SHOCK-TOBER possibilities and protests

Hoping to influence the November 2 election, will the Bush regime escalate military conflict in Iraq, perhaps in Fallujah, during October 2004?
Will Wahhabi terorists stage a "Shocktober surprise"?

We can't know what such secretive fundi fascists
(the Bushites and the jihadis) will do;
until after they do it.

But we do know that we'll have several opportunities.
during Shocktober, in the San Francisco Gay Area,
to demonstrate our desires for peace, equal rights, and freedom.

Please voice your views at the Castro march for equality
(Friday evening, Oct. 1),
the Love Parade (Saturday afternoon, Oct. 2),
the Castro Street Fair (daytime Sunday, Oct. 3),
Nude Peace Day at Baker Beach (Saturday afternoon, Oct. 9),
and Castro Halloween ( Sunday night, Oct. 31).

Yes, four of these five opportunities are celebrations.
But you can still make and bring signs about serious issues.
There is, believe it or not, NO rule requiring protests to be grim or dull.
On the contrary, if a protest is fun, it's more likely to get done.

For details, please see our
CALENDAR 4 FREEDOM-SEEKERS
( compiled by SUN and SaveFreedom;
plus info from HolyTitClamps ):
........

USA: Thursday, September 30:

-- Congress, daytime?:
U.S. House of Representatives votes on anti-marriage amendment?

-- TV and radio, evening: first Bush-Kerry debate.

In SF Gay Area, please tune in to KQED-FM public radio at 6pm
(or at 11pm), California time.

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


OCTOBER ( Shocktober? ) 2004:

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


CAL-SF: 1 October,
Friday afternoon/evening:

*CASTRO MARCH
against racism & discrimination.
Please meet at queer Community Center,
Market & Octavia, at 5pm.
........
[SUN says:
We endorse this march for racial/cultural/ethnic inclusiveness.
Please make and bring your own signs, flags, etc. ....]
.........


*** 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/ ]
........

USA: Oct. 1, Friday:
New film, TYING THE KNOT,
deals with same-sex marriage struggle.
One could see trailer at
[ http://www.TyingTheKnotTheMovie.com ]
.............

CAL-SF:
*** LOVE PARADE (for world peace):
starting at 1pm at Market and Beale,
downtown near the Embarcadero.
Free.
CLOTHING-OPTIONAL !!!!
Make and carry your own peace signs!

[In this first annual SF Love Parade,
SUN's "Nude Peace Day" contingent will be
led by "NakedMarvin" Gordon, a gay leatherrman
from Toronto, Canada. ]

http://www.loveParadeSF.net

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

CAL: SF: October 2-3, Sat-Sun:
"Reggae in the Park" festival,
in Golden Gate Park.
[ Festival WON'T include "burn the queer" singer Capleton. ]
............


CAL: SF: circa 2-3 Oct. (first weekend):
"Strictly Bluegrass" festival, in Golden Gate Park.
Free.
.........


CAL: SF: Sunday Oct 3: Castro Street Fair,
including Sugar Valley.

[ http://www.castrostreetfair.org/ ]

[ http://www.sugarvalley.org/ ]


CSF was considered wild in the Seventies.
Today, coming one week after Folsom, it seems mild.

Women can go topfree if they choose;
but nudity and bare genitals are banned.

Please donate when entering the fair area.
..........

CAL: Oct 3: SF, Cable 29: "Outlook" [queer news], first Sunday, 5pm.
.........

CAL-SF: October 3, Sunday evening/night,
6pm to 1 am:
"DEPORTING the American Dream" --
"an evening of immigration awaeness & community":
live music, poetry & spoken word, food & drink, slide-show by artists, tango party, etc.
[ http://www.studioZ.tv ] [.... in Tuvalu?]

"Participating artists" include
MATT GONZALEZ, Jill Knight, Youth Speaks....

at Studio Z,
314 -- 11th Street (near Folsom St)
$7 to $20, sliding scale

.........
.

CAL, northern: SF and Berkeley:
thru October 7:
new film, TYING THE KNOT,
on same-sex marriage struggle.
See trailer at
[ http://www.TyingTheKnotTheMovie.com ]
Limited engagements in SF Gay Area, Oct. 1-7 only:
Lumiere, in SF: 415.267.4893
Act, in Berkeley: 510.464.5980
[ http://www.landmarkTheatres.com ]
..........


USA: thru 11 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]
.........

CAL-SF: 4 October, Monday, 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM:
"Celebrating Women" exhibit
by IMOW,
at One Market, concourse lobby, downown SF.
Take Bart/Muni to Embarcadero Station.

"The International Museum of Women presents “Celebrating Women,” an exhibit of artifacts, music and photographs of festivals from around the world; richly documented for the first time by Paola Gianturco in her new book “Celebrating Women” (powerHouse Books, October 2004).
The International Museum of Women will open in 2008 at Pier 26 in San Francisco.

Celebrating Women features more than 17 festivals, in many countries. The exhibit affirms the power of women as athletes, defenders, goddesses, providers, warriors and more. Since different cultures deem different attributes laudable, the exhibit offers a view of how women's roles are defined by community and their identities are informed by tradition. It is an opportunity to gain a greater understanding of ourselves and others, as we strive together for positive social change. For more information please go to
http://www.imow.org
Our mission is to value the lives of women around the world."
..............

