www.RogerWendell.com
Roger J. Wendell
Defending 3.8 Billion Years of Organic Evolution^SM

Activists

1999 New Mexico Protest to stop WIPP (Waste Isolation Pilot Plant)

The Constitution protects the right to protest under the First Amendment, which states that "Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of speech...or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." This means individuals have the right to gather and express their views peacefully.     Over the years I have witnessed countless public demonstrations and protests. And, admittedly, I've participated in a few myself. Unfortunately, many "modern day" protests (George Floyd, No Kings, Minneapolis, etc.) degenerate into lawless riots that damage property, endanger public safety, threaten law enforcement, groom chilcren, and inconvenience the general public by blocking roads and whole sections of town.     Activism and protests are not only a right but also an American tradition. However, let's work together to keep these activities peaceful, respectful, and dignified!

Also, click Here for Signs of Protest...

Occupy:

In January '12 I interviewd Occupy Boulder activists Fiore Grey, Ilan Sherman, Zachary Friar, Kate Josephson, and Daniel Thorson on my radio show at KGNU.   This particular interview focused on recent city measures to ban overnight occupation of parks and other city property. We covered a lot of important information throughout the interview and I appreciated receiving this Thank You note from the group.   Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get a photograph of an Occupy encampment so this card should help serve as part of the historical record...

Advice:

"One final paragraph of advice: do not burn yourselves out. Be as I am - a reluctant enthusiast....a part-time crusader, a half-hearted fanatic. Save the other half of yourselves and your lives for pleasure and adventure. It is not enough to fight for the land; it is even more important to enjoy it. While you can. While it's still here. So get out there and hunt and fish and mess around with your friends, ramble out yonder and explore the forests, climb the mountains, bag the peaks, run the rivers, breathe deep of that yet sweet and lucid air, sit quietly for a while and contemplate the precious stillness, the lovely, mysterious, and awesome space. Enjoy yourselves, keep your brain in your head and your head firmly attached to the body, the body active and alive, and I promise you this much; I promise you this one sweet victory over our enemies, over those desk-bound men and women with their hearts in a safe deposit box, and their eyes hypnotized by desk calculators. I promise you this; You will outlive the bastards." - Ed Abbey
(In a 1978 speech to envrionmentalists in Missoula, Montana)

San Francisco:

During the 2nd weekend of September, 2005 I had the pleasure of visiting San Francisco as a delegate to the Sierra Club's 2005 Summit. After hours, I was lucky to help Dr. Alan Kuper, of CUSP*, with his population lecture and film series (pix 1 & 2). In #3, I'm standing with Captain Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Captain Watson was a member of the Sierra Club's national Board of Directors and was still active in anti-whaling, anti-sealing and other maritime capaigns at the time of this photo. In pix 4 & 5 I ran into PETA protesting animal cruelty in downtown San Francisco. A reporter from radio station KPFA interviewed me, right there, about my own oposition to animal cruelty. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to hear the broadcast...

1. Dr. Alan Kuper and me

2. Dr. Alan Kuper/CUSP

3. Captain Paul Watson and me

4. PETA protesting Covance

5. Peta protesting Covance

Boulder:

On March 31, 2005 I was in downtown Boulder, Colorado (14th and Walnut) when I ran across this one-man protest against the privatization of Social Security. Turns out this young guy was not only willing to talk with me but happy to pose for my web page as well! Andrew Harrison is his name and his sign sums up my sediments exactly - leave Social Security alone!! Anyway, Andrew is the Political Affairs Director for the CU Boulder College Democrats and I know by the time he's my age he'll have done a lot of good for all of us - thank you Andrew!

Denver:

On Saturday, June 24th 2000, hundreds of concerned citizens met at Denver's historic Trinity United Methodist Church for a day of protest, inspiration and fellowship. Led by such legendary speakers as David Brower, Jim Hightower, Medea Benjamin, Chief Americanhorse, and 90 year old Doris "Granny D" Haddock the group marched from the church to the World Trade center, and then the state Capital. Sponsored by the National Forest Protection Alliance (Tom Weis) and Colorado Common Cause, respresentatives from the Sierra Club, Wilderness Defense!, the Green Party, and other organizations were in attendance:

Jim Hightower* at Denver's World Trade center (David Brower, seated)

90-Year-Old Doris "Granny D" Haddock just completed a walk across America for campaign finance reform

Chief American Horse Past Chairman, Oglala Souix

1980 Independent Presidential candidate John Anderson

2000 Senate Candidate Medea Benjamin Green Party

2000 Congressional Candidate (Green Party) Ron Forthofer (and me!)

A "post introduction" by Woody Harrelson (David Brower at left)

Saving Chatfield State Park

On August 30, 2013 I had the pleasure interviewing three activists from the Audubon Society of Greater Denver about the proposal to increase water storage at Chatfield State Park in the town of Littleton in the southwest Metro area. The three (Polly and Gene Reetz and Ann Bonnell) appeared on my KGNU Connections radio program for half an hour that Friday morning. Click Here to listen to the program and their proposal to save and protect Chatfield State Park...

"For the time being I park next to the students' cars down by the main road. Their bumper stickers say 'Save the Rainforest,' 'Save Tibet,' and 'Practice Random Acts of Kindness and Senseless Acts of Beauty.' Larry wears a sweater with 'Earth First!' and a green fist on it. Earth First has just been in the local headlines - unfavorably - because of spikes that have been found in some trees slated for logging, and wearing an Earth First T-shirt in these parts is like walking around naked at Wal-Mart."

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