8/26-27 queers and nudes blast Bush, 9/2 homophobes on RNC stage

Bay Area Reporter, northern California's leading queer newsweekly, presents an extensive report on queer actions around the RNC, written on the spot in NYC by SF Gay Area author/activist Liz Highleyman, in its 2 Sept. 2004 edition.
If you live within B.A.R.'s circulation area, please get a free copy and turn to page 14.

Unfortunately, B.A.R. doesn't (yet) publish online. [ See http://www.ebar.com ]
So, for those who can't get a hard copy, here are brief excerpts from Highleyman's article:
........
"LGBT and AIDS activists were a prominent presence at the actions surrounding the
Republican National Convention under way this week in New York City.

ACT UP spearheaded one of the week's earliest actions at high noon last Thursday, August 26,
when a dozen protesters blocked the streets and disrobed in front of Madison Square Garden, the site of the convention.

With slogans such as "Stop AIDS" and "Drop the Debt" painted on their nude bodies, the activists called attention to the government's neglect of people with HIV/AIDS, both in the U.S. and abroad.
[......]

The nudists were arrested within a half hour,
but were released later in the day.


Queer and tranny activists organized a 'pink bloc' for Friday's Critical Mass bike ride
[8/27],
believed to be the largest such ride ever assembled.
[.....] "

.......................................
Forwarded by SUN of SF
http://pages.prodigy.net/seniornude
............

Queer protest PHOTOS by Liz Highleyman appear on IndyBay.org

http://www.indybay.org/news/2004/08/1693793.php
.............

P.S. #1:
According to 365.com, two homophobes will perform
at the RNC session tonight (Thursday, 2 September 2004),
before Bush speaks.

One will sing;
the other will lead a prayer.

For details, please see:
[ http://www.365gay.com/newscon04/09/090204bushPrayer.htm ]

In SF Gay Area, for live NPR radio coverage,
tune in to KQED-FM, 88.5,
at 5PM tonite PDT.
Bush will probably speak around 6:30 to 8pm, SF time.
.......
Review of recent RNC evenings,
Monday thru Wednesday:

The phony "kinder, gentler" side of the GOP was broadcast
on Monday (John McCain and Rudy Giuliani)
and on Tuesday (Arnold Schwarzenegger and Laura Bush).
Wednesday night was "Miller/Cheney time",
ripping the Democratic Party and its ticket.
Also on Wednesday,
at least two speakers attacked same-sex marriage.
-- SUN
.........
More queer news, breaking on Sept. 2:

Alan Keyes, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Illinois,
describes all queers
(including Mary Cheney)
as "selfish hedonists".

[ http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/02/politics/campaign/02keyes.html?pagewanted=all ]

[Comment by SUN:
"When desperate Illinois Republican leaders drafted Keyes as a replacement candidate,
they knew he was from out of state.
But did they know he was from another solar system?" ]
............................




P.S. #2:
September-October
CALENDAR 4 FREEDOM-SEEKERS
( compiled by SUN; plus info from HTC ):
........
For more queer events in the SF Gay Area,
please visit Larry-bob at HTC:

[ http://www.holytitclamps.com/ ]
...........
Please FORWARD freely, as appropriate.
...........


SEPTEMBER 2004:


NYC: Thursday, Sept. 2:
Before Bush speaks tonight,
Republican National Convention will feature
two homophobes.
For details, please see 365gay.com
.........

CAL-SF: thru Sept. 5:
Margo Gomez
presents
INTIMATE DETAILS:
[ http://www.theRhino.org ]
.........

USA: 4-5-6 Sept: Labor Day weekend.
Visit your local nude beach,
or Burning Man.
........

CAL: Sept 5: SF, Cable 29: "Outlook" [queer news], first Sunday, 5pm.
.......

CAL: SF: Sept. 8 thru 19:
Fringe Festival.
[ http://www.sfFringe.org ]

.........


**CAL-SF: 13 Sept, Monday, 7pm:
listen to Carol Leigh (Scarlot Harlot), the UNREPENTANT WHORE,
at A Different Light bookshop, 489 Castro St (near 18th St). Free.
[ http://www.ADLbooks.com ]

..........

MASS: 14 Sept., Tuesday: state primary election, in which candidates' chances
may (or may not) be affected by the MA same-sex marriage controversy.
........

USA: circa 15 Sept. to 15 Oct: Hispanic Heritage Month.
........

