Black Lives Matter March - Seattle, March 5, 2017

Many great signs

All ages participated

On March the 5th, 2017, a good-sized Black Lives Matter march took place in Seattle, protesting the building of a new juvenile "justice" center.

It was an energetic march, and well-attended. 

Flyer and book table.

A good live report can be found here. It does a better job reporting the march itself, and getting live video interviews. 

This is so much different from the WTO marches, when media concentrated on a few marchers who attended for the purpose of making trouble, instead of on the thousands of marchers there to be seriously involved and to make a statement. 

You'd think the larger story would have been better Pulitzer bait. The media did a better job this time. Then again, when everybody there has camera phones, traditional media has to get its act together.

Me and Barbara

The pink sign around my neck says "Jews for Black Lives Matter." The woman passing them out said that, before, when they'd made signs for different groups, they ran out, and then everybody wore the Jewish signs. So she just made the Jewish signs this time. So I wore one. 

Pink is the color of Resist, of course. We all know why.

Barbara is a woman I met at the march. She didn't have a hat, it was drizzling, and I had an extra Nasty Woman Pussy Hat (my amateur crocheted hats). So I gave her one that fit her. I soon lost her in the march; I hope she's enjoying her wicked Resist hat! It's darned cute on her.

More signs

There were a lot of signs, and a lot of people. 

Of course, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence were there, as they always represent for good causes. You can't become a full-fledged Nun in the Sisters until you've run your own charity event.

The march stopped at certain intersections, so individuals could give speeches and point out how many people in government and even the college had money in the detention center. The mayor and the college were outed for having monetary connections with the center.

The Sisters

One wonders how anyone can think anything's secret any more. I guess the same people who think emails are "secure?" The old Right-wing line "If you have nothing to hide you have nothing to fear" is coming back to bite them in the butt.

The police were well-behaved. The vehicles were there to guarantee our safety in traffic, and the bicycle police accompanied us on one sidewalk. I told one of them I'd been in the WTO marches, and I liked seeing the police not wearing riot gear. 

Pause for speeches

After WTO, the best of the police knew they'd been had by the city and their commanders, and decided to do things differently. But we still have too much police action against POC and immigrants. Which was pointed out by the marchers. 

The march went down to Yesler and turned up the hill. After a few blocks, we were asking whose idea it was to trudge up a Seattle hill. But the march only slowed down for a couple more blocks before regaining its energy. It was up for any challenges.

BLM hoodie

A few masked folks showed up at this point and tried to escalate, but we pretty much ignored them. You'd think they'd know they've been outed by now. Masks and yelling, "Fuck the Cops!" - really? Like you don't think we know who you are, or what you're trying to do? 

The cops are a uniformed fan club, and if they're poked, they panic, especially when they're been cool. We know that now, and we're not letting anybody steal the thunder, no matter who they are. They know they're going to look bad, attacking nice protestors when there are so many cameras.

Resist

That doesn't mean the message was weak. The people speaking demanded better treatment of all Seattle's people, and pointed fingers at business interests in the prison industry, which concentrates people of color. 

As one woman said, we white people KNOW we have privilege, and standing up for these historically attacked groups - who were a major force in building this country, or victims of its expansion - is our duty. We need to not bite the hand that fed us.

Speeches - lots of folks

At about half-way through the march, I hit my second wind, and got pretty drunk on adrenaline, marching up the hill too fast, especially for the hard driving I would have to do the next day. Me and the stronger kids, leaving the parade behind. 

As we were near where I was staying, I left the march and took some final photos. 

The march continued on, energy unabated.

Up Yesler

Gabriela Maya's Postcard Project

Gale Etschmaier

Rob Ray

While at the San Diego Comicfest, Mexican artist Gabriela Maya gave me a stack of her beautiful manga postcards.

She requested that I use them to send to friends, and to ask them to send back photos I could share with her.

I only send postcards to a couple of people. Neither of them has an email account, nor digital cameras. So it becomes difficult to finish the project with postcard people.

