PROTEST FOR TIBET! WED APRIL 9TH CHICAGO, SF!!!

[alien autopsy]

heres the Chicago info:

Tashi Delek to all,

We would like to request you to participate in the following events and support us for the Tibetan cause.

CHINA'S OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY PROTEST IN CHICAGO
This demonstration will take place in Chicago -
on April 9th 2008 (Wednesday)
Protest against the Beijing Olympic torch (in solidarity with protesters in San Francisco)
Where: Starting at Water Tower park , marching to the Chinese Consulate
Time: meeting at Water Tower park at 11:30 am, and ending at 7:00 pm
Focus: Candle vigil will take place near the end of the protest to show our solidarity with Tibetans in Tibet and also to offer prayers to those who have lost their lives in fighting for Tibetan freedom.

A lecture by Pico Iyer on April 16, 2008 at 6 PM in Chicago
at the Harold Washington Library Center (Cindy Pritzker Auditorium:

A talk by Pico Iyer Author of his latest book, The Open Road: The Global Journey of the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, Pico Iyer gives us the first serious consideration of the Dalai Lama's ideas and work as a politician, scientist, and philosopher.http://gfx1.hotmail.com/mail/w2/ltr/i_safe.gif
Iyer, one of the most acclaimed observers of Asia and Buddhism and a frequent contributor to Harper's Magazine, Time, and The New York Review of Books, has been engaged in conversation with the Dalai Lama for the last three decades. The Open Road illuminates the hidden life and the daily challenges of a global icon.

This event is free and open to the public. No reservations are necessary. For more information, call (312) 747-8191.

You are requested to attend this talk.

This is not a TAC event, this event is being sponsored by Chicago Public Library.

Thank you.

Pema Rinzin
President
Tibetan Alliance of Chicago

[funk63]

im gonna try and make it. anybody else goin? seriously

[alien autopsy]

i'll be at the one in chicago...what does DC have planned??

[funk63]

actually im in northwesternish indiana, so i could probably make it to chicago with out spending to much money on gas. and its a cause i want to get behind. but i guess ill hafta check how my schedule looks.

[funk63]

shit. thats wednesday.

[funk63]

mapquest says itd be approximately 2 hour drive, not taking into consideration my reckless driving.

[alien autopsy]

map (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=4074590239595112202,41.894155,-87.625351&saddr=180+E+Pearson+St,+Chicago,+IL+60611+(Water+T ower+Park)&daddr=100+E+Erie+St+%23+500,+Chicago,+IL+60611+(Ch inese+Consulate)&mra=pe&mrcr=0&sll=41.942204,-87.685003&sspn=0.108021,0.281181&ie=UTF8&z=16)

[alien autopsy]

the protest was good! a good size group of maybe a couple hundred (mostly tibetans) made it out. we marched from water tower place down michigan avenue, up the chicago river then down dearborn (i think) and to the chinese consulate on erie. no problems with police, no qualms with any passer-byes. we were equipeed with megaphones and most everyone held signs demanding a free tibet and an end to chinese occupation. we caught a lot of attention and many many people honked in support!

i think the turnout would have been much bigger if it were a weekend.

however, many news crews showed up. i was interviewd by three different crews with cameras and two newspaper writers. they were making the rounds among the crowd.

around 1 pm, we stopped chanting and a few monks in full garb held the megaphones and began chanting a prayer for love and compassion. it was a powerful moment, and everyone sat and peacefully joined in. it was nice to relax and take a moment to calm and center oneself in the middle of an angry, passionate protest. its helpful, i think, it really gets everyone re-focused, and united...chanting does that anyways, but especially when you are riled up...it has a really good affect.

the chinese consulate was relatively quiet, and no one was seen entering or leaving the building. occasionally, the blinds would be moved to the side and some a-hole would start taking pictures of the pretesting crowd- for "intelligence" i assume.

there were a number of tibetans going on hunger strike. i left at about 5 pm, and drove back around 8 or 9 and they were still there- a group of about 15, with candles hudled along the fence bundled up in front of the consulate. cheers to them.

all in all, it was a beautiful day, and a good protest. i lost my voice from the chanting!

funk, did you make it? i didnt hear from you, so im assuming you got tied up.