For those of you out there who follow this sort of thing, yep, there was a demo, sponsored by Nevada Workers Against The War and MoveOn. org, among other groups, on the 27th of January, 2007, at the Lloyd D. George Federal Courthouse here in Las Vegas.

The demo lasted from approxiamately 12:40 in the PM, until around 3:05 PM, and, by my extremely rough guesstimate, there were around 40-50 people in attendance there, including members of groups like the Clark County Green Party, the Clark County Democratic Party, and Food Not Bombs, which kindly put up a table there, and gave out soup and other goodies.

The general mood and tone of the demo was good-humoured and confident, especially with the considerable support given to us by most of the drivers passing us by, who honked their horns in appreciation for what we were doing.

There were three counter-demonstrators in front of the former Federal Courthouse across the street from the current one(Actually, it may have been just two counter-demonstrators, as one of the trio present never held a sign at any point, at least that I saw, while they were around), who were eventually joined in proximity, though not in spirit, by around three or four of our lot, though ours were kept away from too close a distance to the former by the Homeland Security officer working outside the building that day.

In fact, towards the demo's end, we even had some folks on the north-east and north-west corners of Las Vegas Blvd. South and Bridger, which is the first time I've ever seen that done at a demo here.

Could there have been more folks there that day??? Sure.

But, for as conservative/apathetic a town like Las Vegas, the numbers and spirit at the demo were pretty good.

Here's hoping the next one will have even more of y'all turnin' out.

Now, enough of my blather, and to the pics, already in progress.

This one and its precedent were taken shortly after the demo began to get under way at around 12:40 PM.

This was a sign-up table set up and run by the local chapter of MoveOn.org, I believe, and had a number of petitions, sign-up lists and other literature of that ilk.

In the centre-background, you can see two of the counter-demonstrators I mentioned in the text above.

Didn't get close enough to 'em to get the text on their signs, but, I believe the male counter-demonstrator's sign read "Support The Troops", or some other original sentiment like that.

Some members of the local chapter of Food Not Bombs and the Clark County Green Party chatting with perhaps the most colourfully-dressed of any of the demonstrators, whose pic you'll see directly below.

See??? I wasn't lyin'. Now, was I???

This woman, whose name nor affiliation I know, was indeed the show-stopper of the demo as far as dress was concerned.

Took this at about 1:16 PM or so that afternoon, and, pardon my blowing my own horn here for a second, but I think it's one of the best shots I got that whole day.

That said, it should be noted that I sure as Hell didn't plan the shot to look that way.

Sometimes, in photography as in life, there really is such a thing as dumb luck, and my life is testimony to that.

This is the first of two pics devoted to this particular sign, which caught my eye 'cos of the Bush doll, with, yes, his pants on fire. The demonstrator who had this sign told me that one can get more lil' suckers like that one at www. pantsonfire.com/, which is printed on the critter's back-side.

More of, though blurrier, Mr. Bush's dolly doppelganger wid his pants a-fire.

Two lovely members of the FNB contingent at the FNB table.

The reason the young lady on the left's looking a bit perplexed, is 'cos I called out to her just as I got this particular shot.

By the way, if the pic looks God-Damned bright compared with the others, it's 'cos I edited it, by adjusting the brightness and contrast levels in it, when I got home, 'cos the original pic was plenty dark.

Incidentally, all of the pics have been half-sized for easier up-loading here.

Two members of the MoveOn.org contingent with their signs and their flag!!!! Make of 'em what you will.

The demonstrator holdin' up the sign in this is an old and dear friend of mine from my cafe poetry days around UNLV, and it sure was swell to see her again after not havin' seen her in a dog's age.

This was taken shortly after some of our contingent members crossed the street and took up positions right close to the counter-demonstrators, who were joined by a young man, who never held a sign or said or did much of anything, except look across the street at us.

This pic was also taken very shortly after our bunch across the street were shooed a little farther down the sidewalk by the Homeland Security officer I mentioned in the article above.

The last of these pics shows, at background left, the Homeland Security officer whom I just mentioned, having a rather lengthy chat, whose nature of which I am ignorant, about some subject or another.

This was the last of the pics I took that day for the extremely simple reason that my camera's memory card was filled up, and the demo ended about roughly 30-45 minutes or more, after the former happened.

A couple more bits before I make like a shepherd and flock off.

The first's that, among the people who showed up at the demo, was a fella from the WSWS Party, who passed out some flyers for that organisation, while wearin' a suit!!!

I asked 'im how come the suit, and he told me that he'd just got off work, that's why.

A Socialist in a Suit!!! Glory Be!!!!

The other bit's a notice that there are on-going peace vigils, sponsored by Nevada Desert Experience at the south-east corner of Las Vegas Blvd South and Bridger, every Thursday mornin' from 8:30 to 9:30, right by the Lloyd D. George Federal Courthouse. So, if'n you're in that part of town then, and have the time, go on over and help 'em out by attending. You could do far worse than that, any day of the week.

Anyhow, that's it for me. So, until next time, be seein' ya.

Well Goodness how things have changed. It is good to see an older crowd, although it may be lacking the youthful vigor and heart-heavy radicalism of a reckless highschool dropout circle that I was once a part of. Alas, nostalgia. Donald you are great and good to see some new FnBees buzzing around.

Donald,

I should have thanked you already for these pictures, they are great and capture the spirit of the demonstration. I beg to differ on one thing, I know at least 160 people were there (as someone counted), maybe up to 200.

Keep showing up and documenting these events, we hope to at least double the size of the next demonstration on March 17th.

Solidarity

Dave

DOUBLE? LET'S GO FOR THREE TIMES AS MANY, DAVE!!!! I'M BETTING WITH AS MANY FLIERS AS YOU GUYS GAVE OUT, THIS IS GONNA BE HUGE!! THE LAS VEGAS "OUT OF IRAQ" COALITION IS OFF TO A GREAT START!!! GREAT PIX DONALD!!

F.Y.I.: THE PEACE VIGIL ON THURSDAYS IS PUT ON BY THE CATHOLIC WORKER, NOT NEVADA DESERT EXPERIENCE.

Thank Y'all very kindly, Children, for your comments on my work!!!! Much appreciated, those.

Dave, never was much at estimatin' crowd sizes, so I think in future, I'll leave that up to others.

Darwin, always good to hear from your lovely self, and hope life's treatin' ya better than well wherever you are now.

EZ, just plain Thank You for your compliment of my pics.

Take care, Y'all, and don't stay strangers.