Toto

Sorry, you need to post the image on a website and put the URL here. There are a lot of free websites around - geocities, yahoo, etc. If you have a yahoo account, it comes with a photo album, and you can load the picture there.

YoursTrulyBeth

Amazon, If you want to email the pic to me, I can post it and link it to the board for you! Rob Sherman???? I am very impressed! Sorry you were the only woman. You can email it to illinoisfreethought@hotmail.com. I am so glad you were able to go. I hope you had fun.
Beth

Jayhawker Soule

I'd be interested in knowing more about the attendees: average age, range, sex, nationality, dress, etc.

Amazon

It's funny you should ask that, since I have been giving that some thought, myself.

The FTPers themselves were all nicely dressed men in suits and a dramatic red scarf held by a red English lion pin, which appears to be their trademark. I love the lion - it's too bad I can't wear one of those now, lest I be mistaken for an FTP member. The FTPers in charge of propaganda distribution appeared youngish, at a median age of 25-30, and seemingly well-mannered. The FTP grand poobahs who spoke were more mature males in similar dress and of similar demeanor.

By my estimation, the people watching the FTPers were primarily in the 40 to 65 age-range, mostly caucasian, mostly office workers by the look of their clothes, and of well-mixed sex with a slight majority of men. My overall impression of the group were that they were "average" and "similar". Especially compared to the people on our side. There is no focus put on originality of character or dress.

Whereas our small but well-noticed group did not seem to be just the usual sheep. Unique people who are not afraid to swim upstream for a worthy cause. The sympathizers to our cause who were just walking through also appeared to be more individual and independent.

I have been asking myself since the rally if not being "average" as a person is a springboard for more freedom of thought. Personally, I think that by not fitting into any group, and not being inclined to do what everyone else was doing, I never developed a reliance on herd-think.

Does that make sense?

Does that answer your question?

[ September 25, 2002: Message edited by: Amazon ]</p>

YoursTrulyBeth

Amazon, Thank You! You can view her picture here:

<a href="http://groups.msn.com/IllinoisFreethought/shoebox.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=4" target="_blank">http://groups.msn.com/IllinoisFreethought/shoebox.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=4</a>

Amazon

Forgot to mention -

There was at least one interviewer with a personal recorder who surveyed people on both sides of the street (myself, included). Didn't ask him if he worked for a paper. Maybe he was a Chicago Reader reporter? I speculate.

No TV cameras. One private video camera on the FTP side who taped us, too.

So, I predict very little coverage. However, I'll be picking up the next couple Readers to scan for perspective.

Jayhawker Soule

Amazon, thank you for the information. It is precisely what I was looking for. Thanks again.

Amazon

D'OH!!

I just realized that I had been calling this group FTPers, instead of TFPers.

I meant no disrespect by my mangling of the name.

It seems that I might need to spend a bit more time away from my PC. But, since I need to use it all day for work, I suppose I will just get more feeble-minded.

Oh well.

Amazon

Okay, since my last post was (hopefully) kind, I have to add a catty remark. The above entry from Pope in the Woods jogged one more memory out of me.

There were 3 policemen assigned to our rally. None of them spent much time on our side, and they didn't seem to be watching us very closely. At one point, 2 officers were leaning against a railing/bike rack type metal bar close to the street on our side. They were chatting, as we all do, then one officer turned around to face us and said to his partner in a voice loud enough for us to hear,
"I guess this is how we get our wings."

It wasn't a sympathy statement toward us. I interpreted by his manner and sarcastic tone that, not only was the whole protest a nuissance (which I'm sure it was), but that he was more inclined toward the other side of the street.

Even the cops have to get their jibes in.

Amazon

RD,
Were you not able to make it today?