Article on the Pittsboro town meeting

Below is an update (from www.impeachbushcheney.net/article2.htm) about the last town meeting, held in Pittsboro in May.  The Raleigh town meeting will be July 29th and a meeting is being planned in Winston-Salem.  GRIM now has its own website, www.grassrootsimpeachment.org (www.impeachbushcheney.net is a separate site associated with GRIM, like this blog). 

 

Impeach Bush rally held in Pittsboro By Cara McDonough, Chatham News May 25, 2006 Normally the Superior Courtroom in Pittsboro is reserved for issues of a serious nature. Last Tuesday night was no different. Only the crowd expressed their message not only with passionate speeches and statistics, but harmonicas, guitars and a group of singers known as the Raging Grannies. (The name speaks for itself). The North Carolina Grassroots Impeachment Movement, which has already won support with the Chapel Hill and Carrboro town councils, brought their cause to Pittsboro last week. The group supports activist groups across the county that are standing up to the current administration. Outside the court room visitors could grab fact sheets and bumper stickers being handed out by Wes Hare of Chapel Hill's Peace is Patriotic group. The rally, which drew about 50 people, included entertainment from singer-songwriter Janet Bratter as well as the Chapel Hill group The Raging Grannies. Bratter began the evening with her song, "Little Boys With Poison Toys." The Raging Grannies next took the stand, singing several tunes, most notably their famous impeachment song to the tune of "I've Been Working on the Railroad." "We are calling for impeachment, all the live-long day/We are calling for impeachment just to send those crooks away," they sang, wearing flowered hats, and accompanied by a kazoo. But though amusing at times, the rally was a serious call to action. Chatham's own Rev. Carrie Bolton, in her first public engagement since suffering a stroke eight months ago, told the crowd that "we need to stop all the lying." "Mr. Bush, take your seat in the corner and let someone else take over," she said to the those in attendance, who expressed their agreement vocally and with a standing ovation. "What this administration has been about is destruction, destruction." Kent Kanoy, who ran unsuccessfully against incumbent David Price in the primary race for the 4th District U.S. Congressional seat, said he ran on a platform for impeachment and is now urging Price to do the same. Kanoy said that he ran for office because the cause was great enough that he felt he had to do something. "I tossed my hat in the ring. I've never held political office in my life. I'm not a political activist," he said. He also read a letter he sent to Price soon after the primary election, encouraging the current house representative to stand up to the Bush administration. Attorney Al McSurely, who recently accepted an award from the NAACP for his civil rights work, spoke about the importance of the grassroots mission. "We're talking about high crimes and misdemeanors," he said. "The case for impeaching Bush and Cheney is clear." He said he believed 60-70 percent of the American people would agree to impeachment. "Impeach means to charge. That's what we want to do. It's not as bad as everyone thinks it is," McSurely said. Waiting until the next presidential election just isn't an option, he said. "January 2009 is what some people want to do. January 2009 to clean up this mess – no," McSurely said. "This is a crisis and we have to do something. We can't wait." For more information on the grassroots movement visit www.impeachbushcheney.net .