Protest Bush** at K State

[MuseRider]

I just got this in the mail. Let me know if anyone wants to go and we can carpool if you are around the Topeka area.

The Manhattan Alliance for Peace and Justice, the K-State Progressive
Student Coalition, Kansas Equality Coalition of the Flint Hills, Flint Hills
PFLAG, K-State's Queer-Straight Alliance and numerous other community
organizations encourage your participation in a protest against the
administration and policies of George Bush.

President Bush will come to K-State's Bramlage Coliseum on Monday 23 January
to deliver the 142th Landon Lecture which begins at 11:00AM.

Logistics:

PLEASE refer to the Manhattan Alliance for Peace and Justice website for
complete details - http://www.majp.org

Please note that this is all tentative; nothing will be set in stone until
concluding negotiations with the officials at Bramlage Friday morning.

Protest start time: We encourage people to arrive by 9:00AM and no later
than 10:30AM. Will will protest until after the conclusion of the speech.

It looks like there is a very good chance that we will be able to protest
on the grassy area on the West side of Bramlage Coliseum. We are
negotiating to secure the grassy area on the East side of Bramlage as well.
According to information we have received from K-State, the Secret Service
will not secure the perimeter, only Bramlage Coliseum itself.

However, whether we get these spots or not will be based on
first-come-first-serve as they cannot be "reserved." Manhattan area groups
are planning on being there at 8 a.m. to establish a claim to the areas.

In order to secure both locations, we are designating the West grassy area
as "with MAPJ" and the east grassy area as "with NOW". In most ways, the
designations are arbitrary. Please tell possible protesters that there is a
good chance that they will need to remember to say that they are with either
MAPJ or NOW to be able to have access to the protest locations... Of
course, ALL groups are invited to stand at either location--this is just to
make our relationship to KSU on that day as simple as possible. You are
welcome to join either side, regardless of your particular individual or
group message. THIS IS A NON-VIOLENT PROTEST. Protesters that collect in
the either area are not permitted to heckle, shout obscenities, throw
things, or in any way respond to provocations by Bush supporters.

Rumor has it that Fred Phelps will be there. We are negotiating with
Bramlage to have a separate area designated for him. However, we do not
know if that will be possible and thus it is important to know who you are
with or othewise you could be placed with Fred; we do not want to overwhelm
KSU with too many various "sides," (something they've already expressed
concern about) so the more united we can be, the better.

An Alternative possible location will be the sidewalk along Kimball Avenue
in the zone directly in front of the KSU Football Stadium. If the grassy
areas fill up, consider assembling here. Again, we'll be able to get you
some answers tomorrow via mapj's website.

Regarding parking, non-KSU students, staff and faculty will NOT have access
to the parking lots to the east and west of the Football Stadium. This
makes parking something of an issue. At this point in time Kimball and
Claflin - major east-west though fares) and College Avenue (running north -
south) are not scheduled to be closed, but this could change on Monday.

PLEASE CARPOOL! For all people coming from out of town from the East:
Please take K-177 from I-70 and travel north to Manhattan. Get intot he
right hand lane while crossing the Kansas River Bridge and exit. At the
Stop Light, turn left onto Tuttle Creek Blvd. TRAVEL north to Kimball Ave.
Approx. 2 miles north. Turn left onto Kimball.

For people coming form the west - exit I-70 and take K-18 Highway into
Manhattan. You will need to exit onto Seth Childs Road (K-113 highway) and
go north. At this point in time there is construction at this intersection,
so please what the signs for K-113 NORTH. Take Seth Childs north to
Kimball, about 1.5 miles.

MAPJ is checking up on a couple of options regarding parking; there is a
chance that there will even be a shuttle from Cico Park on the west side of
Manhattan. Please check the website (www.mapj.org) Friday afternoon for
more details.

[cfield]

1. I will try to get off work

for it; but my boss is so excited he's coming she's been trying to get me to go. HELL NO!
If I can get off and my husband can go to work after, we'll be there.

On edit: Do you have any good ideas on a sign?? I'm not creative and I'd wind up with 'Fuck You' if it were up to me.

[MuseRider]

2. I was thinking

about signs myself. I will look around for some ideas and think some about it today. We can meet back here and discuss, lol. I hope I get a chance to meet you but if not I guess that means there are a lot of people there and that would be a good thing. Can you imagine how the press will present this if Phelps shows up?

[cfield]

3. Yeah, we'll all be a bunch of

homophobes just like him. I really wish he wasn't coming. I hope KSU keeps him in a designated area away from the other groups. We need to be seperated, standing on our own and not tied into him and his hate.

I'm going to ask my boss now about having the day off. Wish me luck!




Edit: She said yes!!! Didn't even ask me if I thought I could get inside, just said yes! Muse, I'm a very shy person so if my husband can't make it out there with me I'll be scared to go alone. You'll have to make me!

[MuseRider]

4. We can meet somewhere and go together

if you would like. My son lives about a block away from the school and we could go from there if you want. I should be able to get us into the fray since this is being co-sponsered by KEC. Lets do it!

[cfield]

5. That sounds great!

Do you know if they're requiring student ID AND tickets to park at the stadium? If all they want is student ID, we can park there using Chris's (husband). But yeah, lets plan on meeting somewhere! That way even if he can't make it, I'll be forced to.

[MuseRider]

6. I will send you a PM

probably on Sunday when I have my plans firmed up. Will that be OK?

Anyone else reading this who wants to be there let us know.

[cfield]

7. That would be fine

My husband is checking to see if he can get off work for it. I'll look forward to hearing from you Sunday!

Thanks!