Last Minute "Peaceful Protest" Reminders

From the comments and emails sent to UU:

• I'll be live tweeting the rally tonight. So, if folks are running late, they can check in via #UptownWantsPeace on twitter.
• A good point: You don't have to be there @6, but you do have to be there by the time the Oly meeting finishes.
• Just a heads up for tonight: We will meet when the Olympic meeting is starting. Helen is, I'm sure, aware of our presence. We will be kind enough to let her fulfill her commitment to the Olympic meeting and then see if she will address the newest crop of gang-related violence in our ward.
  
  If she does - fantastic. Let's converse with her in a civil and open minded manner. Should she decay into the political speak, politely ask her to go back on point.
  
  Despite what she may say, this is not such a complicated issue that a long-winded stem-winder of a response is warranted. She should know (since I know she's reading this), that we will be holding her accountable for anything that she says.
  
  If she doesn't speak with us, then we'll have definitive proof that her concerns lay elsewhere and she will have proven herself politically irrelevant. It's that simple.
  
  Also - since there is a good chance that her supporters will be present, don't take the bait. If you feel the need to raise your voice - simply leave. If you notice someone getting into a heated argument, pull them aside until they calm down. The minute you get angry is the minute we all lose the argument.
  
  If you are with the group, you are part of the group and your actions reflect upon all of us. Short version: behave yourselves. People will try to bait us into non-nonsensical, distracting arguments in order to belittle the cause.
  
  Don't do it. Don't engage. Tell them that you are here to speak with the alderman, only. At worst, tell them that you respectfully disagree with their argument, and you'd be happy to discuss their issues further, but at a different venue.
  
  Be civil. Be respectful. Remember: Helen has the right to her opinion, and while it may be hilarious to interrupt her, or to shout her down, that's disrespectful and unacceptable. We already own the moral high ground. Don't give it up by being a d**k.