Peace rally in Anchorage today - photos (dial-up warning)

[Blue_In_AK]

We had a great peace rally and march here today, and TONS of support from the passing motorists. I've been to a lot of these over the past few years, and today, without question, was the most enthusiastically supported by the community...continual honking, peace signs flashing, thumbs up. This is a military community, our soldiers are dying, people are sick of it. Here are a few photos.

We gathered in the parking lot of the Loussac Library for speeches and entertainment.





Here is the very wonderful Diane Benson, Alaska's Democratic candidate for the House in 2006, announcing that she is running again in 2008, and this time she plans to kick Don Young's ass. Some of you may remember that she ran a strictly grassroots campaign last time (with no national support) against the 32-year incumbent with his $3 million warchest, and garnered 40% of the vote, shocking everybody. I am thrilled that she is running again.



Crowd shots




Military Families Speak Out, well represented, reading letters from soldier friends and family in Iraq




Local female vocal groups, Whirled Peas and Sally's Kitchen, coming together to sing a few peace songs


A tiny protestor


More of the crowd


A canine protestor


And taking it to the street, and, again, just incredible support from the passersby. I was amazed.

[rodeodance]

1. love the oink oink

[LSK]

2. cool dude, I had one in my town too

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=437182&mesg_id=437182

Although you had better scenery!

[northofdenali]

3. Was hunting for a Blue post, as I couldn't go to the one here -

memorial stuff for Dale - so you have my thanks for showing Alaskans are out there, too. Great pix, as usual, Blue - :hug::pals::hug:

Hope it was fairly warm and not windy, it was cold here, but I did see a few of the usual hardy souls at it as well. There's a rally Monday night at the new WW2 Russian/US Memorial downtown next to the visitor's center which I'm going to try and make.

Thanks again, I'm so glad you were able to be there. :patriot:

BTW, I'll be out kicking ass for Diane once again in '08. She'd be a GREAT congresscritter! and the protest pup was priceless!

[Blue_In_AK]

5. It was gorgeous down here today...

The first semi-warm day we've had in quite a while. It must have been above freezing because there was quite a bit of run-off in the street, so maybe spring isn't too far behind. Even for you guys. :)

I wish you could have heard Diane's speech. She was electrifying. I'm so glad she's getting started early this time around because I think she can take Don out (hope, hope, hope). Any district in the country would be proud to have her as a representative ... she impresses me more all the time.

[TheConstantGardener]

4. Which rallies did our brave congressional leaders join with?

?

[Blue_In_AK]

6. Well, it sure wouldn't be here

because our "brave congressional leader," is the sublimely awful Don Young, he of the misquoted Abraham Lincoln fame. :puke:

[TheConstantGardener]

14. I have Phil Gingrey

Who notoriously tried to say Walter Reed wasn't that bad because somebody was spraying the cockroaches.

[Blue_In_AK]

16. He and Don are probably buds. n/t

[northofdenali]

29. Then, of course, we do have Uncle Ted........

'nuff said on that, except he DID stand up to the Japanese re: whaling. And Lisa M? shill, shill, shill, shill - urp.

[Blue_In_AK]

32. I'm so pissed off at her right now.

I don't even want to go there.

[northofdenali]

33. No shit? B...tch says one thing, does another -

typical repuke. And Sara? Don't get me started!! Please!!

At least this last election brought a lot more Dems to the table, for a change!

[nam78_two]

7. K&R.nt

[orleans]

8. thank you. n/t

[NanceGreggs]

9. GREAT day in America ...

... GREAT pics that capture it all.

Thanks, Blue_in_AK!

[northofdenali]

31. Nance, when you see Blue's website, you'll see REALLY great photos!

Amazing that Blue hasn't gone "pro" - see the photos of the Iditarod start here: http://northernvisions.smugmug.com/gallery/2562796#134842550 - then go back to the gallery and look at the rest. You'll be stunned at the captured beauty. I see these sights and others with my own eyes and not through a lens, often daily, but Blue sees the same things and can put them in a camera and in print. There's a lot of good photographers here, and many who "get it" about this incredible state, but very, very few are great ones. Blue is one of the great ones. Don't let Blue tell you different, or I'll get my patties in a wade..... :P

It's neat to have someone in our very red state who isn't just talented, but is also a :patriot: !!!

OK, Blue, you can blush now :rofl::rofl::*:thumbsup::evilgrin::thumbsup::*:rofl::rofl:

Thanks for what you do, too, Ms. Nance!! We are so fortunate on DU to have so many talented people in so many areas, from music to writing to photography to creating cartoons, to raising wonderful kids and nurturing the needy kids who weren't raised too well, to caring for and rescuing all types of critters - god, are we lucky to all be friends, or what? Even when we piss each other off, and fight and yell, and put each other on ignore - we're still friends and family. I've never seen such an outpouring of just general CARING from any group, anywhere. When my father-in-law died, I thought I'd be grieving forever, but with my friends from DU, I've been shown that grief is a process and others are there with me, to help and nurture.

