Reverend Billy was at
the DNA Lounge in San Francisco Tuesday evening. I've loved so many of
his projects that I'd heard of before that I just had to go. This page
contains pictures and words from and about the event.
That first picture shows bicyclists
that were left on the platform in Mountain View because there wasn't
enough room for them on the train. I saw similar groups of people at
several other stops. I think by the time the train gets to Hillsdale or
Millbrae the congestion eases, and after that it's easy to get on.
DNA Lounge is a two level bar, with a
nice stage that's maybe five feet above the lower floor and seven or
eight feet below the balcony. When the action on the stage started I
was up on the balcony.
Ross Mirkarimi talked about what a
relief it was to be among friends. He explained that he had spent the
day in budget negotiations, "an atmosphere so bad it felt like the
oxygen had been sucked out of the air." Then he read this official
proclamation that he'd gotten for Reverend Billy. I managed to get a
picture of it, which you can read by clicking on Ross reading. After he
gave it to the evening's star we heard the speech I'd come to SF for.
Reverend
Billy talked about how the money he is spending is tiny compared to
what Bloomberg has to invest in mainstream media, but Reverend Billy
for Mayor is catching fire anyhow. He talked about some aspects of his
background that make him ideal for an insurgent campaign, things like
being busted for reciting the First Amendment on Wall Street. He spends
a lot of time in public talking to voters, and their concerns fall into
three main boxes. The first group are concerned about how it's going to
look nationally to have a radical Mayor in New York. The second group
wants to know what he can do for the neighborhoods of New York. The
third group ask "what's this Green Party stuff all about?"
Everybody
listened carefully.
The
tone of my pictures changed here because Julie bragged that she wasn't
using her flash. Not using flash makes one a lot quieter, visually
speaking.
Reverend Billy explained how the key values of the Green Party are a
good fit for returning control of New York to her good citizens. He
talked about his work on behalf of small businesses, getting thrown out
of WallMart for telling people shopping there was hollowing out our
economy.
Somewhere
in there he recited the First Amendment. I found myself mumbling along.
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of
speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to
assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."
Then
the drum corps started up again, this time joined by a woman with a
marvelously glowing hula hoop.
For
their last couple of songs the drummers were joined by the rapper above
them.
The
woman behind the flowers talked about how impressed she was by how much
sense Reverend Billy made.
The
guy following her asked us all to dig into our pockets for something
else to support Reverend Billy's campaign with.
Supervisor
Daly said that if he could vote for Reverend Billy for Mayor of New
York he would. It's the right thing to do!
Funny
how burlesque dancers with signs can say more silently with a few
placards than many politicians with a hot microphone and twenty minutes
to tell their stories!
The
woman in the pale dress is Reverend Billy's partner. She spoke of how
deeply she believes in him.