MEXICO and USA: Sept. 16: Mexican Independence Day.
........
***CAL, northern: 17-19 Sept.: NUDESTOCK:
annual clothing-optional music weekend.
Advance registration required.
[ http://www.NudestockFestival.com ]

.........
LOUISIANA: 18 Sept., Saturday: state primary election;
including vote on anti-marriage amendment to state constitution.
[There was a lawsuit seeking to keep this bigotry off the September ballot,
butr that effort apparently failed.]
........

CAL, northern: circa 19 Sept., Sunday (?): Berkeley:
Will X-plicit Players again hold
a clothing-optional event in Peoples Park ?
......

***CAL: SF: 25 September:

Perverts Put Out!

Saturday
8:00 pm sharp
[on the night before Folsom Fair]
848 Community Space
at 848 Divisadero, San Francisco, CA

Your last chance, for this year, to catch this long-running and ever-popular literary
smut-salon.
Come experience the cutting edge of erotic fiction,
with presentations by local and visiting writer/performers including
Daphne Gottlieb,
Patrick Califia,
Jen Collins,
Simon Sheppard,
Bill Brent,
Doug Harrison,
Steven Schwartz,
ferret.


Costumes, including fetish wear
and birthday suits,
are welcome.

$12-$20 sliding-scale contribution will benefit our chosen charities --
this time around, we're donating to
the Center for Sex and Culture.
No-one turned away for lack of funds.

We strongly suggest making a reservation
by calling (510) 451-2646
and leaving your phone number for confirmation,
or emailing
PPO [at] blackbooks.com.
Seating is limited and on a first-come, first-serve
basis. We suggest you arrive by 7:45pm
and allow enough time before
that for parking, if you are traveling by car.
......

*** CAL: SF: Sept. 26, Sunday, 11AM to 6PM:
Demonstrate nude for peace at clothing-optional FOLSOM STREET FAIR!
Distribute leaflets against circumcision of infants.
[ http://FolsomStreetEvents.org/ ]
In SF's SoMa district, on Folsom St, from 7th St to 12th St.
Always on last Sunday of each September.
Expect around 400,000 leatherfolk, friends, and fans.
Please donate when you enter.

............................


OCTOBER 2004:
Domestic Violence Awareness Month,
Breast Cancer Awareness Month;
Hispanic Heritage Month (until Oct. 15).
.......



***NEW YORK: October 1st, Friday morning, early:
Spencer Tunick's next Naked Pavement photo-shoot will take place
1 October at 6:45 AM,
in New York City on 13th Street
between Washington Street and the West Side Highway.
All are welcome to pose.
The shoot is part of Extremely Refrigerated, a two-week art and performance installation
taking place in New York's meat-market district and on the Internet.
It's being produced by the Floating Point Unit transmedia art collective.
More info at HotWired: Retina - Naked City:
[ http://hotwired.wired.com/retina/95/33/naked/ ]
........

CAL: SF: early October: Love Parade ??? [or maybe in 2005?]
...........
CAL: SF: early October: Reggae festival in Golden Gate Park;
possibly including Capleton, who advocates genocide against queers.
......
CAL: SF: circa 2-3 Oct. (first weekend):
"Strictly Bluegrass" festival, in Golden Gate Park. Free.
.........

CAL: SF: early Oct. (Oct. 3 ??): Castro Street Fair.
Top-optional; but genitals are banned.
..........
CAL: Oct 3: SF, Cable 29: "Outlook" [queer news], first Sunday, 5pm.
.........

USA: Will Bush, and/or Wahhabi terrorists, stage another "October Surprise" ?
.......

USA: early October:
" Marriage Equality California Caravan
and National Rally in Washington D.C.
From October 4 to 11, 2004, marriage activists will leave San Francisco and cross the
country to Washington D.C. on the Marriage Equality Express, making 14 stops to
network with local marriage activists and spread the fire for marriage equality nation-wide.

EQCA and MECA will post daily blogs from the riders.

Consider going to Washington D.C. for the
National Marriage Equality Rally
on National Coming Out Day [Monday, Oct. 11]
in the Upper Senate Park -
hear Barney Frank, Mabel Teng, marriage plaintiffs,
civil rights advocates, Tuck and Patti and more.
To learn more about supporting the marriage caravan and rally go to

( http://www.marriageequalityca.org/events/2004/national-rally/index.php ). +

+ Register to Vote Absentee!
...Registered voters are five times more likely
to actually vote,
when they vote by mail.
To register to vote absentee go to

( http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/elections_vr.htm ).
[-- MECA]
.........