Sorry for the rant, Nance, but you get to do it more than me, and worse, you do it much better... :P :) :P


Hey, Blue, we'll be down in your 'hood around mid-June - will PM you about plans, etc., but if a couple of scruffy bikers show up in your driveway, it'll be us! :loveya::pals::loveya:

[IChing]

10. Thank you for the photos...What was the age and sex demographics?

it looks fairly evenly dispersed. Thanks for going

[Blue_In_AK]

12. From about 3 to probably 75 for age

and I'd say 50-50 on the genders. It was a really good group, and the speakers were great -- a veteran of Afghanistan, a couple of wives/fiances of currently deployed soldiers, the chaplain at Providence Hospital, a local playwright, several local musicians, and a reading of an Ehren Watada speech that almost made me cry.

I'm just really proud of Anchorage tonight.

[IChing]

17. Thanks so a pretty even distribution of young and old, male and female

and yes Ehren Watada is a brave patriot


Happy St. Patties Day to you.

May you have warm words on a cold evening,
a full moon on a dark night,
and a smooth road all the way to your door.

[babylonsister]

11. Whoo-hooo! Thanks, Blue, for the pix and being there! nt

[d_b]

13. I would have gone

but i didn't know :(

[Blue_In_AK]

15. It was advertised in the newspaper

:shrug: Maybe you need to get on the mailing list for Alaskans for Peace & Justice

http://www.alaskans4peace.org:80/

They'll keep you up to date on everything. There's really all kinds of peace things going on all the time. Did you get over to hear Dahr Jamail at the library last weekend?

ed. Somebody posted a notice of it in the Alaska forum, too. You should check in there once in a while.

[d_b]

21. Heh.

And there's the email from alaskans4peace. I just didn't notice it. Bleh.

[northofdenali]

30. At least you're in proximity -

here in the Interior, we find out about 2 weeks later!! :P Of course, we've always been a little slower than Los Anchorage :rofl:

[buddysmellgood]

18. I have always wanted to live in Alaska. I envy you folks.

[Blue_In_AK]

19. It's a wonderful place. :-)

[nadinbrzezinski]

20. Wondeful

[northofdenali]

22. Got to kick it for Alaska, the reddest state, once more -

the "No Bush - Know Peace" is perfect.

A friend who was in Kodiak for a while had a sweatshirt torn up (not totally, and not with him in it) by a nice goldie (got some good pics, too) - during the "NO FEAR" crap from the lower 48. He had the shirt painted by another friend. It finally read, "NO Fear? Know Grizzly (picture) - KNOW FEAR!!.

Appropriate, just like the sign carried by a :patriot: in Anchorage today.

Blue, we'll take it back again, to the Egan, Gravel, Nick Begich, even Dixie Hall (a Republican, not a Repuke); Jay Hammond, even Hickel! Anything is better than what we've got, statewide and nationally.

Listening to All Things Must Pass, Mr. Harrison, thank you. Going next to Imagine, by Mr. Lennon. I'll think of you and your marchers today, and hope you'll send me good karma for Monday. I won't have a camera, but I'll always have hope.

:loveya::pals::loveya:

[Kurovski]

23. K&R.(nt)

[unhappycamper]

24. Great pics, Blue.

Thanks for posting.

[JeffR]

25. Great stuff, Blue

And it's great to hear that Diane Benson is running again!

[Blue_In_AK]

26. I know - you should have heard the cheer that went up

from the crowd when she announced. :)

[Maestro]

27. Nice pics!

"Halibacon" That is hilarious and so true! I especially like the pic of that darling "little protestor."

[Lilith Velkor]

28. Awesome!

Much love to the peaceniks. :loveya:

[mconvente]

34. Anchorage looks beautiful!!

Great pics!! Hope it wasn't TOO cold! :bounce:

[TexasThoughtCriminal]

35. I was there last week

And I would have joined you this weekend had I not returned home already. You have a beautiful state, and thanks for sharing the pics.:yourock:

[Blue_In_AK]

36. What brought you to Alaska in March?

Most people wait until summertime. :) I hope it wasn't too cold for you.

[TexasThoughtCriminal]

39. Skiing!

Yes, I know, we flew over many other ski resorts on the way, but it was somewhere different, and we have no regrets. Two feet of new powder at Alyeska made it all worth it, and the sightseeing was spectacular, even in winter. I've been to your scenic state in summer too, and yes, it's everything they say it is. Can't wait to go back.

[Eurobabe]

37. Awesome Blue!

I love the Hallibacon. Perfect for such swine. :rofl:

[countryjake]

38. Great Pics!

One more kick!