UPDATE: NOW WE’RE AT THE COMMON AGAIN. I’m told several members of Congress are supposed to speak. So now it’s a real event! I suggest we meet at the Park Street T stop exit (Tremont Street, across from the Finagle a Bagel, @ 10:45am. Sound good?
This is the post I meant to write today anyway … and it seems perfectly compatible as a tribute to Ted Kennedy. I've been wondering when our shining, stadium-filling moments are going to come in the health care debate. When will we show our strength, our passion, our commitment, our sheer numbers?
This Daily Kos diary, as well as Health Care for America Now, outline a whole list of pro-health care rallies across the USA. Here's a list of those within 220 miles of Boston.
There's one this Saturday in New York City, for instance — a walk @ 11am, and a rally @ 2pm, Times Square.
Locally, our rally will be September 7th, on Boston Common, 11am. Can we get 100 BMG'ers to show up to that — ya think? Comment here to commit to it.
The last few weeks may well have driven you crazy. The looney-tunes protests, the rudeness, the viciousness, the lies, the cowardice … it is intended to drive us crazy, to make us tune out and despair that anything can ever get better. Showing up at one of these events is something concrete you can do. Imagine the press images coming out of these events: Not of anger and fear; but images of hope, of pride, of human decency, of the best we have to offer our civic life. Health care for everyone.
This is going to be fun. See you there.
Discuss
69 Comments . Comments are closed.Strangely enough..
... the crazy stuff out there isn't actually that much of a problem,... or at least it shouldn't be. The real problem is the mainstreaming effect that happens with the cover that the media give the fringe.
Fallows:
(hat tip Ezra)
In a normal world, lies would be treated as such and not given the time of day. Instead, because of the 'on-the-other-hand-ism' that the media play, we've got supposedly 'reasonable' GOPers (and Blue Dogs) repeating teh crazy as if it were perfectly legitimate and not paying any sort of PR price for it.
We'll know it's true when we see how these rallies are covered
See this excellent piece in MediaMatters (via AlterNet): "Media: Angry right-wingers are important; angry libs are annoying"
typical. good observation. You have Collection of fringe loons get the media credibility while the
while Zeke Emanuel (somebody who actually knows what he is talking about) is attacked as the enemy for the day in the narrative of the moron media.
Not a polite way...
To describe your fellow BMG'ers.
I'll be there.
Do we have a schedule of some sort? Perhaps we BMGers want to meet up afterwards -- a bit of an imprompteu Drinking Liberally Labor Day afternoon event or somesuch?
Psst Charley
maybe once you've got enough commitments, you put a running list of those planning on attending in a box near the top of the left or right margin...
OK ...
... need a few more people to get up to a "movement" ...
did somebody say movement?
Isn't he
a Republican?
He's a RINO
http://www.jimnewsom.com/PFW20...
I'll be there...
...and would like to second stomv's suggestion of drinks.
I've been out of the health care fight
due to the local fight of our lives here in Lowell.
But the loss of our progressive and august Senator has reenergized me. The least I can do is show up on Labor Day. Seems appropriate somehow.
I can relate that. I have been on hiatus d/t my own
health care issues and ennui. I am hoping Teds loss has reenergized me as well.
I can not wait...
...I'll be there and bringing friends.
With all the astroturf claims by whining liberals aren't you
concerned this BMG get together could be called another "organized" protest?
We are we meeting for drinks?
.
http://www.bluemassgroup.com/s...
I might attend this.
Just to be sure...we will be supporting Healthcare reform WITH A PUBLIC OPTION...correct?
I just mapped Boston Common and it appears to be surrounded by a maze of one-way streets. So perhaps I will take the T from Natick.
I still have to see if I can attend, but it appears that this will be a great chance to show united support for health insurance reform WITH A PUBLIC OPTION.
Well, put it this way ...
I will not discourage someone from coming who supports health care for everyone, but is against or agnostic about the public option.
If you are coming in specific support of the public option, by all means bring a sign.
You're right
the more the merrier.
Fix the link?
Your link to "our rally" is actually another link to the dailykos post.
I tentatively plan to be there.
thanks
fixed
Great Idea
Time for the reasonable man/woman to "put up or shut up". I plan to be there. I'll bring a sign (small, tasteful, hopefully clever) for "public option". I've been known to imbibe. Someone please pick a "BMG" spot on the common so I can meet some of you #@$%ers.
I don't want to jinx it, but this may be our Woodstock.
Which T line stops at Boston Common?
Just in case you're serious -
It's the Red Line.
Thank you
Yes, I'm serious. Health insurance reform is so important. I'm going to try to be there.
As does the Green Line
Park Street is on the main trunk. If you start from the Orange line you can go to Downtown Crossing and easily walk either above or below ground to Park Street.
Take Green Line to Arlington
The rally starts at Park Square, Stuart and Arlington. The politicians will already be at the Park Plaza hotel, for the Labor Breakfast.
Closest T stop is Arlington, 2 down from Park Street.
PS - I'll be there with the Health Care For All banner
Map of the subway system
Park Street is at the intersection of the Red and Green lines. http://www.mbta.com/schedules_...
I've been on the MBTA website
trying to plan the trip, it looks like I could park at the Riverside station and take the green line in but there are 4 green lines. If I take the the Riverside green line will it stop at Park or Arlington, or do I have to change green lines to get to those stops. It doesn't look like the Riverside line stops at those two points.
