M 15, SF- express your views at B2B

Every May, Bay To Breakers provides a huge clothing-optional gathering in SF, which progressives and queers could use to spread their messages.

The participants aren't all progressives, but most tend to be intelligent and tolerant.

Each year, some of the costumes, signs, wheeled objects, etc., carry political messages -- usually humorous or satirical.

But much more could be done, if progressive activists would put more energy into this event.

We need only resist our occasional tendencies to become combative, angry, bitter, dogmatic, or grim. In the Bush Era those attitudes are understandable -- and are also self-defeating.
Humor, including satire, works best at B2B. Also non-disruption, courtesy, smiles and politeness are vital.

Please conspire with your friends (or affinity group) about participating peacefully in B2B, or on the sidelines.
Costumed groups of three to ten persons can be quite effective. (Larger groups might be hard to coordinate, or might interfere with the safe and free forward flow of runners and walkers).

On the marriage-rights issue, same-sex couples in wedding costumes can get their message acros very clearly, even without signs.
Animal-rights activists can enact "I'd rather be naked than wear fur." PG&E and Big Oil are easy to satirize. Walking trees and animals symbolize our endangered environment.

Are you alone? Even one costumed person can make an impact, especially if her or his costume is vivid enough to attract photographers.

Or you can tag along with the "nudes4peace" folks (see below).

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15 May 2005
Sunday

PEACE WALKERS
@ Bay2Breakers

Nudes4peace gather at 8am on the north side
of Hayes Street, near Octavia, SF;
to watch Bay2Breakers runners,
then join walkers.

Please bring peace signs, drums, flags, etc.

To get there from Civic Center BART/Muni station,
walk west on Grove to Octavia,
walk south on Octavia to Hayes.

Please arrive at our meeting-place between 8 and 8:30am. If you're going to arrive later, please tell us so. After we're there, we'll watch for a while, until most runners, and many of the walkers (etc) have passed by.

Then we'll discuss what to do next. Some will want to stroll slowly to the next music stop (roadside band) and dance there. Some may wish to walk more rapidly toward the Pacific Ocean. A few may just go home. Since nobody's in charge, we can't predict the outcome until it happens.

If you can't find us, proceed forward (westward) in the footrace after 9.
Pause at each music stop, to look for nudes and for peace signs.

After the B2B footrace, N4P may demonstrate
at Ocean Beach, on federal land.

[ Updates may appear at

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sfbarea/ ]


IF you plan to walk nude (or as a topfree woman),
you may leave a taped message at
(415) 922-2986,
telling us to expect you on May 15.

(We may not return phone calls.)

Tolerant CLOTHED peace demonstrators
are also welcome.


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