Bob Hayes Online

I went up to a teaparty event outside the offices of Congresswoman Diana DeGette (D-01) in Denver yesterday. There was an event scheduled for my own representative, but it would be rather anticlimactic in staunchly red Colorado Springs. (“I’m Congressman Lamborn. What are you protesting for?” “We demand that you vote against this health care bill!” “OK, will do!” “Oh…uh…well…”) The event at the Democratic office promised more exciting blog action.

It was a gorgeous sunny day and I really regretted that fact that the air conditioning in the Black Mamba isn’t working. (Should have turned it in as a clunker and gotten a shiny new Hyundai, I guess!)

I have a secret parking spot in Denver that I often use for events – it’s a shady street with long-term meters and it’s very close to the downtown core. Less hassles and a healthy walk, what could be better? Unfortunately, this time I must have failed my Navigation skill check, because I thought the rally was going to be at the capitol building. Instead, it was a good ten blocks south, and while my parking spot was in fact only seven blocks or so from the event, my chosen route would end up taking me about twenty blocks all told.

I (mistakenly) walked and walked to get to Capitol Hill, expecting at any moment to come across my crowd of protesters. Instead, just mostly-empty parks:

And historic Denver landmarks:

When I finally got to Grant Street I realized that the rally was the aforementioned ten blocks south. It was too far to go back to the car, so I just trudged it.

And trudged it.

And trudged it.

Finally…up in the distance…could it be? A glimpse of placards waving in the air? Yes:

Here’s our team in various poses. There were between 25 and 35 of us there at any particular time. We had a main group on the north end of the intersection and a smaller group on the south side. The Obamanauts were also on the south side.

Our main team:

Our emergency backup team:

Jed and his fellow members of the Tyranny Response Team: ever vigilant.

Want to see those signs better?

(T-shirt text: There are 10 kinds of people in this world, people who get binary and people who don’t.)

Here’s the Obama group. There were usually about 10 of them. Periodically they sidled up and tried to integrate with our satellite group to try and look bigger, or perhaps they were trying out an anschluss. Note the preprinted signs. That’s the sign of grass-roots activism, you know – having your own union print shop with a standing order of “Hope” posters.

Some of our better signs:

During the rally, cars and pedestrians passed by. We got the bulk of the love, but there were some catcalls too. One driver literally leaned out of his car to shout “Are you giving up your Medicare? Are you giving up your Medicare?” loudly. Alas, the obvious riposte (“No, we’re trying to save it from YOU!”) came too late. Catcallers really should go around the block and come around again so that the slower-witted of us have time to prepare our responses.

There wasn’t a great deal of excitement, but it was good to see the people letting their representatives know their opinions. It was nice to see Jed and the boys again, but the summer afternoon was dwindling and the wife was expecting me home…here’s a last parting shot from this tiny outpost of participatory democracy.

And then a long trudge back to the Black Mamba for the return voyage (and date night with the wife) – I’d post a picture of the car but its sheer awesomeness would make you realize the futility of your own crappy life and you’d have no choice but to end it all, and I don’t want that on my conscience.