Cindy Sheehan in Austin

I rode the bus for free (ozone action day, you know) down to the capital to join many of my friends in welcoming Cindy Sheehan to Austin.

Lots of folks honked in support, but even more showed up, and once the buses arrived and a few tiny speeches were made, we all marched politely, and with a very polite police escort, down to City Hall, chanting and drumming all the way.

At City Hall, the crowd was amazing! I'm guessing around 1000 or more, filling the entire plaza and all the steps up to the building, plus close to spilling out into the street. I saw a bunch more people I knew there, too. Friends I used to work with, one of my fellow Kucinich delegates to last year's State convention, friends I've known for years, one of our friendly servers from Waterloo Ice House.

Short and to the point speeches were interspersed wth some very fine music -- a great new song by Butch Hancock, and perfomed by the Flatlanders; two beautiful (as always) songs by Eliza Gilkyson; some very pointed political pieces by a guy whose name I missed; a fabulous song written by a woman during the last quagmire for her older friends who were losing their children in Viet Nam -- still completely appropriate and chilling today.

I was impressed that, for a change, everybody stayed on message, and only one message at that (with the notable and totally appropriate exception being when Cindy Sheehan said they were donating all their extra supplies from Camp Casey to the victims of hurricane Katrina).

Jim Hightower spoke and was great, as always. I'm not even sure who all spoke, as I couldn't see through the throng of folks, even though I wasn't at all far from the 'stage.' And then when Cindy Sheehan spoke...well, just 'wow!' She's not slick at all, just a regular thinking person like all of us, only one who just went that extra little step of saying, 'Enough!'

A lot of important words were strung together very nicely in the speeches and prayers last night, and dang it -- I should've taken notes, 'cuz I can't remember most of the words or how they were strung together! Cindy Sheehan read a very moving poem that her daughter had written; and I remember being impressed by the request to keep our eyes open while we prayed for all those in the world who needed help right now -- unlike those who pray (and more) with their eyes closed!

Marilyn