May 12th, 2001

Granny D. in Concord

"We have a duty to look after each other.
If we lose control of our government,
then we lose our ability to dispense
justice and human kindness.
Our first priority today, then,
is to defeat utterly,
those forces of greed and corruption
that have come between us
and our self-governance."
--Doris Haddock

At 90 years of age, Doris "Granny D." Haddock walked from California to Washington D.C. lobying for campaign finance reform. Her one-man act received coverage from national and local media.

She spoke to an appreciative crowd, then proceeded to a Concord book store where she lectured, answered questions and signed copies of her new book. Next, she was honored at the home of Concord residents Bill and Margie McCormick. You can read Doris' brilliant speeches for free at grannyd.com which also has some terrific WWII-style campaign finance reform posters you can download.

The Rally

Days after the defeat of clean elections legislation by our elected legislators, several dozen Grass Roots Activists, Community Leaders, and Friends of Democracy gathered at Monument Square in Concord to meet, hear and support Granny D, who encouraged citizens to use direct action to seize control of our own democratic process.
(I was there at the State House for the vote but thepols seem to have misinformed activists and rescheduled the vote to avoid a planned protest -This is not unusual in my experience. -F.Z.)

The backlash from State 'Representative' Atkins' recent non-representational vote on Election Law could prove politically fatal next November. Bill Ellis pictured.

Pam Kelly noticed that Atkins' vote paternalistically contradicted the will of the people as expressed in official, local, non-binding referenda

Granny D. encouraged the crowd of about 100 local activists and leaders, noting that incumbent politicians repeatedly tell her that voters don't care about campaign reform.

Carol Dwyer is one of the many respected and effective Grass Roots Activists who attended. Carol is a founder of Grass Roots Actions for Peace, which is celebrating it's 10th year as they fight the Depleted Uranium weapons industry and uraneous contamination of her home town.

I overheard someone saying, "If Atkins and the others who defeated the bill have a 'better' plan, they had better lay it on the table, or forget about our votes!"

Signing, Talk, Q/A Session

A participant asked Doris how can she talk to these incumbents who oppose reform, as they are her idealogical opponents. Her reply was a generous Jeffersonian appreciation for their situation: (paraphrasing)

"These people start out with noble aspirations, then they find themselves captive to a corrupt big-money system. This is why reform is necessary. Just throwing the incumbentsoutwill change nothing." Hear her own words at grannyd.com !

Doris shares her philosophy with an attentive audience

...And listens respectfully to their questions

The animated nonogenarian illustrates a point

No Secret Service or flak-vests here! Doris is warm and personal

The After-Party!

Yet another constituent, Eric Smith, a lifelong Concord resident, signs the crowded petition to State 'Representative' Atkins. The petition was composed by the Alliance for Democracy, a national organization opposing corporate rule.

A chocolate cake for the folk-heroine!

You saw it here first!

Sarah Cannon Holden has announced her candidacy for Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts

Note: this is a Freeman Z. exclusive! (May 14, 2001)

Canis fidelis domesticus bears a picket and guards the petition (How's my Latin? -F.Z.)

Freeman'z Rant:

This recovery of American Democracy requires more than just voting and protest, but also reprioritizing our lives to accomodate our own active involvement in campaigns and legislation. The more we do for ourselves and our neighborhoods, the less we will rely on government and its concomittant corruption.

The next time you catch someone asking "What are 'they' doing about (fill in the blank)", ask yourself the question that matters: "What are we doing about it?" Then you will act on your perfect instincts and all will be cosmically groovy.

Visit grannyd.com

GrannyD in D.C.

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