AfterDowningStreet.org has an amazing historical overview on why tomorrow there will be massive demonstrations and labor union strikes all across the country : 122 years of the 8 hour week and end of child labor, 5 years of "Mission Accomplished" in Iraq, 3 years since the discovery of the Downing Street Minutes, 2 years since the nation-wide immigration rallies of 2006, almost 2 years ago when Nanci Pelosi and Democrats in Congress and the Senate took the impeachment of George Bush for misleading the country to war, "off the table". Yet in one of the most mindboggling examples of the Bush Administration's information war against Americans, May 1st has been declared Loyalty Day.

And here's the thing : You and I know that when it comes down to it, the war against immigrants is a war against labor which is part of a larger attack from the only people who benefit from the other kind of corporate-led violence like the occupation of Iraq.

As my friend Roberto Lovato said earlier, paraphrasing ActUP, "Silence = Death". If you are like me, you hate marches but you go to them because you know that as a symbol of solidarity in dissent you need to go.

So dust off your walking shoes and get your arse to the streets and square tomorrow at 2 or 3pm.

Now that President Bush has vetoed the "Supplemental" because it set end dates for his wrong-headed and immoral war in Iraq, Moveon.org war opponents are set to rally in Union Square Wednesday afternoon. They (and I) hope to help stiffen the backbone of up-to-now fairly courageous anti-war Congressional Democrats and their (very few) GOP allies. The Union Square event, one of many across the US, is a key NYC focus for Moveon.

Find out more, sign up to help and show up: click here.See you there.

As the fourth anniversary of the beginning of the war in Iraq nears (What gift should we send President Bush for such a day in infamy? rotten eggs, tomatoes?) the opportunities for protest are increasing -- perhaps beyond necessity. Two chief chances are Sunday March 18, and Monday March 19, 2007

On Sunday, United For Peace & Justice, the large, anti-war coalition, is holding a march up 6th Ave. from 36th Street and ending at Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza at 47th Street and 1st Avenue, opposite the United Nations where there will be a peace fair (What’s a peace fair? A chance to buy buttons, read leaflets, talk to other anti-warriors, schmooze.). Click here for details.

Joining the main march, will be bike riders like me bicycling from points all over NYC. To bike for peace click here.

Monday evening, Monday March 19th the actual anniversary, Move on members in NYC will hold many candle light vigils. Here are two:

Union Square, Manhattan, South end of Union Square, 14th St. between 4th and Union Sq. West. We'll be standing on the west side of the terrace steps, near the subway entrance. Monday, March 19th at 7:00PM
Click here to sign up.

Columbia University, 116th Street on Broadway, In front of main entrance of to Campus. Monday, March 19th at 6:00PM . Click here to sign up. Or just show up.

Two things have happened to me in the past month that have strenghtened my resolve to reconnect New Yorkers and make New York City the great place it is to live.
`
The day before Mother's Day I had gone out to do a bit of shopping for myself. Mother's Day was one or two weeks after the launch of The Daily Gotham and I was just exhausted. Still am, but more so then than now. I am not just a blogger. I have two kids. Scratch that, I homeschool my two kids, work as a web publisher, contribute to my community as a political activist and write on four blogs. So, when I go out, I don't just go out. I am usually multi-tasking, trying to fit-in one or two household errands in between my political activism and writing.

That day, I was managing grocery shopping and the like and my bag of Mother's Day goodies disappeared. Just like that. I had no idea where I left it or if I left it somewhere or if it is was stolen from me. Needless to say, all stressed-out and cranky, I just cried my eyes out for a whole day.

That's where the lovely people of Windfall Farms come in. I had gone to the Union Square Farmer's Market to treat my family to some organic salad greens (they're expensive, so we don't do this on a regular basis). In my tired haze I left my shopping bag on top of one of the tables. The market people left it just as I had left it there, waiting to see if I'd come back to claim it.

Unfortunately, by the time I reckoned I had lost the bag, they had packed up and gone. Later than week, when I reported the bag stolen to the Farmer's Market management, they suggested to go back to the stalls I had visited that day, just in case. Of course, I went to all of them and left the green stand for last. And what do you know! There, in their truck and quite prominently visible in the front seat (may I add), was my shopping bag. They had kept it, hoping that once I'd come back for more greens, I'd get it back.

Needless to say, now I am buying greens there every week for the rest of my life.

That was 3 weeks ago --and yes, I thought about writing about it but said, well, it's not politics. Well, now, I am going to write these because it gets better.

I took the kids to their last soccer meet this past Wednesday. We took the M8 over to Pier 40, where most homeschoolers in New York City have their weekly "physical education class". Well, I lost my wallet with half of my money and all my credit cards. This time I did not go berserk, but I was worried. Well, on my way out to The Drum Major Institute event that night, what do you know? I get a phone call from "Jerry", one of the office managers at the bus depot over on 40th Street and 11th Avenue. He had found my wallet on his way to work. He reckoned by the address that he was a neighbor of mine, so he took the wallet to the depot and gave me a call home. "I found your wallet on the bus, just come and pick it up whenever you can."

Needless to say, I thanked him profusely and shook his hand so hard it almost came out of its socket. I have no idea what to send him --flowers would be a bit ... fey. Should I do a fruit basket?

And this is why I HEART New York. It's not that it is an amazing city. The people that live and work here make it the place it is. I have to say, I've been blessed by the city that never sleeps.