About 2000 people rallied today at the State House in Boston to support the Wisconsin protests. Sponsored by my union the Massachusetts Teachers Association (NEA), AFSCME, the Firefighters, and other local unions, we gathered outside the gold dome of the state capitol, blocking off Beacon St. between the State House stairs and the monument to Massachusetts 54th -- the all-black Civil War regiment whose history was chronicled in the Hollywood film Glory.
A small contingent of tea partiers, maybe 150 or so, camped out on the Beacon St. side of the Memorial, occasionally disrupting the rally with their chants. The tv and other news crews all gravitated to the baggers, but they did also set up shop to film the speakers.
Speakers included politicians and labor leaders, and to tell the truth I wasn't particularly moved by anything I heard. I was quite pleased, though, that Governor Patrick showed up and spoke for about ten minutes or so. The most memorable thing he said was that negotiations was the core of politics, central to democracy and the American way.
On the flip, some of the pics I took on my cell phone. I was mostly going for shots of posters.
The statistics on this poster have been cited in more than one dkos diary:
As a transplanted Madisonian, I really liked the Bucky Badger on this poster. I tried several times, but this was the best shot I could get. (Note the cheesehead in the center left. I got a better shot of him coming up.)
Ok, maybe not that much better, but at least he's centered now...
The person holding the "collective bargaining" sign is kossack WarrenS. We had a chance to meet briefly, but then we each got sidetracked debating baggers. I drew the intelligent reasonable one (for a bagger, that is), he got the one who falsely claimed to be a disaffected Democrat.
I love this slogan. Li'l litho, who came with me to the rally against his will told me that he had had a bad weekend...
Socialist Workers Party was at the rally. I don't know that this sign was theirs, but it very well could have been. It was directly behind the speakers' podium.
I like this sign, too.
The proscenium in the background is the rear of Mass 54th monument where the baggers were camped out. They were completely surrounded by protesters holding signs and chanting "Union! Union! Union!"
The best crowd shot I got. From what I could tell, the crowd extended all the way to the buildings you see in the background.
A few of the dangerous radicals who support union rights. These are just people who happened to be standing near me. I don't know any of them.
The most common sign at the rally, and a slogan I'm sure we can all get behind.