[Northampton-GP] Green-Rainbow Anti-War Vigil - Day after Thanksgiving!

[Jim Bosman]

Email below from Rudy Perkins who is initiating a
sign-holding vigil near the Holyoke Mall on Friday
11/28, the day after Thanksgiving. 

The Northampton Local is looking for volunteers and
also for individuals to liason with peace groups in
Northampton who would be willing to join in.

Jim Bosman



Ebony Barkley, our Green-Rainbow Party co-chair
proposed organizing candlelight vigils against the
Iraq occupation on the day after Thanksgiving (Nov.
28) as our state’s effort in conjunction with the
national Green Party’s “Home By The Holidays”
anti-occupation campaign.  That day is a very busy
shopping day with lots of people concentrated around
malls and commercial areas.  As part of this effort,
our little Millers River area Green-Rainbow group has
been talking about organizing a standout with
anti-occupation banners on the approach road to the
Holyoke Ingleside Mall.  

I wondered if you all would be interested in helping
get valley Green-Rainbow and peace groups involved in
this possibility at the Holyoke Mall.  Co-sponsoring
by other peace groups would be great, Jo.  Any chance?

I’ve tried to shop at the Holyoke Mall on the day
after Thanksgiving and it is jammed with people then. 
Since I work in Springfield now, I recently stopped by
the Mall to look for possible sites to stand.  The
intersection / driveway at the Barnes & Noble strip
mall on the approach road into the main mall is highly
visible and has a public sidewalk that could
accommodate large banners and signs on each of the
four corners there.  I’m thinking 10 AM to 5 PM or
maybe 10 AM to 10 PM in shifts, lighting candles after
it gets dark.  I can call the Holyoke Police to see
what permits, if any, are needed to stand on those
public sidewalks with banners & signs.  (If someone
has worked with the Holyoke Police before, that would
be helpful to know.)

The Millers River Green-Rainbows have already made two
large “End the U.S. Occupation of Iraq!” banners (a 15
ft. and a 10 ft.) for the standout.  We inaugurated
these on the Rt. 2 overpass in Templeton to catch the
foliage traffic on Columbus Day, to very good
reception.  Lots of honks of support.  

(I’ve also made a really bright multi-colored 40x60”
Green-Rainbow Party sign that could be used and we
also have one of Sally Stuffin’s beautiful banners,
“Peace for the Human Race” which can be used.  We
wished we had also made a “Support Our Troops, Bring
Them Home!” banner.  “Peace on Earth / End the Iraq
Occupation” and “Bring Our Troops Home For the
Holidays!” might also be good for the
post-Thanksgiving standout.)

As you may know, Ebony is working on a downtown
Worcester vigil for that day.  I hear there’s talk of
one in Boston, and Tony Lorenzen has suggested we
might be able to organize one at Searstown Mall in
Leominster.

If we can make the commitment to standouts that day in
Holyoke, Searstown, Worcester and Boston, it could
make some good press, conceivably local TV coverage.

Are you interested?  

- Rudy Perkins, ph. 978-249-0923



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