All Green Line trains stop at Park and Arlington
The B, C, D, and E lines converge at Copley.
Thanks
that will make it a lot easier. I'm not an experienced T rider.
Arlington
Arlington Station is at the far corner of the Public Gardens. It's a pleasant walk, and might be worth it to avoid the crush of the Blue Masses at Park Street.
Parking at Riverside
in general, no chance M-F. On Labor Day, your results may vary.
if it's just as easy ...
to get to Alewife via Rte. 2, you can park there and it would be faster.
i.e. Red Line to Park St.
nt
This does look like a good way to get there.
So maybe I will leave from Alewife. It's an 18 minute longer drive, but the T ride should be shorter, since there are fewer stops.
And, since the green line D train jumped off the tracks tonight, the red line may be the better choice.
Isn't the green line the one that Brookline Tom had all of those warnings about anyway?
Commuter rail is also an option
You can take any of the South Shore/Metro West trains into South Station, then any Red Line train to Park Street from there.
Or any of the North Shore/Metro North trains into North Station, then any Green line train to Park Street from there.
From any Green Line station, take any inbound train and get off at Park Street (or Boylston or Arlington). Park Street, Boylston, and Arlington are each within an easy ( 5 minute) walk from the Common.
Hey BT
Which train line was the one you had all of the problems with?
Sadly, all of them
Well, specifically, the Green Line and North Shore commuter rail.
Fun, fun, fun!
I'll be there!
Labor Day Parade
I am committed to march in the Marlborough Labor Day parade. My Congressman, my LG and my Senator are all marching and I need to be there. I wish I could join all of you, but local politics comes first.
I'll be there
Looking forward to it!
Im out of town but I have put the word out!!
Coalition for Social Justice and coalition against poverty has a crew going up!!! Get the presses and the TV stations down there....Stand up for what is right...HEALTHCARE for ALL!
Regrets.
Wife will probably make an appearance, but we're entertaining later that day and someone has to mind the store, so I'll be unable to attend.
Someone needs to schedule another M&G with alcohol at some point.
Tentatively, planning to come
Just got back from a fairly grueling trip today - by Monday hopefully I will feel more energetic.
that is where I am at -- near the end of the work week.
If everything goes well - i will attend and bring along some paints to do oil sketches of events. Some logistics to work out: train schedule, oil vs acrylic etc.
Thank you for kind words regarding the convention. I had to miss this yr because of a prolonged illness and valve replacement . Pretty much better now.
Add two more
Lynpb and I are planning to be there.
Once again,
does anyone have a suggestion for where the BMG irregulars might gather during the rally? I don't know the layout of the common that well. You know, "the old oak tree on the left" or "the statue of Civil War Heroes" or something like that. I'm going to be far from home (Worcester) and I'd like someone to chat with in case Menino takes the podium. I'm thinking it's going to be a huge crowd. And I want to be at the "cool" table.
Maybe I'll stitch up a flag with the BMG logo (which, by the way, needs to be jazzier).
Oops
I thought it was going to be at the Common. Never mind. Look for the flag.
Charley, maybe you should change your headline.
Is there a meeting point?
Seems like there will be a lot of people in the square.
Well, that's a good question ...
But how about the corner of the park across from the Legal Sea Foods neon fish? From Google Street View:
View Larger Map
I'll be there
Count me in
MARCHA POR LA REFORMA DE SALUD/MARCH FOR HEALTHCARE REFORM
I'll be there, and here's a bilingual flyer from SEIU 615
That flyer has the original meeting place but
I believe we're now supposed to meet at Park Square. I'll be there with my Local.
Nope it's at the Gazebo on the Common at 11:00
see much updated diary above
Sounds good,
I'll try my best not to be late. I'm leaving here at 9:00 so that should be plenty of time.
The Publick House!
Oh wait ...
I would love to go but
my son has paid his dues in spades being dragged from event to event over the years and would kill me. Hope you all have a wonderful time, though. When he's away at college in a few years I'll join one of these Drinking Liberally gigs and put faces to names. Until then, as a single parent now[:(], it's almost impossible.
I'm coming!
A Health Care Bill may be coming from the White House
Just ran across this on my way off the internet
White House Drafting Health Care Bill
Looking forward to seeing what Obama presents to Congress.
Except....that it looks like the trigger is back.
Why can't we just do this without all the loophole nonsense.
and the White House is going to sign on to the
trigger not for the American people, but for Olympia Snowe.
We will give up everything for a vote from Olympia Snowe.
We will give up everything for one vote from a Republican.
Ugh!
According to Organizing for America website
1052 people have signed up to attend this event.
Pretty good ...
and one hopes that those folks will bring their friends.
I'll be going, volunteering
with OFA, arriving early to help run the event.
I'm there!
I will be there, representing myself and my husband, who is currently at the mercy of a very, VERY bad health care option provided by his employer. Bring on REAL reform!
Great Rally!
It was huge! Worth the trip to make the statement that we want Health Care Reform, with a public option. Judging by the size of the rally, seems a lot of other people do too. Quite a few rallying for single payer as well.
It was great to meet you Charley, KBusch, Afertig, jcsinclair, Stomv, Shiltone, and johnmurhphylaw.
Right back at ya, l.a.l.l.
Thanks for making the trip - great to meet you!
« Blue Mass Group Front Page
Wed 23 May 9:36 AM