Help Stop The Naming of A NYC Street After Mumia - *Updated 02/06/07

From Anti-MOVE/Mumia

Having profaned a street in a suburb of France the pro-Jamal zealots have now decided to repeat their "success" here in the United States by having a street in New York City, named after the convicted cop-killer. Pursuant to this goal, the Mumia devotees have started a petition and have even gone so far as to raise money for T.V. commercial spots as a means of bringing attention to their cause.

To name a street after a confirmed killer, cult apologist, and virulent anti-American fanatic like Jamal would be a vile testament to the power of propaganda and an ugly reminder that ignorance has again triumphed over common sense and human decency. In order to counter the Jamal supporters efforts a petition has been launched that I encourage everyone to sign and circulate amongst your family and friends.

The facts of the case are available at danielfaulkner.com.

Sign the petition and let us show that the citizens of this country have no interest in honoring murderers.

UPDATE: 01/30/07
There are over 7,400 signatures and climbing on the 'Say No To Naming A Harlem Street After a Cop-Killer' petition. The story is now up on the website for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

UPDATE: 01/31/07
For information about who and what is behind the " NYC Pro-Mumia Street" petition go to Anti-MOVE/Mumia.

UPDATE: 02/06/07
The 'Say No to Naming a Harlem Street after a Cop-Killer' petition has reached 22,000 signatures. I'd say this is an outstanding show of both public outrage and unity among law enforcement on local, state and federal levels as well as the law-abiding public at large. For information on where to send emails to the New York City Council go to Anti-MOVE/Mumia.

A Report from Times Square

I caught up with the anti-war protests in Times Square tonight. There were some patriots on hand as well. I put together three photo slideshows below featuring a very special surprise attendee, Lynne Stewart, who some of you may know, I've photographed before.

Although this was the most peaceful of all our counter-demonstrations so far, there were a couple of anti-war protestors that lunged and cursed at us. The police had to step in control the situation because some of those peaceniks just cannot resist their violent tendencies. I've seen this time and time again. The passersby in Times Square by seemed genuinely curious about what we had to say. There were even heartening outbursts of applause for us at a couple of points.

First slideshow can been seen here. Second one here. Third one here.

Books Are Either Dreams or Swords

My blogging has been light lately because I have been working on a book proposal. Not being a trained writer, as many of you may have guessed by now, it is a terrific challenge. I went to art school, so painting and drawing are my better talents. In painting you can make broad sweeps of the brush, leaps with color and light or be completely abstract. But with writing you have to be pinpoint specific, produce a sculpture of words, finely arranged.

I have had a short story published before, but it was a somewhat simpler task than the one presently at hand. I give a lot of credit to writers, even the mass-market paperback hacks, writing a book is not an easy thing to do. Don't want to jinx it by saying too much too soon, but I will say this -- it isn't about politics. It is a non-fiction title however, and I do have an agent as well as lot of publishing and media contacts.

Of course I will still be photographing and covering any interesting political events that I attend in the near future. There are some coming up, so please stay tuned.

I would love to know what all of you are reading, what's in your book pile and what you recommend.

A Tale of Two Rallies

We had a counter protest to the candlelight vigil by the Grannies for Peace last night at Union Square Park. Immediately they did what they could to block us by stepping in front of our banner and shouting us down. They were absolutely intolerant of our right to speak and had to be asked several times by the police to please stand back and to not interfere or to prevent us from protesting. It wasn't easy.

A very large group of people began to gather. As you would expect on 14th Street is very crowded, most were passersby stopping to watch and take pictures. But things started to get unruly when a few rabble rousers started whipping the giddy herd into a heightened state by jumping around and chanting 'no justice, no peace.' It doesn't take much, and it is amazing when you watch mob mentality sweeping through like a fire. They stayed for quite a while hurling invectives and low insults of every kind at one of our people who is a very brave woman who lost her brother in the World Trade Center. The things they said to her were disgraceful but she was undaunted.

After a while the situation began to degenerate and the police actually had to create a perimeter around us because the hecklers were getting too close and it was clear it would have gotten out of hand. How incredible is it that in the middle of New York City people are so intolerant of a different point of view, it brings them to violence.

What made all of this worth it were the two US soldiers who happened to be passing by at different times and walked through the angry throng to publicly thank us and shake hands.

One of the members of our group was interviewed by the Associated Press in an article which appeared in the International Herald Tribune.

The photos that I took can be seen here.