Fifth Anniversary Rally

Yesterday I attended a rally on the steps of Borough Hall (Brooklyn City Hall, pre- 1989 incorporation)






....to mark the fifth anniversary of the speech given in 2002 by then- Illinois state senator Barack Obama -- at a time when such things were rather unpopular -- decrying the notion of going to war with Iraq as a "dumb", "unnecessary" (and other choice words) war. Full text of 2002 speech here. Full text of 5th anniversary speech delivered in Illinois by Senator Obama is found here (and really gives a complete picture of what the man is about, in the full context of a presidential race).



There were plenty of volunteers handing out signs etc and (after things got going for a while) plenty of attendees.

I brought my own sign:

(photo taken before the rally started)

Even with a bad jaw, Roger Ebert socks it to me and makes my head spin

If booze companies advertise for responsible drinking and tobacco companies warn of health hazards, why don't gas companies ask you to buy a hybrid?

(what a place to have your head spun around with that thought; that’s why I like the guy).

His rhetorical question is part of his review of The 11th Hour, the recent environmental docco sponsored by Leo DiCaprio. And it is a valid thought... In the two examples given, alcohol & tobacco industries, their admonishments /warnings result in a reduced consumption of their product (or are seen as doing so, anyway) but they are also a strategic move on their part in order to give society an out for allowing those industries to otherwise do what they are going to do anyway. (Let's all be slightly cynical here for a second).

Given that thought scenario, why don't petroleum companies, instead of this quasi-apologetic-but-more-really-like-avoiding-the-bloody-issue ("we support".. "we believe"...), buy themselves more (albeit very finite) time by acknowledging the fact that limited consumption of their product is preferable to unlimited, wanton debauchery...?

ExxonMobile, BP, Shell, et al: It's 1964 and you've been called to task by the Environmental Protector-General; what you gonna do?

Step right up! Get your red-hot presidential candidate!

Yesterday I took part in a nationwide initiative for the Obama campaign called "Walk
for Change". The idea is that local groups (minimally overseen but rather
merely inspired by the national campaign) would canvass their neighborhoods (some
going door-to-door) to share our enthusiasm for the candidate.

Here are some photos:



We set up a table with informational materials, registration forms etc right outside Ft. Greene Park around 10am. Tamara Hood, person on the left bent over the table, is one of our neighborhood organizers.

This is Amanda, who painted her toenails with the campaign logo
(click to enlarge):







The Gray Lady was there in the form of videographer Geoff McGhee (who was a really nice guy and always got my good side) and ace reporter Michael Cooper.

(that's Michael Cooper,
not Matthew Cooper....)

I'm told my photo will be featured in the paper but I didn't get a consistent answer on when. Watch this space.



We then walked to St. John's Episcopal in Carroll Gardens where, in the church's recroom basement, some of the national campaign staff people gave us some pointers on how to deal with the public. Basic stuff like showing interest in their lives and not badmouthing the opposition.

The church's priest is this pensive-looking gentleman who actually had some wise words to say to the group regarding the connection between true Christians (i.e., the Golden Rule / love your neighbor / what goes around comes around sort, not the "do as I say or you'll go to Hell" type) and the need to promote political candidates who espouse those values in their policies regarding education, health care, tolerance and inclusivity etc (which was his way of saying that while the church's space was open to be used for any constructive purpose by any of the other campaigns that he was not exactly going out of his way to invite them). I'm also including the photo because it is the first known instance (to me) of a priest standing directly under a mirror ball.

We then went out canvassing again, this time to a combination restaurant / outdoor cafe / flea market which due to a lack of pre-arrangement with the owner, we almost immediately had to vacate.

Instead we went two doors down to Gardel's Gardens who not only let us set up a table outside their business but actually gave us the table to use for the day.

Gardel's Gardens, conveniently located near the corner of Fulton and South Portland Avenue, is a wonderfully stocked family-owned plant shop that has a little of everything and employs a helpful, knowledgeable staff who are eager to answer any questions from the plant-loving public.

Specifically, I learned that the ivy I bought from them does not need a large plant container at all in order to grow large enough to cover this entire wall adjoining my rooftop deck. Amazing!