Since crowd size is an issue, I can tell you with confidence based on two independent head counts, that at the rally's peak 150 enthusiastic people lined the curb in front of the Federal Building or milled about the plaza siging petitions, talking politics and admiring each other's signs. Passing motorists honked and waved by the hundreds. One lonely guy stood across the boulevard with a barely legible "Win in Iraq" sign.
This was the first major antiwar event in almost a year for LV as people concentrated on electoral politics, but now we're ready to focus on encouraging our Democratic majority to do whatever is legally and constitutionally possible to halt the escalation, end the occupation and use aggressive diplomacy to restore stability to the region.
A coalition of MoveOn, Pax Christi, Democracy For America (DFA), Nevada Workers Against the War, Progressive Democrats of America, the Democratic Party, UNLV Dems, Citizen Alert, Nevada Desert Experience, Food Not Bombs, union workers, veterans, family members of active duty military members, and just plain citizens took a stand in opposition to this failed administration's deathly policies.
One man drove with his life-sized cardboard cutout of Bush from Salt Lake City this morning in search of a rally to attend, choosing us over San Francisco!
We collected petitions for personal delivery to the offices of Rep. Jon Porter, R-War Apologist and Sen. John Ensign, R-Gone Golfing While Baghdad Burns. Many folks signed up for a master blast email list for future actions. We just may call ourselves the Southern Nevada Peace Coalition.
Despite plenty of advance notice, the media showed up late after the crowd was thinning, two TV stations and no print. The local affiliate of Fox News is actually the most supportive outlet for our events. I found myself in front of a mike for the first time ever to explain that today's Newsweek poll shows that we are not the fringe but voicing the opinions of the majority of Americans.
I'd like to give major props to the two federal security officers who looked after us. The right to public assembly is a beautiful thing.