USA: Friday, 8 October:
"Boycott for Equality".
Please spend NO money today,
if possible.
[ http://www.indybay.org/news/2004/08/1693067.php ]
........
CALIFORNIA: Friday, circa 8 October:
Deadline for state Attorney General Bill Lockyer to file a brief
defending Cal's unfair, homophobic and sexist marriage laws.
[ Comment by SUN: Lockyer should have recused himself from same-sex marriage lawsuits.
By handling this issue personally, instead of letting an assistant AG represent the state,
Lockyer has contradicted himself and has angered many queer voters.
Please see also: 26 October 2004]
..........

USA: DC: early October: U.S. Supreme Court starts 2004-2005 term.
......


*** CAL: SF: 9 October 2004: Saturday afternoon:

first annual Nude Peace Day at Baker Beach:

*** N U D E PEACE DAY: You're invited to bodypaint and get bodypainted for freedom and peace, 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 ]
.............

*** CAL, northern: Oakland:
9 October, Saturday evening:
October 9
a clothing-optional happening:
"Sacred Prostitutes Perform" --
an exorcism of shame to benefit the
Berkeley ballot initiative for sex workers’ rights.
with dance by “slut-goddess” Ruby Pearl,
with book signing by whore-priestess Scarlet Harlot,
"The Unrepentant Whore";
with spoken word by sex positive Stacey Swimme,
Robin Few, and Debbie Moore. Clothing-optional.
Saturday, 10/9/04, 8pm.
Loop Gallery, 6436 Telegraph Ave. @ 65th St., Oakland
For info:
[ debbiemoore [at] xplicitplayers.com ]
SUN says:
You can still attend this Oct. 9 evening event in Oakland at 8PM;
AFTER the Nude Peace Day afternoon gathering at SF's Baker Beach.
....................................................................................

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:

DEADLINE TO REGISTER for November election.

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!

For more info, contact the California secretary of state's office at 800.345.8683
[ http://www.ss.ca.gov/ ]

[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!

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

CALIFORNIA: 26 October, Tuesday:
Deadline to apply for absentee ballot.
While you're at it, please ask for "Permanent Absentee Ballot" status!

For more info, contact the California secretary of state's office at 800.345.8683
[ http://www.ss.ca.gov/ ]

[ 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. ]
.......................

CAL: circa 26 October, Tuesday, daytime:
SF Superior Court Judge Richard Kramer may a court session for
"case management" in the same-sex marriage lawsuits.

[ Comment by SUN: This session seems to be procedural, not substantive.
After the (county) Superior Court issues a final decision, in late 2004 or early 2005,
the cases will travel upward to the (district) Court of Appeals,
and later to the (state-wide) California Supreme Court.
Cal judges have no reason to fast-track this aspect of the same-sex marriage controversies.
IF the Cal Supremes support freedom for same-sex spouses, we can expect extremist bigots
to circulate an initiative petition for a homophobic amendment to the Cal state constitution. ]

..........
CAL-SF: 26 October, Tuesday evening, 6pm:
Michelle Tea emcees
the Radar Reading series
at main SF public library,
downtown near Civic Center BART/Muni station.
FREE.
Tonight we hear
Amber Dawn,
Michael Smith,
Peter Pizzi,
Carla Trujillo.
..........

CAL: Halloween SF, 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, Cheney, et alii.

[Will topfreedom and nudity be tolerated?
SUN hopes so; but can't offer guarantees.
Never argue with, or disobey or ignore, a police officer.
(Save your arguments for a judge.)
If a cop orders you to cover up, do so;
and remain covered.

If a mere civilian orders you to cover up,
don't say anything, and don't make any promises;
just cover up temporarily,
walk away into the crowd until the civilian prude can't see you,
then do as you please.

If any civilians insult you, smile silently, then IGNORE them.
If they seem violent, walk away s-l-o-w-l-y, smiling silently.
Don't waste any of your energy on civilian 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 ]
.............................

NOVEMBER 2004:
American Indian Heritage Month;
Adoption Month.

......
USA: Nov. 2, Tuesday: Presidential election
(unless "postponed"....?).
[ http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/07/13/EDGO37JFBC1.DTL ]


Also, in 11 states
(incl. Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan,
Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota,
*Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah;
and *Ohio),
voters will decide whether to vandalize their state constitutions,
by adding amendments which diminish human rights.

In Oregon, the vote may be close; partly because of libertarians.

*[ The good guys tried to keep this crap off the Oklahoma and Ohio ballots,
but the bad guys won.]
.

[ Thought for today:
Would you buy democracy lessons from a man
who stole "his" national government? ]
.........


CAL, northern: Nov. 2:
Berkeley citizens will vote on sexwork!!!!!
[ http://www.sfbg.com/38/41/news_prostitution.html ]

For more info, please visit the Sex Workers Outreach Project:
[ http://www.swop-usa.org/ ]
.......

CAL, Nov. 2: Voters must pass or defeat many state propositions;
including one which would make CA state primaries "non-partisan"
(as in Louisiana).
.......

USA, Nov. 3: If presidential election is close and crooked, as in 2000,
please be prepared to protest.
[ If Bush is re-appointed by the Supremes, some American patriots will consider spending four years in Canada. ]
...........................................................
###