By Todd Jennings
An Activist's Report
New York, New York-- The "Rally to open the Boy Scouts to ALL" was
successful, I think, though it wasn't what I expected (which was something more
like the Stop Dr. Laura protest awhile back--with lots of big signs for protestors,
a picket line and a booming speaker system).
Members of Scouting for All at an earlier rally
I arrived at 11:15 (it was booked to run 9 am 'til 2 pm), found only 8-10 people in
front of the Empire State Building, signed a petition--and was quickly enlisted to
take over one of the petition clipboards.
I spent a hectic but inspired 2 hours collecting signatures,
names and addresses (and putting in my 2-cents worth on how the petition
gatherers could be more effective).
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I'm glad I had the petitions since the speaker portion of the event, which started at
12:30, did not have a PA system--just mikes from all the local TV news stations.
The petition gathering was invigorating and I couldn't have heard the speakers if I'd
wanted to.
The four main speakers (the rally head, Mark Greene (#2 to Giuiliani in NYC --
and Giuiliani's archrival), Jerrold Nadler (my U.S. Congressman) and an Eagle
Scout (not James Dale) were covered by all the videocams.
As soon as those four were done (with many speakers left to come), all the media mikes were
pulled down, save Channel 9 (WB), and the remaining speakers were left
without an audience (remember, no one could hear them on the busy sidewalk.)
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Related Stories from the GayToday Archive:
Scouting For All Launches a National Day of Protest
Boy Scouts of America Win Dubious Right to Be Bigoted Conference
Steven Cozza:
Boy Scout Extraordinaire
Related Sites:
Scouting for All
Stop Dr. Laura.com
GayToday does not endorse related sites.
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The petition gathering made the protest more than worthwhile.
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