October 20, 2000 Rally

Friday, October 20, 2000: Thanks to our friends from San Diego and Irvine who drove all the way here to support us, Debbie B, Judie M. and Linda S. We really appreciate your support!

We had approximately 50 members and supporters. Very loud, many signs and a huge audience. Mr. Nader was conveniently late, so we got a lot more "air time" to voice our issues. There were no network tv reporters that we saw and no Riverside Press Enterprise, unless they were hiding from us! However, Chris Benoit was interviewed by a reporter from KVCR, Channel 56. We were also interviewed on tape by the Green Party and made ourselves conspicuous in front of any video cameras we saw! We were interviewed by a reporter from the UCR Highlander, the San Bernardino Sun Times (I'll see if I can find an article tomorrow), and several others I'm ashamed to say, I don't know the names.

We were also told by our Police Chief that the signs on sticks that Chris B., Chris Straitt and others in their office worked so hard on, must come off the sticks in the future because they're afraid they could be used as weapons (against us, of course).

All in all, a very good rally I think. There were 500 people allowed in the Theatre (we were unable to get tickets in) and probably another several hundred outside listening on a screen and speakers. We handed out many fliers and had many people come up and ask us what this was all about.