2010-07-07 - Anthony Marr's CARE-7 tour blog #23 - VA, MD, NJ

2010-07-07

Anthony Marr's CARE-7 tour blog #23

Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey


My friend Jerry Cook's Facebook profile phrase is "Life is good in Jerry's world". Indeed, indeed. A time with Jerry is always relaxing, no matter what stresses in life one may, could or should carry. After not having touched a guitar for easily 20 years - I used to play lead guitar in the rock band Beyond Nemesis in the 70s featuring Julie Dalquest as our lead singer - I picked up one of Jerry's many guitars, and it seemed as if I hadn't laid one down at all. I tried picking a tune I used to play - The Stairway to Heaven. On the first night, every note was a struggle, but by the third night, I could go through it until I had to struggle with Jimmy Page's solo, which will take quite a few weeks to remaster. All in all, I left Kill Devil Hills on Friday afternoon, June 25, with a lightness of being one could only feel while on vacation, which, by the way, I never take.


[Horse sculpture at the entrance of Jerry Cook's gated community]


[Diane ("Reesie") and Sherry]

The drive to the next destination - Virginia Beach - was not long. I arrived at the place of Sheryl (Sherry) Skelley in the afternoon, and the first things I got were two huge hugs from Sherry and her daughter Diane ("Reesie" - a terrific singer), who then led my attention to a sign on their garage door: "WELCOME ANTHONY MARR".


[Dave Skelley, Sherry's husband]


[Jack, Jill and China, the dogs]


[Jill to Anthony: "Can I have your lunch?"]

In the evening, we had a small discussion gathering, at which our mutual friend Gina Williams was also present.


[Gina on left]




[Anthony Marr at Hands Across the Sand in Virginia Beach]

The next day, July 26, Saturday, was about as busy as any busiest days on the tour thus far. First, Sherry led my car to the beach where the Hands Across the Sand event was to take place. It was of special significance to Virginia Beach, since plans were and are being drawn up for offshore drilling within 3 miles of land.


[Sherry Skelley collecting signatures on anti-offshore-drilling petition]






[Policemen signing petition]

At high noon, hundreds of people joined hands, forming a long line across the sand. It was phenomenal, and magical to be a part of.




















[Most photos by Anthony Marr, video by Gina Williams]

Shortly after, I drove 5 hours to Baltimore for an evening potluck speech hosted by Earthsave, organized by Don Robertson whom I've known for years. The event was well attended, and my speech, so far without an exception on this tour, was well received.








[Don Roberson introducing Anthony Marr's talk]

Although lodging had been arranged for me in Baltimore, graciously offered by two separate parties: Joyce B.J. and Cathy M., due to Sherry's very warm invitation for me to return to her home for the next several days, I drove the 5 hours all the way back to Virginia Beach, arriving at almost 3 a.m. All in all quite a day.





And it was during these several days' free time when I wrote my blog titled "SAVE OUR WORLD FROM HELL ON EARTH", which, for what it's worth, is said to be my best blog ever, described variously as "brilliant", "amazing" and "a must read". :) It is in my blogsite:

www.HomoSapiensSaveYourEarth.blogspot.com



and its URL is:

http://homosapienssaveyourearth.blogspot.com/2010/06/to-save-our-children-and-all-life-from.html




[Steve E. speaking at the Freefold event.]

On July 3, Saturday, I left Sherry's home to drive 8 hours to my friend Steve E.'s place in Middlesex, New Jersey, there to stay until the Animal Rights Conference on July 15. I first met Steve in 2003 during my CARE-1 tour, and stayed in this very same house for a number of days. Sherry gave me a tearful goodbye, offering an open door to me whenever I need a place to stay. and even if I don't. She and Gina are both planning on going to the Animal Rights Conference.



July 4, the day to celebrate freedom in America, when in the Gulf states, freedom is being severely curtailed, not only by law enforcement officers, but by the thugs in the employ of BRITISH Petroleum, when B.P., previously nicknamed "Beyond Petroleum", has now come to represent Beyond Prosecution. Take one picture in the wrong place at the wrong time, and you may be detained for as long as they please.



But we had our own freedom day. The afternoon of the 4th of July was slated for my talk at the Oak Point Picnic Area, Turkey Swamp Park, Freehold, NJ. Thanks to the organizing effort of host Doris Lin, which involved three Central New Jersey groups, it was a great success.


[Doris Lin introducing Anthony Marr's talk]













On June 18, my FB friend Anthony Botti had written, "Anthony, looking forward to meeting you in Freehold, NJ on July 4th. I have been promoting your appearance very strongly with our Central Jersey AR group (FAUN NJ). If there is anything we can do to facilitate your passage through our area, please advise and we will do our best. Namaste."



