http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=390024&category=REGIONOTHER&BCCode=HOME&newsdate=8/18/2005

[malta blue]

15. DA did you check out the article in the paper...

see my previous post for the link

[malta blue]

16. local Saratoga paper article link

http://www.saratogian.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15055780&BRD=1169&PAG=461&dept_id=17708&rfi=6

[PuraVidaDreamin]

17. I'll bet ya' you'll bump into some more of that at the pigfarm!

Very Cool

[DistressedAmerican]

18. Goin' Down To Cowtown! Call Me!

[dxstone]

19. These are GREAT pics! Why isn't anyone NOMINATING???

Kick!

[maddezmom]

20. my old stomping ground...nominated

:thumbsup:

[AmBlue]

22. Wow, DA, GREAT SIGN!!!

I have one just like it!! ;) Great job! Sounds like you're a magnificent speaker as well.

[0007]

23. Thanks for the uplifting photos

[mdmc]

25. no pics from Newburgh Ny yet...