So I decided to send the photos to Special Collections at the San Diego State Love Library. I asked Pam Jackson at SDSU to give me a hand collecting photos, and she came through like a trooper! 

First up, we have SDSU Library Dean Gale Etschmaier.

Angela Risi

Anna Culbertson

Then Rob Ray, Head of Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA). I've corresponded with Rob for a long time, and he's been very busy making sure wonderful things happen with my collection for the school, the students and all my readers.

Next is Angela Risi, SCUA Foundation Employee.

Then Anna Culbertson, Assistant Head of Special Collections and University

Archives.

Then Wil Weston, Head of Collections

Wil Weston

Pam Jackson

And finally Pam Jackson herself, and her own wonderful title, Special Collections Librarian.

But I have five postcards left. I should think about who to send these to. 

My only problem is, I have too many friends!!

Moan and La Groan.

2017 Emerald City Comicon Report

Just The Thing For Spring

First of all, on the absolutely fabulous Artists' Alley on its OWN floor (the 6th), we have Carla Speed McNeil in one of the Nasty Woman Pussy Hats I've been freehand crocheting out of remnant thrift-store wool. She models it with her ever-so antique Hermes scarf. It's just HER.

Roberta Gregory says to watch for it on Jaeger in Carla's Future books. While drunk, probably.... or will Nasty Women march in Finder?

Touch it.

THIS IS HOW THIS STUFF GETS STARTED. Us writers are more like the party than most people think. We're more like the directors of Despicable Me, who giggle their way through their commentaries, and doing Minion voices.

While you're at it, you need to get her "No Mercy." One of the best and most horrible and true.

Now wait until Chris Pegg finds out about the Bible plot we have for him. He can play Jesus - or Joseph, who we KNOW must have been a hottie.

Time to Die!

Emerald City has a No-touchy policy on co-splayers - but what do you do when the Gang O' Deadpools and Harly Quinn show up and say "Spank that thang!"?

At sci-fi shows, the Klingons are the crackpots who do what they want any way they want. Looks like Deadpool will be taking over that roll at comicons.

RED DWARF! RED DWARF! Do not look upon me, oh Mr. Flibble of glary death. I

Queen of the Potato People.

used both these photos because I are a Dwarfer, of course. 

I dare yo.

And now more Deadpool nuttiness. Including Mashups. That movie may be faux X-rated, but it's a genuine clever silliness generator.

I don't know what this next character is, but her dad engineered the wings, and they fold down

Fly girl!

and outwards. Amazing stuff on the floors, every year.

Gotta catch up.

I love when the anachronisms of everyday life show up in fantasy. As in this gorgeous creature with her purple-and-scythe, texting away between photo-ops.

Of course, had to get a legit pose photo, too. One of my favorite costumes this year.

Stop me. I dare you.

Sharp!

More Deadpool goofiness. "I'm playing Deadpool. I'll do whatever I want! So there!" (Except during Lent?)

WHEW!

Speaking of able costuming, this woman with CatBus and Totoro had never made a costume before. I find that hard to believe! She has a career ahead of her.

She's discovering how hot it gets on the show floor, however! 

Passengers and all!

Back in full costume, in front of one of my favorite booths every year, Fez-O-Rama. Each year I am more tempted.

Long Day!

Poison Ivy is a great costume, but it comes with very high heels. An Ivy kicks back with the kimono she wears to get to her car in the Seattle rain or cold parking towers, and no shoes. I say she could get away with red flats. To match her hair.

And of course it wouldn't be America without lying religious assholes showing up.

These JeHos could have just posted, "We have a cool imaginary fan club, too! And books!" Instead, they couldn't help themselves.

Trolling for kiddies.

They're pushing cures for "depressed teens." One of their number showed up and said, "We need more kids!" 

Thanks a lot, you mental child molesters. I pity the gay kid tries to not commit suicide in YOUR fake-doctor hands. 

At least they're forced to be on the street with the ticket-scalpers where they belong.