September 19 Strand-In - Ed Mierzwinski - U.S. PIRG

Yesterday's airline passenger rights mock strand-in on the mall organized by the PIRG-backed Coalition for an Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights (the group is pictured top left) was a big success. At the event, Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA) announced that he had negotiated a provision that "excessive delays" would require a right for passengers to deplane into an FAA reauthorization bill expected to be heard on the House floor today. Previous versions of the bill had only included some of the coalition's more modest demands, such as the right to potable water and working toilets. At bottom, that's coalition founder Kate Hanni addressing the crowd. Here's the New York Times story, with several photos. Excerpt:

Yesterday, Ms. Hanni staged what she called a "strand-in" near the Capitol in Washington, in a bid to keep up momentum for the get-off-the-plane legislation she wants enacted, over objections from the airline industry. A long tent was outfitted to resemble the interior of an airline, and wings were drawn on its exterior in duct tape. She offered long-shot invitations to members of Congress to experience confinement, replete with smelly portable toilets Ms. Hanni and fellow volunteers had rounded up. For the record, American said Flight 1348's toilets never overflowed.

That's Kate, inside the mock plane with reform supporter and U.S. Rep. Ron Klein (D-FL). Next photo: Here are the media hordes gathering for the news conference. CNN and one other outlet even brought satellite trucks for live remotes. In the orange hat is coalition research and props director Mark Mogel, who designed and built the plane. Next, on right, here's a shot of me addressing the crowd. Finally, at the very bottom, that's passenger rights supporter and new U.S. Rep. John Hall (D-NY). Hall is a longtime environmental and anti-nuclear activist, and as most of you know, also a rock star as leader of Orleans and the John Hall Band.

Sidebar: When I was with ConnPIRG, we worked several 1981-82 anti-nuclear fundraising shows at Yale's Woolsey Hall and other venues as the official anti-nuclear organization that collected signatures and handed out literature. The shows featured Bonnie Raitt backed by the John Hall Band. Incredible shows from incredible citizen-activist-musicians. Three quick vignettes from the Woolsey show: (1) I picked up the legendary late folksinger Dave Van Ronk, who was the opening act, at the New Haven train station with my Volkswagen bug. He was wasn't hard to find-- large bearded guy, small train station, guitar case, whiskey flask, sitting and reading a pulp science fiction novel. (2) Also, Yale student Jodie Foster stopped and volunteered at our table. Despite everyone wanting her autograph, she instead made them sign petitions. (3) Bonnie dedicated a raucous version of her song Three Time Loser to the Connecticut nuclear power plants Millstone I, II and III. Hall, along with Raitt and others, was a key founder of Musicians United for Safe Energy. It's good to have him in Congress. We can always use another consumer and environmental activist making laws.