from today's 'Energy Citizen' rally (with pics)

[madamesilverspurs]

There were about 250 people there. Hot dogs, chips and lemonade were provided. The event presented as one would expect with a corporate effort. There was nothing remotely grassroots about this thing. With giant "petitions", an action center with computers to send messages to representatives and senators, bright T-shirts, handouts and placards, even a brass band - it had all the flavor of a political campaign.

The emcee was a local right-wing radio host. Before she came to the mike the band played several well-known marches, so the crowd was all fired up and ready. So of course she began her remarks with "Do we all love America?" (wild cheers) "Do we love Colorado?" (more wild cheers) "How many of you live in Colorado?" (almost all) "How many of you live in northeast Colorado?" (maybe up to one-fourth raised their hands. hmmmm...now we know why there were three large buses parked outside).

She then continues that "...this thing isn't about Republican or Democrat, it isn't about right or left, it IS about right or wrong" (again with the cheers). Between the speeches they showed videos of 'everyday citizens' talking about their fear of losing "their" country. The background of the video was a thunderstorm, with some gloomy music playing; the setting was very reminiscent of those 'gathering storm' anti-gay videos that came out a while back. They alternated those grim videos with taped pieces from Trace Atkins (I think that's the name they gave).

I had to swallow a laugh at the first shirt I saw: on the back it said "Think job loss and $4 gas." Other shirts read "Don't send my job out of the country" and "Congress, don't take my job away" and "Congress is out of touch with the country". There were others, but I couldn't take notes as I was standing there with a camera in one hand and leaning on my cane with the other. But you get the idea.

There were, of course, the obligatory digs against health care reform, also to loud cheers. We were standing quietly at the back of the room, holding our little signs in quiet dissent. We're hoping that they at least noted, while they were glaring daggers at us, that we didn't shout anyone down; nor did we choose that event as an opportunity to exercise our 2nd Amendment rights.

(please ignore the crack in my windshield)














One interesting signature:


And there we were:

[YOY]

1. Pic number four can be used as birth control in some states.

So was is a "packed house" or laughable? Looks pretty laugable.

[madamesilverspurs]

2. Actually, the building was pretty full,

maybe near capacity. There is a building right next door that will hold about 4,000; they chose to hold their event in the smaller one.