Impeach at the beach, latest news, please kick

[OffWithTheirHeads]

1. SOME BACKGROUND
2. OCEAN BEACH EVENT
3. CODEPINK REINFORCEMENTS GALLOP IN
4. APRIL 28 EVENTS ELSEWHERE



Dear Friends,

This crazy and delightful and stressful time in my life, a time which I will someday look back upon with a sense of utter disbelief, has somehow left me with four separate email lists. Many of you appear on more than one list, so If these words sound familiar you should probably stop reading right now... But if they're new to you, please read on...


1. SOME BACKGROUND: As you know, in January, just two days after Nancy Pelosi became Speaker of the US House of Representatives, I organized an event at Ocean Beach in San Francisco. That morning, 1,000 people laid their bodies down in the sand inside the outlines of 100-foot lettering that spelled out "IMPEACH!" Two helicopters hovered overhead -- phenomenal photos and some incredible video went worldwide (see www.beachimpeach.org).

In late February in New York City, 25 impeachment groups from across the US held a summit and decided upon a common course of action. They named this joint effort "Impeach 07" (www.impeach07.org) and identified Saturday, April 28 as a "Nationwide Day of Protest Demanding Impeachment." Groups in several cities are now organizing impeachment events for that day (see www.A28.org), and it looks like the biggest event will be the one I'm organizing, right back at Ocean Beach again.


2. OCEAN BEACH: This time we're shooting for 2,000 people (the Park Service has all-but-sworn that they'll issue the permit, but it is not yet in my hand). This time we'll probably spell out "IMPEACH..." in 100-foot letters followed by "NOW!" in slightly larger letters: "IMPEACH... NOW!"

Our exact message will depend on how big a crowd we've got registered. In January, 90% of the attendees registered during the ten days prior to the event. So, am I worried that right now, three weeks ahead of the event, we've only got 278 people registered? No, I'm not worried -- half the time I'm absolutely terrified. I've got a helicopter reserved, a photographer lined up, volunteers willing to help outline the letters that morning (this thing's going to stretch 600-700 feet across the beach!), and I spend every night dreaming my old wrestling-an-octopus-underwater dream. In my better moments, however, I do feel surrendered to whatever outcome transpires...

But no matter how many people turn out that day, I intend a PEACEFUL event! While the first Beach Impeach was indeed a powerful statement, most of the attendees (including me) felt that it was the most peaceful and gentle protest they'd ever attended -- in fact, it was one of the more peaceful and enjoyable days of many of our lives. No speeches, no harangues (no one needs convincing any more), just 1,000 citizens (and dogs) quietly lying down together to draw a line in the sand and send a message to the world. And I intend that April 28 be the same way. I've received numerous suggestions that this time around we have speakers, or that we spell out a stronger statement (several votes for the f-word), but that's not the deal. Expect laughter, camaraderie, the woosh of the ocean, and for a while the chatter of a helicopter or two or three...? (The weather in January was perfect -- windless, cloudless, sixty-five degrees -- and while we of course must take whatever weather we get this time around, it sure would be nice to have a repeat.)

To register please visit: http://volunteerforchange.org/e/987?refcode=o547


3. CODEPINK REINFORCEMENTS GALLOP IN: This feisty, fun, committed, intelligent, media-savvy group of women (their full name is "Codepink: Women For Peace") was formed after Homeland Security inaugurated color-coded terror alerts. These women know a good thing when they see one -- many came to Beach Impeach in January and are coming back with reinforcements on April 28. They are -- godblessem -- organizing a post-event march/caravan from Ocean Beach to Nancy Pelosi's house, with a stop along the way at Senator Dianne Feinstein's home. An eye-catching 10-foot tall Gandhi puppet will travel the route in a pink golf cart. I believe this march/caravan, and the advance attention it's sure to get, will be a big shot in the arm for the beach event. (See http://www.codepink4peace.org/).


4. APRIL 28 EVENTS ELSEWHERE -- If you have friends in the Bay Area or Washington DC or New York City or San Diego or Minneapolis or Rome, Italy, or any of the other places where April 28 impeachment events are being organized, I -- and probably your friends too -- will really appreciate your forwarding this email to them. If you want your friends to have an experience of the potential power of these events, I suggest Jamie Cavenaugh's rocking, four-minute, YouTube-banned video (http://www.ifilm.com/profile/james_cavenaugh/video/2827514). Every time I see it I am renewed.



All the very best,

brad
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