Thanks for Bill of Rights, veggie fuel, Big Love, more

These United States of America started out disunited --
as 14 independent countries
( 13 ex-colonies, soon joined by breakaway Vermont).
Only the federal Constitution, and its first ten amendments
(our Bill of Rights) allowed these entities to stick together,
and then only until the Civil War.

The electorate started out as a small fraction of the free white male population, to be expanded by stages, in a series of mini-revolutions during the 19th and 20th centuries.

The citizenry expanded much faster than the electorate --
by conquest and purchase of territory,
by emancipation of slaves,
by assimilation of native tribes,
and especially by immigration
from every inhabited continent on our planet.

We became a nation of many nations.
We share an international heritage of many cultures.
Our country serves as a battle-ground for many sects --
religious, philosophical, political, miscellaneous.

What holds our varied peoples together today?

In my queer opinion, we stay together because almost all of us believe in freedom
(while we quarrel over its definitions);
and because we hope our Constitution
will preserve our freedom.

During the 20th century, we Yanks have increasingly depended upon our courts, especially on our U.S.Supreme Court,
to defend our civil rights and civil liberties from threats
by the "political" (and often tyrannical) branches of government.
Usually, but not always, the courts do so, at least in part.

So let us give thanks for our Constitution, especially our Bill of Rights, on Thanksgiving Day 2004.

And we must give much more than thanks.

We must give this sacred document
our active support,
because we can't always count on judges to do the right thing.

Freedom is the price of American nationhood, present and future.
And, as you already know,
eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.

Tho freedom has never been free of cost,
it's still the best bargain which human civilizations can offer.


-- Tortuga Bi LIBERTY
on Thanksgiving Day 2004
in San Franhattan
..................................

http://seniornude.blogspot.com


....................
PS 1:
In SF, this cool and foggy 25 Nov 2004 seems to offer few
queer and alt events ---

**but if readers know of any, please POST soonest, at

http://www.indybay.org/lgbtqi/

Libraries and our LGBTI Center are closed.
I had hoped to spend Thursday thru Sunday at Baker Beach,
and/or at the Hippie Hill Drum Circle; if weather permits....

Alt-culture life revives on Saturday,
Nov. 27, with the
VEGGIE FUEL PARTY (see below).
...............


PS 2:
FREEDOM-SEEKERS' CALENDAR
( compiled by SUN and SaveFreedom;
plus info from HolyTitClamps, SFBG, et alii ):
........
For more "queer things to do"
in the San Franhattan Gay Area,
please visit Larrybob at HTC:

[ http://www.holytitclamps.com/ ]
...........
And for arts events,
please visit the Squidlist calendar:

[ http://laughingsquid.org/squidlist/calendar/ ]
...........
For Nov. 2004 election results, please visit:

http://www.sfgate.com/election/2004/11/02/

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

Please FORWARD freely,
to willing recipients only.
............


CAL-SF:
....... thru December 20:
free classes for elders (55+), on
WORLD AFFAIRS.
Monday mornings, 10am.
For details, please see:

http://www.indybay.org/news/2004/11/1705140.php

.........

CAL-SF: .... thru Dec. 16, daytime:
"Ritual Arts of HAITI":
vodou exhibit at SF State University.
Free. Weekdays, 10am.

http://www.SFSUstudentcenter.com/artgallery

...........


USA: Nov. 25, Thursday: Thanksgiving (4th Thurs. in Nov.).
[Aunti T's recipe for oyster stuffing:
First, have your oyster bend over and grab his ankles..... ]
.......
For a comic commentary on Thanksgiving 2004,
please visit:

http://sfgate.com/columnists/fiore/
.........

U$A: Friday, 26 November:
"Buy Nothing" Day.
Please delay your shopping
until Saturday or Sunday, if you can.
..............
Veggie fuel party
CAL-SF: Saturday, Nov. 27, spreading the gospel of alternative energy, the Sustainable Solutions Caravan makes its second annual trek from San Francisco to Costa Rica in buses running completely on vegetable oil.
Help hosts Stephen Brooks and Zak Zaidman kick off the event, which includes live music, DJs, puppetry, and speakers from ecological groups. Earlier in the day, take tours of the buses and learn how to convert your own vehicle to one that runs on veggie fuel.
Tours and workshop 12 noon, CELLspace back lot, Florida and 18th Sts., S.F.
Launch party 8 p.m., CELLspace, 2050 Bryant, S.F.
Donations accepted. (415) 285-2809 or (510) 717-2538. [-SFBG]
...............................................

CAL-SF: 'Diet for a Dead Planet'
Tuesday, Nov. 30, find out how food production in the United States is destroying the planet and your body, at a reading from former Bay Guardian city editor Christopher D. Cook's new book, Diet for a Dead Planet (New Press). Eatwell Farm provides locally grown, organic snacks. 7:30 p.m., Modern Times Bookstore, 888 Valencia, S.F.
Free. (415) 282-9246. [-SFBG]
.............................

CAL-SF: Dot-com documentary
Tuesday, Nov. 30, as part of the "Televising the Revolution" radical film series, the Heads Up Collective presents a screening of Boom! The Sound of Eviction. The documentary examines the dot-com aftermath through interviews with former dot-com workers, real estate developers, landlords, former mayor Willie Brown, and the activists who fought against the displacement of community groups and tenants. Donations benefit St. Peter's Housing Committee. 8 p.m., El Rio, 3158 Mission, S.F.
Donations accepted.
radfilms [at] lycos.com [-SFBG]
..........................



DECEMBER 2004:
Universal Human Rights Month.
.....

CAL-SF: Wednesday, 1 December, evening:

"BIG LOVE show #2:
a glamorous and exciting benefit
for the glamorous and exciting Heather MacAllister.
at El Rio
8:00pm
$5-20. ...( All cash goes to Ms. MacAllister. )

-with-

the delightful musical stylings of GLASS BALLS
featuring Tara Jepsen & Brian Whitty.

spoken word from LAUREN WHEELER
guaranteed to boot you in the behind.

she's a lady. she's a monster. she's LADYMONSTER
and she tells really nasty stories.

CREAMY GOODNESS will have you dancing. yum.

totally true tales from the psyche of SHERILYN CONNELLY.

magnificent literary maven KATE BRAVERMAN will read to you. whoa.


hosted by michelle tea." [ * ]
.............

*(aka "The Illustrated Femfox" )
...
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