USA: Friday, 8 October:
"Boycott for Equality".
Please spend NO money today.
[ http://www.indybay.org/news/2004/08/1693067.php ]
........


CA: SF: 9 October 2004:
first annual Nude Peace Day at Baker Beach:

*** N U D E PEACE DAY: You're invited to bodypaint and get bodypainted, for peace and freedom, on N u d e Peace Day, the second Saturday of each October, at Baker Beach, San Francisco. Free. Adults of all genders and orientations are welcome. Take #29 Muni bus to Baker Beach (either of two stops; ask driver); or bike there; or walk from Geary Blvd. and 25th Ave. Walk to northern parking lot, which has water fountain & toilets. From parking lot, walk north on beach (toward Golden Gate Bridge), thru prude zone and into clothing-optional zone. Then visually follow the cable fence (separating usable beach from protected vegetation) until you see a Leather Pride Flag (bearing a red heart, with stripes of black, blue, and white). If you don't see the flag yet, just enjoy the beach on your own. Look again for flag, or bodypainters, each hour, especially near the log stairway. Since organizers must carry supplies on bus, no reliable time can be guaranteed. We hope to be there by 2PM, possibly earlier. Rain cancels.
For details or last-minute changes, please see SUN [ http://pages.prodigy.net/seniornude ]
.............
USA: early October: U.S. Supreme Court starts 2004-2005 term.
......
USA: 11 Oct. (2nd Monday in Oct.): Indigenous Peoples' Day (aka Columbus Day, Discoverer's Day,
Pioneer's Day, etc.). [ Celebrations may occur on October 9 or 10. ]
...........

USA : Oct. 11, Monday: "Coming Out Day":
rally for equal marriage rights, in Washington, DC.
[ http://www.marriageEqualityCA.org/caravan.php ]

[ By email, snail-mail, or phone,
please ask your local Congressperson and both of your Senators to defeat
any and all amendments to the U.S. Constitution concerning marriage.
If your politician is liberal, speak of equal human rights for all citizens.
If he or she isn't liberal, say that marriage is a state issue, not a federal issue.
............

CALIFORNIA: Oct. 18, Monday: If you're not already registered as a voter at your CURRENT address,
please do so by this day. And be sure to ask for "Permanent Absentee Ballot" status!

[ Advice by SUN: You can fill out your absentee ballot at home, taking as much time as you please;
instead of hurriedly doing it while standing in a voting booth. You can take it early to
certain drop-off places (in SF, City Hall is convenient); or drop it off, sealed in an envelope,
on Election Day, at ANY polling place (not necessarily at your designated place).
Without ever having to stand in line!
You avoid hassles faced by ordinary voters, who often show up at the "wrong" polling place.
Absentee voting is first class; while ordinary voting is 4th class. ]

[But what if you distrust ALL candidates for office?
You still should vote Yes or No
on the many local measures and state propositions. ]
...............


WORLD: 24 Oct.: United Nations Day. Act locally, think globally!
...........

CAL: Halloween, Oct. 31, Sunday, 6PM to midnight: entertainment at four stages, etc.:
In SF's Castro district, "CastroWeen" offers a pre-election moment
for mocking Bush, Ashcroft, et alii.

[Will topfreedom and nudity be tolerated? SUN hopes so; but can't offer guarantees.
Never argue with, or disobey, a cop.
If a mere civilian orders you to cover up, don't reply; just cover up temporarily,
walk away into the crowd until the prude can't see you, then do as you please.
If people insult you, smile silently, then IGNORE them. If they seem violent, walk slowly away.
Don't waste any of your energy on fools.]

[ DON'T bring alcohol or other intoxicants; you may be searched when entering. If you need or want to get a mild buzz on,
do so BEFORE you try to enter the fenced-off area. (If you need to be heavily stoned, stay outside.)
Don't try to bring in anything which could be considered a weapon.
Don't bring valuables. (Bring your cheapest camera, or a one-time camera; not one which would tempt a thief.)
DO wear a costume, even if it's just a mask. (The more originality and imagination you show, the better;
but any costume is better than none.)

[ http://HalloweenSF.com ]
.............................
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