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Scores protest in Medford Mail Tribune / Jill Briskey Jim Thompson of Ashland lets his feelings about the inauguration of President George W. Bush be known as he attends a rally Saturday in Medford. More than 100 demonstrate against Bush By Jill Briskey Charged with energy, none of the speakers at the "pro-democracy" rally on Saturday could resist taking a crack at the new George W. Bush administration. "Hail to the thief," chanted Medford resident Dick O�Brien. "Disneyland gave us Mickey Mouse, but Florida gave us Dumbo," exclaimed Matt Conens, one organizer of the day�s event. More than 100 participants, many who were members of the Green, Labor or Democratic parties, gathered in Hawthorne Park around 1 p.m. to protest Bush�s inauguration in Washington, D.C. Prior to the rally, many protesters marched along Biddle Road, displaying a wide array of signs and chanting. "We�ve had our differences," Conens said of the diversified crowd. "But we�ve got a lot in common ... We�re not happy with what happened in Florida." For almost two hours, the crowd cheered as several speakers delivered passionate pleas and statements. "I�ve never seen this many people on the eve of an inauguration at a political rally," Jay Mullen, immediate past chair of the Jackson County Democratic Central Committee told the crowd. During the event, organizers passed around petitions asking Democratic Gov. John Kitzhaber to run for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Republican Gordon Smith. Another petition circulated demanding campaign finance reform. Participants were also invited to write their feelings on a roll of butcher paper � referred to as "toilet paper" � that would later be sent to Bush. Ashland resident Joe Flaherty came to show his solidarity for the protesters marching in Washington, D.C. "I�m here because our country is being overtaken by a bunch of gangsters," Flaherty, a member of the Green Party, said. "Primarily, I want to show my support. A lot of people are being beaten down in D.C." Ragan Cavanaugh, whose husband Gerald also spoke, calls herself a "Naderite." "I�m hoping this will organize people to move in a new direction," Cavanaugh said. "We�re hoping to get more young people involved." Union activist and Labor Party member Wes Brain urged the crowd to stand together, and not support certain corporations that have identified themselves as supporting Bush. "We have some of the worst labor laws in our country and I�m scared to death of what�s going to happen down the road," Brain, an Ashland resident, said. "We�re going to fight for what we have. We�re not going to let the illegitimate Bush take things from us." The passionate but peaceful demonstration ended when several participants marched to the federal building. One man who would only identify himself as "Abraham Lincoln" displayed a Bush/Cheney sign during the event, occasionally exchanging comments with others. Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.