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Post by Gabriela Hoffman on May 21, 2020 7:11:14 GMT -8
Inspiring as always that you're still out there while simultaneously taking care of yourself & others.
I'm trying to organize a small gathering of the local Dem. club, Indivisible & other folks that feel the need to be out on the streets with signs regarding many of the dangers currently occurring & unfolding due to the current administration & some members of Congress in tearing down our democratic Republic. I'm thinking 5-7 people with masks & at least 10ft. apart up & down Honolulu. If we get more participants we can stretch 2-3 blocks long. I wasn't sure if we should combine with your Friday vigils or if you were still doing it. I'm delighted to see you are!
Please e-mail me at : [redacted] with your response,if you wish. I'm not comfortable with Facebook or other formats.
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Roberta
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Post by Roberta on May 21, 2020 20:15:55 GMT -8
I also emailed you just now Gaby, to convey my welcome to Montrose’s free speech corner, and safe to say I’m speaking as the non-royal “we” as well! Your gathering last time was an awesome success, not small by any means. People seem glad for a way to stand for democracy in real life.
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Brian
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Post by Brian on May 21, 2020 23:00:29 GMT -8
Great to hear from you, Gaby! Thanks for posting as a guest. I approved your membership registration. If you're interested, you can follow the link in the e-mail that ProBoards sent this morning and activate. There are benefits if you post as a member, like being able to edit and delete your posts, if you want. But everybody is always welcome to post as a guest on this message board.
We have lots of room at the intersection of Ocean View and Honolulu, enough for everyone who wants to hold signs during the Montrose Peace Vigils from 5:30 to 7 every Friday. Eight weeks ago, the northwest corner accommodated 13 distanced demonstrators easily. Lately, some of the regulars have stood facing the rest of us on the opposite corner, on the grass patch in front of Starbucks.
I love your idea about lining up with signs. I think that Foothill would be much better than Honolulu -- a straight line of demonstrators visible to everybody in vehicles with none of the curves, plants, trees, brick walls and benches in the shopping park. And fewer pedestrians that drivers need to pay attention to.
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Brian
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Post by Brian on May 22, 2020 23:00:37 GMT -8
I won't start counting vehicles and pedestrians like I have kept track of participants at each vigil since 2006, but it's safe to say that traffic was lighter at this week's Montrose Peace Vigil. In past years -- without the stay at home orders -- I'd attribute the drop off to the holiday weekend, so maybe some of the folks who are still working got off early this Friday. I can't imagine that many people are traveling out of town, but who knows. No additional businesses have opened nearby. The only difference I saw this week was that the frozen yogurt shop was allowing customers to wait inside for their cups to be filled and sprinkled by employees. Still, a lot of vigil regulars showed up -- 12 of us held signs this week, our best turnout since March 27. We posted a printout of the Defense Department news released linked below throughout the vigil. A spokesperson for the South Carolina National Guard told Stars and Stripes that the lieutenant's death in Afghanistan was not related to the coronavirus. www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Releases/Release/Article/2193928/dod-identifies-army-casualty/1st Lt. Trevarius Ravon Bowman Every year, the shopping park association hosts a Memorial Day observance at the Vietnam War Memorial on the corner. Vigil stalwart Bruce has attended every ceremony since 1991. Other regulars have participated since Montrose Peace Vigil started there in 2006. This Monday's observance, which starts at 8 a.m., will be scaled down, according to Bruce, who is a professional horticulturist. Bruce will bring another basket of living flowers inside a pot of earth to leave in tribute to the men who served and died in Vietnam.
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Roberta
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Post by Roberta on May 29, 2020 10:11:42 GMT -8
I had heard last month that there would be a smaller, simpler Memorial Day obseervance, and that the Montrose Peace Vigil was invited again to contribute Bruce’s lovely flowers, as we have since I managed to get us officially included years ago. Jeanne stayed safe at home, can’t remember her not being at one since we started participating. I liked this year’s event very much and wish it would continue to be low-key, and omit the VIP pontificating. My next activity on Memorial Day was with Code Pink L.A.: car decorating at the Santa Monica Airport, then a peace caravan, ending with drop-off of food and supplies at homeless shelters/service centers. Here’s a posting also covering other Code Pink events nationwide. /
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Brian
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Post by Brian on May 29, 2020 23:00:19 GMT -8
The temperature was only 72 degrees at the start of this Friday's Montrose Peace. Compared to last week, more adults of all ages, teenagers, kids and dogs were out on the sidewalks, later in the vigil especially. Special thanks to Justeen and John, who drive from west Van Nuys, for coming to the corner to hold signs for the second week in a row. Hope that you will join us too -- there is plenty of room around the intersection of Ocean View Boulevard and Honolulu Avenue for comfortable spacing and for every peace and justice issue. Here's my count of each week's demonstrators in May: - May 1 - 9
- May 8 - 8
- May 15 - 11
- May 22 - 12
- May 29 - 9
This month's weekly average rounds up to 10 participants -- the same as April's -- after averaging 12 in March, February and January, 13 in December, 12 in November, 13 in October, 12 in September, August and July, and 14 in June and May 2019. No U.S. casualties were announced by the Pentagon in the previous seven days.
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Post by Sharon W on May 30, 2020 9:56:42 GMT -8
Thanks so much for all of you coming out. We're still participating from home with signs in the front window, and our lava lamps on.
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