News from the Columbus OHIO Rally this afternoon

[kitkat65]

Just got home from the Rainbow Coalition rally featuring Jesse Jackson, Tubbs and others at the Riffe Center in Columbus Ohio.

The important things for me to pass on to you are these:

They asked us to go to the Progressive Democrats web page
www.pdamerica.org

and go to the Action Alert page which is this
http://capwiz.com/pdamerica/mail/oneclick_compose/?alertid=6770366

you can compose a message that will be passed on to

Russell Feingold, Senator

Patrick Leahy, Senator

Tom Harkin, Senator

Patty Murray, Senator

Richard Durbin, Senator

John F Kerry, Senator

They asked us to go to call the Senate Hotline at 202/224-3121
to ask them to investigate the vote. “Light up those boards!” they said.

Points of note:

Cobb, Tubbs, Fitrakis, Arnebeck and Jackson all spoke most of it saying that this is one of the most important times in our history, that we can’t let something like this go - not now, not ever. There is beauty in the struggle. Jesse listed all the voting irregularities that we pretty much now know by heart now. There are other rallies in San Francisco and somewhere else I now forget (sorry) that are being held to show their support for our fight in Ohio. I was hoping Fitrakis and Arnebeck would give some hot, juicy, updated news on the investigation front but it was more like outraged rhetoric from Fitrakis - hmmm, I’m wondering if he plans on running for office someday.

Dagmar Celeste, former first lady of Ohio (husband was governor in the 70s) spoke of her experience with voter fraud. For some reason they lost badly in the Toledo area which then was home of Diebold. Go figure.

Ohio senator, Teresa Fedor, said that this was an extremely important issue and hoped that her colleagues on the Hill will find the courage to stand up. Too bad she’s not a U.S. senator, eh? I believe she’s the one that said a huge spotlight needs to be shone on this because that’s when all the cockroaches go running.

Obama was mentioned.

And, I wish I could remember who said it - a lot was said today so I’m overloaded - but someone gave this wonderful analogy that in these dark times, those of us that stand up and fight for this issue are the beacons of light. I want to say Celeste but I can’t for sure.

A prayer was said for Shirley Chisolm and Bob Matsui.

Bummer moments were:

Letting Bill Moss near a microphone. Sorry, but sometimes I think he’s off his nut. He was on the school board here in Columbus and my impression was that he picked fights with people over issues and got real petulant when things didn’t go his way. Unfortunately, he took THIS moment to badmouth a lot of people from our Mayor Coleman and Mary Joe Kilroy (old nemesis from school board days) who is now Franklin County Commissioner to our buddy John Kerry. Personally, I could have done without the attacks especially since we need to stand together now more than ever.

And the LaRouche folks were there. Huh? No, they didn’t speak, there were just people there handing out literature, which when I looked at it contains the word fascist at least five times in the titles and subheads alone. Okay I don’t know a WHOLE lot about the guy but I vaguely remember him as being a bit of an extremist way back when. And when I googled him, I found out that protesting LaRouche folks broke Al Franken’s glasses at a Dean rally. How dare they do that to my Al!. But their big contribution to the rally was to stand in the back and start singing what sounded like a hymn, which caused momentary confusion on the stage but they were drowned out by the hip-hop musician rapping about ... I don’t know really I had to leave at this point since I had been there for three hours and really needed food. I ran into the LaRouche folks outside the theater still singing handing out pamphlet.

The Capitol Theatre holds approximately 860 sears and it was nearly full, minus 50 or so. I saw quite a few video cameras but couldn’t tell where they were from. Maybe we’ll be on the news, maybe we won’t. Apparently, there were people there from Toledo, Cincinatti, Cleveland and Chicago.

I also have a flyer from the We Do Not Concede Coalition. They are having a fundraiser Tuesday night to pay for busses to D.C. But if you want to go to D.C. they’re saying $200 will pay for one person, busfare and hotel. $2,000 will pay for one bus and no one will be turned away for lack of funds. If you want a phone number privately e-mail me and I will get it to you.