Sematary
09-04-2008, 10:12 AM
What a week. It began, last Thursday, with an almost two day trip cross country from Ct. to Minnesota and ended, again, in Ct. at 5:00 this morning after 29 hours of non-stop driving in the reverse direction. The story, which unfolds between those two drives, was incredible.
We (myself, my daughter and two other leaders from Ct.) pulled into Minnesota (finally) on Saturday afternoon. We had driven 24 hours straight and stopped in a small town called Tomah, Wisconsin. We had done all we could do. I dropped them off where they picked up their rental car and my daughter and I headed to the home of a wonderful revolutionary daughter named Chris. We were joined later in the weekend by two couples from other parts of the Midwest. Needless to say, after almost two straight days of travel, crossing the country via I-90, we were exhausted but energized to get down to business on Sunday and get down to business we did.
Day 1
It was almost an hour drive from the charming home in Big Lake, MN to the Walmart in St. Paul Mn on Sunday morning where we met up with The Ron Paul Rider (Michael Maresco), Steven Vincent, Jim Azzola (part of the Ct. Leadership group) and about a dozen or so other walkers. It was a brilliant, sunshine flooded morning and at about 7:30, with Michael leading merry band of intrepid walkers on what would be their final 7 miles of a three week trip, we headed out on University Avenue (west I think). A gentleman wearing the traditional garb of a revolutionary soldier was the point of the group as he played his drum and the leaders of the walkers held up their flags for all to see. While it was still early on Sunday morning, we received more than a few honks from passerby as we marched towards the University of Minnesota. We handed out pocket copies of the constitution to people walking by or sitting at cafe's having their morning coffees. More than a few said "thankyou" to me and my daughter and the others handing out literature, as we explained what we were doing and why and they thanked us for the constitutions and promised they would read them.
We met Dr. Paul and his entourage at the University of Minnesota about 4 miles into the walk. By this time, the small group which had left the Walmart parking lot some time earlier had grown quite a bit and as we waited for the arrival of Dr. Paul, more people began to arrive. I was not really aware of the time but eventually Dr. Paul did arrive, gave a short "speech", met the walkers and posed for pictures. Then we set out. Ron Paul supporters began to arrive from various directions. In many cases, vehicles would pull up and a group would unload and join the walk. My daughter and I were blessed to spend a portion of the walk with Dr. Paul's daughter Joy. I want to say right now that I have never met a nicer family. I have met many of his family members at various events and they are some of the most down to earth people we have ever met. Joy was no different. I don't remember what the conversation was about at this point but I didn't even realize, immediately, that it was his daughter until someone else pointed it out. She walked with her young son in his stroller and chatted with us for quite some time.
Finally, we reached the Federal Reserve in Minneapolis with well over 100 people in tow at that point and Dr. Paul stood to give another speech to his followers. Passerby joined in and one Gentleman, a homeless transvestite apparently, began by walking by and asking what party he was with and erupted into a visceral (and swear filled) attack on the GOP. I invited him to listen, telling him that he wasn't looking at your average GOP lackey. He DID listen and I'm sure, became a Ron Paul supporter. Afterwards, there were more opportunities for photos and autographs. Several members of the Independent media were present. Also present, and deserving of mention, was a reporter from the UPI, who joined us at the beginning of the walk and at various points during the walk, including at the Federal Reserve. She seemed genuinely fair minded and was one of several reporters who took the time to interview my daughter, who was the youngest walker that day (and the only child who was actually walking under her own power). She was rewarded for her efforts with an autograph on her Campaign For Liberty T-shirt and on a pocket constitution.
There was a training going on that day but The Walkers had other plans that day. at 1:00 p.m., there was a parade of sorts that would walk to Loring Park (don't hate me if I got it or the spelling wrong). This was one of the most eclectic groups of people I had ever seen assembled for a march through a city. There were at least a dozen different groups involved including ours (we marched near the front with dozens of us involved) and, further back, the internet free speech group "Anonymous" plus many more. It was very much a carnival atmosphere and the streets were lined with spectators (and police) as we marched through the city.
I have tons of pictures from these events and will get them online as soon as possible. :-)
I literally took HUNDREDS of pictures over the weekend and it's going to take some time to organize them and get them onto the internet.
