 Photos From the National Governors Association Meeting, August 5 and 6, 2006(The link below goes to a page with about 2 MB of photos and a short report.)  A police officer is warning members of the Progressive Patriots and of Military Families Speak Out to beware of a group they will meet at the end of their planned march. According to the officer, the people in question are committing vandalism by using spray paint, and it would be a bad idea to mingle with them.  Many of the signs were brought from Columbia by members of Military Families Speak Out. Here they are marching down Meeting Street, together with many Progressive Patriots and one or two Charleston Peace members.  Marchers are on the left; on the right are some of the alleged vandals. They are members of Mountain Justice Summer and have come from throughout the Southeastern US in the hope of educating the Nation's governors about the terrible destruction being caused by coal mining by mountaintop removal. Here, they are having little luck finding any governors (a bus of them did come by once, probably on the way to the golf course on Kiawah Island.) However, their leaflets and brochures seemed very popular with tourists.  One of the marchers (with the flag) is learning about mountaintop removal.  Another marcher visiting the alleged spraypainters. The police kindly stayed across the street. They even supplied both groups with bottled water. (They did insist that I could not bring my sign with me when I joined the Mountain Justice group. It was indeed inappropriate: it said, "Make JOBS, NOT WAR." Where would we be if the police didn't remind us to stay on topic!)  Sunday - Maybe this is what made that police officer think of spray paint? It was indeed quite a colorful ceremony: Big Coal was joined in marriage to the governors of the Appalachian states. The ceremony took place at 12:30 at Waterfront Park ... and later at the Market, and again in front of the governors' hotel. The street theatre perfomed by Mountain Justice was informative, well done, and quite funny. But the reason for the performance is another example of the incredible destruction we allow to happen because we don't have the time or energy to fight against the damage done by corporate greed. Please visit the Mountain Justice Summer website and find out why these remarkable young people are working so hard and fighting so passionately, and please help them in any way you can, including by sending a donation. If you were at one of these demonstrations and would like some of the pictures (there are lots more!), email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it |
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