And here is Doris Lin's own write up:



Vegan Potluck Goodness
Tuesday July 6, 2010

Vegan Potluck

by Doris Lin

On July 4, I attended a vegan potluck and talk by Anthony Marr that I organized. Marr is an award-winning animal rights activist, environmental activist, scientist, and author who is on his seventh Compassion For Animals Road Expedition. He's touring the U.S., speaking about global warming, leading funeral motorcades for deer, and protesting vivisection. Marr's talk on Sunday focused on climate change, latent heat, the methane time bomb, the power of the oil industry, and mass extinction events. Some of this information is available on Marr's blog, where you can also follow along on his tour. Marr is also scheduled to speak at the Animal Rights 2010 National Conference, July 15-19 in Washington, DC. If you have a chance attend one of his talks, I highly recommend it! The July 4 event was co-sponsored by Animal Protection League of New Jersey and Central Jersey Vegetarian Group.
Vegan Potluck

And the potluck? Excellent! I stuffed myself with pasta salad, potato salad, rice salad, kale salad, fruit salad, cheeze and crackers, home fries, watermelon, blueberries, raw cheesecake, and cupcakes - all vegan and yummy. Over 40 people attended, and it was fun chatting with friends and meeting new people.
Anthony Marr

I also thought that the day was a perfect example of the support you'll get and the people you will meet if you get involved with local vegan/animal groups. In addition to hearing Anthony Marr speak, I talked with Rose Rosenbaum of Coalition for Animals, fellow BEAR Group activist Steve Ember, Jan Fredericks of God's Creatures Ministry, Deborah Jones of the British organization Catholic Concern for Animals, vegan health and fitness coach Gary Gibson, and Stu Chaifetz of SHARK (SHowing Animal Respect and Kindness).

Whether you're new to animal rights or a long-time vegan AR activist, getting involved with local groups gives you a network of support and local contacts that you can't get from the big, national groups. The big groups serve an important role, but when was the last time one of them invited you to a vegan potluck where you met some amazing people and ate incredibly delicious, homemade, raw vegan raspberry cheesecake?

And some feedback:

SusanFaye Ⓥ Lorito-Schindler
had a wonderful day. glad we didn't miss it.
Tuesday at 11:05am

Gary Gibson
Thanks for everything Doris Lin. And Anthony was brilliant as expected. Sometimes he must feel he is preaching to the choir and the people that most need to hear his words are the ones he'll never get to speak to. But thats where we come in I guess.
Tuesday at 8:41pm

Anthony Marr
Thanks again, all! For the written and illustrated version of my speech, see my blog titled "SAVE OUR WORLD FROM HELL ON EARTH" in
www.HomoSapiensSaveYourEarth.blogspot.com
Please pass it on!
Tuesday at 8:45pm

Anthony Marr
Rather than "preaching to the choir", I'd say "rallying the troops".
Tuesday at 8:46pm

Gary Gibson
yes. well put.
Tuesday at 9:36pm

Doris Lin
Anthony, thank you for an informative and inspiring afternoon!
Gary, it was great meeting you!
Su, it was great seeing you, as always! I can only tag 6 people per post. Can you add Thomas?
Tuesday at 11:25pm

SusanFaye Ⓥ Lorito-Schindler
Anthony, even an ol' hat like me learned something.
Wednesday at 1:31am



July 5, Monday afternoon, found me in Plainfield, New Jersey, in the 95F shade of the magnificent trees in Carol Davis's magical garden, replete with stream and pond, giving a talk to her by-invitation-only group of highly accomplished friends. "Queen" Carol Davis is a long time friend of mine whom I also met in 2003, and have seen over the years. In their midst was Kara Richarson, a reporter of the Courier News, and photographer Augusto Menezes. Carol also invited Patrice Greanville, who gave a brief talk after mine.






[I can do it in my sleep.]



After the event, Carol wrote on FB: "Anthony Marr's presentation was superb.
Despite the heat, all guests were riveted, and the ensuing discussion was vibrant. Thanks to Patrice Greanville for adding so much!"

