Gay rights activists marched in downtown Columbia on Sept. 20, then joined thousands at Finlay Park to celebrate South Carolina’s annual Pride Festival. SC Progressive Network member groups with booths on the park grounds were: AFFA, Garden of Grace United Church of Christ, SC Equality, SC GLPM, PFLAG, SC Gay and Lesbian Business Guild and Sean’s Last Wish. The Progressive Network’s Missing Voter Project continued its voter registration drive, and brought in new individual members to our coalition.

It was a day of fun fellowship and solidarity. Congratulations to all the organizers for a successful Pride Week!

For Pride photos, click here. (Thanks to Jim Blanton, Ed McClain and Sarah Gibb for contributing snapshots.)

the King

Today, CODEPINK activist Desiree Fairooz walked up to Condi Rice during a Congressional hearing and displayed her hands covered in blood. She yelled “War Criminal” as Condi prepared to testify and was immediately dragged out of the room by the police. This triggered a surge in the police, who began arresting everyone in pink. Click here to see the videos, photos, read news stories and read our CODEPINK’s DC House Blog on the day’s events.

This photo of Sen. Lindsey Graham was posted on TMZ’s site, of all places. Almost as interesting as the image – which may or may not be real (consider the source) – are the comments from the rabble. Yikes.

Charleston activist Ron Kaz (left) tracks the body count.

And the numbers keep growing.

Last January, Ron and Anna Shockley, longtime Network members, were arrested along with 15 others on the steps of the US Supreme Court. A brief video of the arrests is posted at Charleston Peace’s Web site.

Building off SC Hwy 261. July 3, 2007.

Only in South Carolina can you shoot the Confederate Flag and the Black Liberation Flag flying in the same frame. MLK Day 2007.

Detail from monument on State House grounds.