Sayin' It With Pictures!

A few pictures to start. The first group was taken during events held by the Stonewall Dems. I really wish I'd had my camera with me at a late-night party at the nightclub, Tracks. Although this is probably not what Lerner and Lowe had in mind when they wrote about dancing all night, the driving beat got me going on the dance floor for quite a while.

Saturday night and Sunday morning with the Stonewall Dems

Kathleen Sebelius, Governor of Kansas, spoke at dinner Saturday evening.

Sunday morning band and parade

Governor Deval Patrick and David O'Brien, DNC

The governor spoke at the Stonewall Dems breakfast on Sunday morning.














Donna Edwards, MD and Keith Ellison, Minnesota introduce John Conyers at From Fannie Lou Hamer to Barack Obama, a forum sponsored by the Colorado Public Library, Colorado PBS and The Nation magazine.

John Conyers, Ohio and John Nichols, The Nation

More to come...

Amy Goodman has been arrested!

(Also posted on Blue Mass Group.)

This afternoon, I watched today's edition of Democracy Now!, which included a piece about the St. Paul police conducting preemptive raids in advance of the Republican convention, targeting groups of protesters, journalists and videographers, including videographer, Elizabeth Press, who works for Democracy Now!.

I just received the following email announcing Amy Goodman has just been arrested.

I spent time volunteering for Democracy Now! last week in Denver, where I distributed information about the show at events around the city. Amy produced a 2 hour show daily during the convention in Denver, and planned to do the same this week during the Republican convention.

I hope you will consider placing the suggested call.

Amy Goodman and Two Democracy Now! Producers Unlawfully Arrested At the RNC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 1, 2008

Contact:
Denis Moynihan 917-549-5000
Mike Burke 646-552-5107, mike@democracynow.org

ST. PAUL, MN—Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman was unlawfully arrested in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota at approximately 5 p.m. local time. Police violently manhandled Goodman, yanking her arm, as they arrested her. Video of her arrest can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYjyvkR0bGQ

Goodman was arrested while attempting to free two Democracy Now! producers who were being unlawfully detained. They are Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar. Kouddous and Salazar were arrested while they carried out their journalistic duties in covering street demonstrations at the Republican National Convention. Goodman's crime appears to have been defending her colleagues and the freedom of the press.

Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher told Democracy Now! that Kouddous and Salazar were being arrested on suspicion of rioting. They are currently being held at the Ramsey County jail in St. Paul.

Democracy Now! is calling on all journalists and concerned citizens to call the office of Mayor Chris Coleman and the Ramsey County Jail and demand the immediate release of Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar. These calls can be directed to: Chris Rider from Mayor Coleman's office at 651-266-8535 and the Ramsey County Jail at 651-266-9350 (press extension 0).

Democracy Now! stands by Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar and condemns this action by Twin Cities law enforcement as a clear violation of the freedom of the press and the First Amendment rights of these journalists.

During the demonstration in which they were arrested law enforcement officers used pepper spray, rubber bullets, concussion grenades and excessive force. Several dozen others were also arrested during this action.

Amy Goodman is one of the most well-known and well-respected journalists in the United States. She has received journalism's top honors for her reporting and has a distinguished reputation of bravery and courage. The arrest of Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar is a transparent attempt to intimidate journalists from the nation's leading independent news outlet.

Democracy Now! is a nationally syndicated public TV and radio program that airs on over 700 radio and TV stations across the US and the globe.

Video of Amy Goodman's Arrest: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYjyvkR0bGQ

##
= = = = = = = = =
ABOUT DEMOCRACY NOW!
Democracy Now! airs on over 650 radio and TV stations, including
Pacifica, NPR, community, and college radio stations; on public
access, PBS, satellite TV stations (DISH network: Free Speech TV
ch. 9415 and Link TV ch. 9410; DIRECTV: Link TV ch. 375); on the World
Radio Network's European Service and on the Community Broacasting
Association of Australia service; as a "podcast", automatically
downloaded to your computer or portable audio player; and streams live
M-F at 8am EST at www.democracynow.org
= = = = = = = = =
Now real-time CLOSED CAPTIONED on TV!
You can also view/listen/read all Democracy Now! shows online:
http://www.democracynow.org
To bring Democracy Now! to your community, go to:
http://www.democracynow.org/get_involved/bring_to_station
= = = = = = = = =

OK, OK...

....I'm back. And I'm sorting through hundreds of photos.

Two reasons I didn't post from Denver. First, I was out, mostly taking pictures, from 7 in the morning until 1 or 2 a.m. every day. That leaves just enough time to download pictures to the computer and sleep a little (not enough!). I'd planned some time to post on Tuesday, but had a computer disaster to deal with.

So I'm spending the next few days editing and posting, and if you check back, you'll see what I saw!

In the meantime, check out Marianne Rutter's blog. Marianne was a delegate, and my roommate, and, is evidently really good at writing in her sleep! ;-)

OK. Back later.

Oh, by the way, check out the Newburyport Daily News from last Saturday. More on what I think of the piece and the fact they ran the photo on the front page later...