Reportback: 2nd Annual Boobies Against Ashcroft

Thursday March 25, 2004 was the second anniversary of Boobies Against Ashcroft, a protest of John Ashcroft’s moral crusade against the civil liberties of people in America. Twenty or so protesters braved the rain and cold temperatures once again to demand that Ashcroft 1) undrape the breasts of the statue of justice that he spent $8,000.00 to cover, 2) stop arresting adults for consensual sexual behavior (whether for money or other consideration), 3) stop arresting sick and dying medical marijuana patients and their caregivers, other types of chronic pain patients and their doctors and 4) keep his laws off our bodies and his paws off of Roe v Wade.

The protest gathered at the corner of Golden Gate and Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco. After a short time, with passing motorists honking and cheering, they headed off down the right lane of Golden Gate Avenue toward the federal building. Amazingly, the rain that had been extremely heavy at times, let up as the protest got into full swing. Event organizers Robyn Few, Michael Foley and Stacey Swimme were joined by sex worker supporters from all over the Bay Area and beyond for the protest. Erin O’Bryn from Hawaii and Alexis Fire from Sacramento came long distances to participate in the event. Patrons at nearby bars left their stools to grab signs and shout their frustrations at the Bush Administration’s complete lack of compassion and apparent disconnect from the desires and priorities of the American people.

“More boobs in public, less boobs in public office,” has become the moniker for the annual parade of flesh that continues to exercise its right of free speech while we still have it. The marchers carried pictures of Ashcroft and signs that asked the obviously rhetorical question said, “Can you spot the boob?”

“We have had fun with this over the last two years,” said Robyn Few Executive Director of the Sex Workers Outreach Project. “My only hope is that next year John Ashcroft will be gone so we won’t have to target him as the political boob of the year. Perhaps someone else will step in to take his place, but I doubt anyone could be as big a boob as Ashcroft. His position on medical pot, prostitutes and paraphernalia has made these last four years very difficult. I understand that he is going to crack down on the pornography industry next.”