Got back from the rally in Austin Tx a few hours ago.

[bearfan454]

It was great. There were at least 3000 people there. A lot of signs and a lot of people there with kids. Man was it hot. People were handing out ice cubes. The families of the eleven Dem Senators were there and they had the Senators on cell phone. They put the cell phone up to the microphone and the Tx Dem Senators told us they will not come back until the special session does not include redistricting or they use the regular rules about needing a 2/3 vote to take up an issue. Rick Perry is a piece of sh!t. He sucks. He is a Bush puppet all the way. Everyone was real fired up. We were all clapping and cheering and yelling YES ! GO DEMS ! It was great. This made me feel way better than just being an e-activist. I got a headache from the heat but it was worth it. Go Dems !

[cherryperry]

1. That is so good to learn!

I wonder what state the Tx demos will choose next time this HAS to be done - tee hee - I agree that Rick Perry is indeed a piece of shit! Good on you for going :hi: :kick: .

[bahrbearian]

11. They can stay at my place in Washington

[Gato Moteado]

2. i was there with several DUers.....

...it was hot as hell. about 6 or 8 freepers infected the place as well.

[VelmaD]

14. it was damn hot...

but fun.

Darth Velma

[AWD]

3. Pictures???

Need pictures!!!!

[bearfan454]

7. About a week for the pictures.

Sorry. I don't have a digital camera. HEB takes abouta week to get the cd back. I'm too much of a cheapskate to get the 1 hour photo. I need to get a digital camera.

[flpoljunkie]

4. Thanks for your post and for your withstanding the scorching Texas heat...

to protest what is going on in Texas. Shame on the Repugs and Governor Goodhair Perry.

Repugs are not content with trying to overthrow legally elected Democrats, now they are trying to redo redistricting!

Thanks for standing up against their lawless tactics.

[Aristus]

5. I already thanked GOPisEvil for his participation.

Let me offer you a sincere thanks for yours. Bravo! Ya done good. :toast: :party:

[bearfan454]

6. Thanks !

These corporate crooks have GOT TO GO !

[mcd1982]

8. I was...

there too! It always is a blast to be anywhere where there are a lot of Democrats in one area! I thought the redistricting hearings were more fun but I totally had a blast!

Did you happen to see the plane flying overhead that said "real texas heros don't run", or something to that effect? made me gag. Truly shows the Ds have the power of the ppl. and the Repukes only waste big bucks!

Oh thank heaven for the Texas 11!

Matthew

[efhmc]

15. Being around all those Democrats was a really great feeling!

There were 32 buses from around the state. What a glorious day.

[realFedUp]

9. Thanks

We are with you!

[maggrwaggr]

10. thanks for going! Wish I coulda been there

I lived in Austin for 4 years. Great place.

Seriously, every American should thank you and those like you for going.

[Gingergal]

12. I was there and it was great.

It was 99 degrees. Singer Ruben Ramos opened for the speakers. The families of the Texas Eleven all spoke and did a great job. It was fantastic hearing the actual Texas Eleven speak from New Mexico. They were really fired up. One speaker used the old Emiliao Zapata quote:
It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees. Killer D Dwana Dukes was the emcee for a great deal of the time. A few Independents from areas that vote Repuke but vote for a Tx. Dem for U.S. Congress spoke as did some from rural Texas Jim Dunnam spoke, Killer D- Waco.
A few freepers were there with pitifully poor home made signs. They have no creativity. Guess their militia units were away, and they had nothing else to do. The one sign I saw from them said "Why does the Communist Party have a link to MoveOn.org on their website?" Hardly anyone there know what they meant but I did.
G.I. Forum leader Ram Chavez spoke about Dr. Hector P. Garcia, civil rights leader from South Texas who died a few years ago, and how he would have been involved in this fight as a fight for civil rights. Many GI Forum members were at the rally. Many labor unions were there as well.
The wonderful ending was singer Joe Ely playing his guitar and harmonica into the mike in the scorching heat surrounded by clapping and singing Dems as he sang three songs. He quoted Woodie Guthrie and we sang "This land is my land." I loved the song he opened with but don't know the name. It was something like not going down this road no more. I would like to buy it on a CD. He was supposed to be on David Letterman or Jay Leno (I have forgotten which) but was bumped off the plane and so was in Austin to perform. He seemed to really enjoy the enthusiatic crowd which was very excited and touched by his spirited performance.
It was a great rally with people there from places like Galveston, Beaumont, as well as Dallas and Houston and San Antonio and Corpus Christi and Austin. People of all ages, sexes, ethnic backgrounds, and geographic areas were represented. The one speaker summed it up:
We are starting today to work to take back not only Texas but to take back our country.
I was proud to be a Democrat particularly on this day!!

[CMT]

13. Texas is going to be closer than expected next year

This is just a gut feeling but I think in the last couple of years the GOP in Texas has burned a lot of bridges and it is going to bite them in the ass at the polls at county and state levels next year. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if Bush himself doesn't do as well as he did in 2000 in the state (I'm not predicting he will lose Texas--yet.)