I would also like to thank the Minneapolis police who did not harass us in any fashion whatsoever and were even kind enough, as we were leaving the event later in the afternoon, to allow me to take a photo of my daughter with them.
Day 2 to follow......
We (myself, my daughter and two other leaders from Ct.) pulled into Minnesota (finally) on Saturday afternoon. We had driven 24 hours straight and stopped in a small town called Tomah, Wisconsin. We had done all we could do. I dropped them off where they picked up their rental car and my daughter and I headed to the home of a wonderful revolutionary daughter named Chris. We were joined later in the weekend by two couples from other parts of the Midwest. Needless to say, after almost two straight days of travel, crossing the country via I-90, we were exhausted but energized to get down to business on Sunday and get down to business we did.
Day 1
It was almost an hour drive from the charming home in Big Lake, MN to the Walmart in St. Paul Mn on Sunday morning where we met up with The Ron Paul Rider (Michael Maresco), Steven Vincent, Jim Azzola (part of the Ct. Leadership group) and about a dozen or so other walkers. It was a brilliant, sunshine flooded morning and at about 7:30, with Michael leading merry band of intrepid walkers on what would be their final 7 miles of a three week trip, we headed out on University Avenue (west I think). A gentleman wearing the traditional garb of a revolutionary soldier was the point of the group as he played his drum and the leaders of the walkers held up their flags for all to see. While it was still early on Sunday morning, we received more than a few honks from passerby as we marched towards the University of Minnesota. We handed out pocket copies of the constitution to people walking by or sitting at cafe's having their morning coffees. More than a few said "thankyou" to me and my daughter and the others handing out literature, as we explained what we were doing and why and they thanked us for the constitutions and promised they would read them.
We met Dr. Paul and his entourage at the University of Minnesota about 4 miles into the walk. By this time, the small group which had left the Walmart parking lot some time earlier had grown quite a bit and as we waited for the arrival of Dr. Paul, more people began to arrive. I was not really aware of the time but eventually Dr. Paul did arrive, gave a short "speech", met the walkers and posed for pictures. Then we set out. Ron Paul supporters began to arrive from various directions. In many cases, vehicles would pull up and a group would unload and join the walk. My daughter and I were blessed to spend a portion of the walk with Dr. Paul's daughter Joy. I want to say right now that I have never met a nicer family. I have met many of his family members at various events and they are some of the most down to earth people we have ever met. Joy was no different. I don't remember what the conversation was about at this point but I didn't even realize, immediately, that it was his daughter until someone else pointed it out. She walked with her young son in his stroller and chatted with us for quite some time.
Finally, we reached the Federal Reserve in Minneapolis with well over 100 people in tow at that point and Dr. Paul stood to give another speech to his followers. Passerby joined in and one Gentleman, a homeless transvestite apparently, began by walking by and asking what party he was with and erupted into a visceral (and swear filled) attack on the GOP. I invited him to listen, telling him that he wasn't looking at your average GOP lackey. He DID listen and I'm sure, became a Ron Paul supporter. Afterwards, there were more opportunities for photos and autographs. Several members of the Independent media were present. Also present, and deserving of mention, was a reporter from the UPI, who joined us at the beginning of the walk and at various points during the walk, including at the Federal Reserve. She seemed genuinely fair minded and was one of several reporters who took the time to interview my daughter, who was the youngest walker that day (and the only child who was actually walking under her own power). She was rewarded for her efforts with an autograph on her Campaign For Liberty T-shirt and on a pocket constitution.
There was a training going on that day but The Walkers had other plans that day. at 1:00 p.m., there was a parade of sorts that would walk to Loring Park (don't hate me if I got it or the spelling wrong). This was one of the most eclectic groups of people I had ever seen assembled for a march through a city. There were at least a dozen different groups involved including ours (we marched near the front with dozens of us involved) and, further back, the internet free speech group "Anonymous" plus many more. It was very much a carnival atmosphere and the streets were lined with spectators (and police) as we marched through the city.
I have tons of pictures from these events and will get them online as soon as possible. :-)
I literally took HUNDREDS of pictures over the weekend and it's going to take some time to organize them and get them onto the internet.
I would also like to thank the Minneapolis police who did not harass us in any fashion whatsoever and were even kind enough, as we were leaving the event later in the afternoon, to allow me to take a photo of my daughter with them.
Day 2 to follow......