And some feedback:

Sarah Edgar
It really was a wonderful event. Thank you, Carol and Michael, for your gracious hospitality, and thank you, Anthony and Patrice, for a truly educational experience.
Tuesday at 1:46am

Maggie Frame Brienza
Totally agree! And so very nice to finally meet Scraps' mom!
Tuesday at 1:52am

Bridget Briant
I agree also. It was very worthwhile. I feel inspired and hopeful that we can and will make a difference to help heal the earth.
Tuesday at 8:14am

Anthony Marr
Carol, Michael, Patrice and all, it was a memorable experience for me. I'll be blogging the event in my blogsite:
www.HomoSapiensSaveYourEarth.blogspot.com
Tuesday at 7:27pm

Waken Up
Thank you for creating this opening for Anthony's critically important message!
Wednesday at 1:51am

Subsequently, on July 6, Patrice Greanville wrote to me on FB: "Dear Anthony: It was a distinct pleasure to see such a brilliant mind at work, fueled by matching moral passion... I hope the rest of the trip proves safe and successful. // When you have the time, let's discuss your becoming our science editor. It's one more venue for you to reach people willing to be educated and mobilized. The main sites are Cyrano's Journal (http://www.cjournal.info/) and The Greanville Post (http://www.greanvillepost.com/). If you visit either or both, you'll quickly realize the caliber of the work we do."

I wrote back: "Patrice, the feeling is very mutual. I'd be honored to serve as one of your science editors, and hope to be equal to the task."

Patrice Greanville: "Splendid. I will be sending you a note formally announcing your appointment as Cyrano's Journal/The Greanville Post's Science & Ecoanimal Editor. I'm starting by posting your entire (video) lecture on Global Warming / Global Heating, plus other materials germane to the topic. // From here on out, any articles you care to run on our sites, just send them to my attention and we'll take care of it. In time, through the CJO News Syndicate, the audience reach will be expanded substantially, as more than two dozen sites will be publishing materials in sync. // Do be well, dear comrade, and take care of yourself."



And here is the Courier News Article by Kara Richardson:

DISCUSSING PLANET IN PLAINFIELD

Courier News

by Kara L. Richardson
staff writer

PLAINFIELD - A man who travels the country to get people moving on the issue of global warming made a stop Monday afternoon in Plainfield.

About 40 people gathered for a potluck vegan meal with environmentalist and animal rights activist Anthony Marr. The event was held in the shade of towering maple trees in Carol Davis' Watchung Avenue backyard.

"We want to help him to be able to bring his story to as many people as possible," Davis said. "He is quite a fascinating guy. He has done a lot for the environment, animals and people."

Marr, who has a degree in physics, is the founder of Heal Our Planet Earth (HOPE). His most recent book is "Homo Sapiens! SAVE YOUR EARTH!"



This is Marr's seventh cross-country tour. Over the years, Marr said, he has down-sized his vehicle - from an RV, to a car; now he travels part of his journey on a motorcycle.

"Sometimes it takes a little gasoline to save a lot of it." Marr said before sharing that his motorcycle gets more than 80 miles per gallon. He eco-friendly tour, which began in April 1 from his home in Vancouver, Canada, will traverse through 40 states before it is finished in November. He almost always stays at people's homes - versus hotels - along his journey, and requires a potluck meal to stay within his vegan (avoiding animal products) life style.

"This is a call-to-action tour," Marr said about discussing the urgency of global warming, which he said is putting the planet in peril - from melting sea ice to an impending global famine. Many at the gathering were convinced with environmental causes and other eco-friendly lifestyle groups. There was Marta Withjack of Green Brook, a geology teacher who has been involved with the Sierra Club, and Kevin Dykema of Piscataway from the Central Jersey Vegetarian Group.

"I am rallying the troops," Marr said. While he said it is important for people to reduce their carbon footprint, he said, it is important for them to rally for change on the national level. For example, Marr wants the United States to shift all its subsidies for oil companies to green technology. He has driven by some wind farms in California and Texas - they were an amazing sight, but there were far too few of them, he said.

"None of the little things people are doing are going to be enough, " Marr said about efforts from recycling to driving smaller cars. "We need massive change in this country and in the world."





Not only is Catherine Garneau, co-Vice-President of the Global Anti-Hunting Coalition, a lady and a warrior, she is also an exquisite artist. Over the last three weeks, she has created a large painting (31" x 42") of the tigress Sita of the Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh, India, based on a photo that I took of her while I was there in 1998. Tragically, in 1999, upon my return to Bandhavgarh, a mournful park staff informed me that she had been poached. She was 17 years of age, and had successfully raised 7 litters of cubs.



The painting will be auctioned off at the Animal Rights Conference to fund the work of the Global Anti-Hunting Coalition.

Thank you, Catherine!


Anthony Marr, Founder and President
Heal Our Planet Earth (HOPE)
Global Anti-Hunting Coalition (GAHC)
Anthony-Marr@HOPE-CARE.org
www.HOPE-CARE.org
www.MySpace.com/AnthonyMarr
www.YouTube.com/AnthonyMarr
www.myspace.com/Anti-Hunting_Coalition
www.facebook.com/Anthony.Marr.001
www.facebook.com/Global_Anti-Hunting_Coalition
www.HomoSapiensSaveYourEarth.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com (search for “Anthony Marr Heal Our Planet Earth”)
www.ARConference.org