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Sacramento, California, USA
Ralph Scowden
ralph@scowden.net
Saturday, February 15, 2003
In Sacramento, California, several thousand people rallied
at the west steps of the State Capitol, where demonstrators converged
from many surrounding
Northern California locations. Many came prepared with signs and costumes,
but my impression is that there were significant numbers who were attending
this kind of event for the first time.
There wasn't a lot here for the camera -- the event was a show of support
for nonviolent resolution, and an opportunity to learn. From talking
with people at the rally and elsewhere, I see that a great many are not
closely familiar with the issues (which highlights the question, "What
do those opinion polls really mean?"), and that there is much confusion
about what is happening and why. Local rallies such as this one give
visibility to those opposed to war, and offer a starting point for those
seeking to understand.
While the speakers' words were already quite familiar to me, I am encouraged
that so many made the effort to turn out this day. I feel strongly that
simply showing up is a significant personal action that can make a difference.
The speakers. Many listened for three
hours to a variety of speakers. There were so many people and signs that
the only way to
actually see a speaker was to go all the way up to the front.

The view from the front. A speaker's head is visible, barely, a bit above the
center of the photo, and just below the white canopy. This is about as good
as the view got, for most people.

My group's convergence point, at the north steps. We
didn't see many of our people there -- they just headed right into the
crowd!

Further down on the lawn from the above photos. This was quite a large
gathering by Sacramento standards. These photos show perhaps one third
of the crowd that gathered in the early afternoon.

Music and dancing further out on the lawn. Later, the
music shifted to drumming, and the dancing got quite interesting.

Who is this strange man with an oil rig on his head? He belonged to a
group carrying signs that read "No war for oil" and, when reversed, "Go
solar!"

The capitol dome, later in the afternoon when the crowd had thinned.

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