Jazz Funeral and Wake for Democracy in New Orleans [View All]

[JaneDoughnut]

I'm posting this on behalf of Christie, the coordinator in NO. Check the Louisiana Democrat group on Yahoo (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LouisianaDemocrat/messages) and read the Jazz Funeral messages to get in touch with the coordinators. This Yahoo group also has some good ideas and actions for dealing with the upcoming voting machine purchases in Louisiana.
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We are having a Jazz Funeral in New Orleans on Inauguration Day!

We are in the preliminary planning stages now for it. Our goal is to have the Jazz Funeral for Democracy on the nightly news Inauguration Day along with what is going to happen in Washington!

Tuesday, December 14th, we are having another planning meeting for it in New Orleans. If you are interested in helping or attending, I can fill in details for you. We have a parade route and permit, several Jazz bands for the parade, a hearse and, I think, a horse. We intend to represent any and all groups whose rights are being trampled by this administration. (OK, that leaves the religious right and millionaires.) We will have marchers from anti-war groups, environmentalists, gay rights, women's rights, and anyone else who feels a need to express their feelings to the world on January 20th.

This is a great way (my opinion here) to support our state and to show that the people in the (red) state of Louisiana do care.

Here is information about the Jazz Funeral, A Wake for Peace

The March:

The march will begin promptly @ 11:00 AM from Congo Square (aka "Louis Armstrong Park") on Rampart Street across from the French Quarter. Please be there no later than 10:00 AM (committee members by 9:00AM). We will proceed down Rampart to Canal Street and head towards the river. At Decatur Street, we will turn south and pause at the Moon Walk for a brief rally with music and speakers.

http://www.experienceneworleans.com/jackson.html

It is there that some kind of gesture in keeping with both traditional New Orleans jazz funerals and the political agenda will be accomplished.

At that moment, the mourning phase will conclude and the second line will commence. We will second line down the rest of Decatur Street, turn briefly onto Esplanade before heading down Frenchman Street to Washington Square Park where we will further celebrate with our own version of an inaugural ball. We hope to have live music and adult refreshments awaiting our arrival.

Map of the Quarter: http://www.french.com/maps/

The costs of the city permit will be paid by a friend of the event.

MUSIC:

Another friend of the event has volunteered to hire the Treme' Brass Band as the official funeral band, although we are advised that we should expect many volunteer musicians to join the procession.

http://www.donnasbarandgrill.com/treme.htm

Leigh "Little Queenie" Harris (http://littlequeenie.com/) has agreed to perform following the march, as has God's Little Toy (http://godslittletoy.com/). Many others have expressed interest and we are awaiting several expected commitments.

ACCOMMODATIONS/TRAVEL

We are reserving blocks of rooms in and near the Quarter which we can make available to out of town guests at a much reduced rate of $69.00/night (first come/first serve-the rooms @ the Lafayette Hotel on St. Charles Avenue are highly recommended and will go fast. (http://www.thelafayettehotel.com/track.cgi/besthotels//)

Air fare reductions to Louis Armstrong International Airport are in negotiations.

For more information on these matters, email wax1 @ bellsouth.net.

TASK GROUPS:

A listing of the various task groups and the individuals assigned thereto will be published shortly. All need extra talent and energy. Look for the listing in the coming days and get involved.

STUFF:

T-shirts, buttons and funeral cards should be available for distribution on or before December 12, 2004.

WEB PAGE:

Our web page should be online by next Thursday. We hope to work out something with Cafe Press for online access to promotional merchandise.

NEXT MEETING: TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14 @ 6:00 PM @ THE WAX