Blue Monday - organize for Thursday demonstrations

[UncleSepp]

The Blue Monday meetup at the People's Pub in Ballard is on for tonight. On the agenda (other than enjoying the fine beer and food at the Pub) will be organizing for a visible DU presence at Inaugural Day demonstrations in Seattle.

Part of that visibility will be a DU banner. I have committed to bringing it. AlienGirl, everythingsxen and I have gotten cloth, paint, brushes, glue, and poles. If anyone has space to paint a banner in, I would greatly appreciate the use of it in time for paint to be dry Thursday morning. Otherwise I can paint it in sections but it would be nice to be able to stretch it all out at once.

Another part of that visibility, something we will discuss at the meetup, would be individual identification. I am thinking blue shirts, blue jeans, boots, and gray sweatshirts, all articles people will probably have already. I am willing to spring for some other kind of identifier for DU demonstrators as well, preferably a useful article of clothing.

We will also discuss logistics, such as planning for transportation, parking, and meetup locations.

Please come out if you can, and let's use this thread for posting resource-sharing information about Thursday's demonstrations.

[AmandaRuth]

1. could you please post what you have come up with or pm me with details...

I can't make into Ballard on Monday nights (I am up by mt rainier), but would like to join you Thursday. Thanks AmandaRuth.

[AlienGirl]

2. Thursday's protests

Not In Our Name will be sponsoring a "convergence" at Westlake Center (4th and Pine) at 2:00 PM. Here's a link to their site: http://www.notinourname-seattle.net/calendar.html

A.N.S.W.E.R. will be sponsoring a counter-inaugural protest at 5:00 PM at the Federal Building on 2nd and Marion. http://www.seattleactivism.org/event.asp?id=1028

In addition, my rabbi has called for Thursday to be a fast day to show (non-political) unity with all who are going hungry, in this country and others. (I'm hypoglycemic so for me it'll be a modified fast so I don't pass out.) He suggested sending money you would have spent on food that day to a hunger-relief organization. I think it would be a good idea to email or write to someone in power--your congress critter or whomever--and tell them you fasted and donated because you haven't forgotten that hunger still exists. Anyone who can't make it to the demonstrations can be there in spirit by participating in the Jan. 20 fast.

Not One Damn Dime Day is also Jan. 20--don't spend any money in corporate stores that day. I suggest spending on locally-produced goods from good businesses instead...that way you're helping to empower the local small businesses while disempowering megacorps.

Okay, that's a lot of stuff. :-)

Tucker

[suffragette]

3. please pm me, too

I can't make the meetup tonight and I am unsure if I can make it on Thursday, but I hope to do so.

[UncleSepp]

4. Post meetup report

We had a good meeting this time, with six DUers turning out and another four progressive people joining spontaneously after seeing the DU sign and donkey mascot.

Thursday's events look like this:

Noon - Meet at Seattle Center, in the Center House, for lunch. There are several parking lots and garages around Seattle Center for people driving in from out of the city, and it is pretty easy to find. Also, the monorail goes from there to the next event. :-)

2 PM - Assemble at Westlake Center for the NION demonstration. Not sure how long this will go on but we will be around to support it.

4 PM (or about) - Walk to the Federal Building

5 PM - Assemble at the Federal Building for the ANSWER demonstration.

Not everyone will be able to make every event, but we ought to be "find-able" with the DU banner. The blue shirts/blue jeans/gray sweatshirts idea went over well at the meeting, so there should be some identifiable DUers around the banner as well.

[UncleSepp]

5. The banner is done

I sure hope some folks turn out to help carry it :-)

[satya]

6. Heard on AAR this a.m. that our local right-wing talk radio hosts

are urging pro-* supporters to show up.

I'm planning to meet up with you at the Center House.

[UncleSepp]

7. Great! See you there!

There's always that possibility of ProtestWarrior or Joe Freeper showing up to counterdemonstrate or disrupt - that's all part of the game. They usually aren't present in any significant numbers.

[AlienGirl]

8. At the pre-event meeting

At the pre-event meeting I intend to teach a non-confrontational, positive method of dealing with attempts at disruption--a method that worked for us in San Francisco.

Tucker

[AntiCoup2K4]

10. If it's the same idiots that showed up for Rossi Whinefest 2005....

....don't worry about it. Just remember some bad Hee Haw jokes, and see if you can borrow a few sheep from a farm somewhere. That will keep those morons occupied.

[geniph]

12. The pukes don't usually show up in great numbers

for two reasons:

1) it would involve having to actually WALK somewhere

2) not enough porta-potties!

[AmandaRuth]

9. MiniAmanda Ruth and I will be there

We are leaving arround noon, so we hope to catch up with everyone at Westlake Center. See you tomorrow.

[suffragette]

11. see you at Westlake

Can't make it to the noon meeting, but hope to meet you all at Westlake at 2pm