You’re invited to attend the seventh in the Freedom Forum series on October 12, from 7 to 8:30. The town meeting-style discussion in the Main Library auditorium, will focus on the topic of criticizing the government: can one do so and still be a good, patriotic citizen of the United States, Utah or Salt Lake City. 

Mayor Anderson received international media attention and sparked debate on DailoKos, a heavily- trafficked political blog, after over 2000 people turned out at a protest demonstration that coincided with President George W. Bush’s August visit to Salt Lake City. Speaking at the rally, the Mayor delivered a powerful critique of the Bush Administration that coincided with the President’s speech at a VFW Convention close by. Read the full text  of the Mayor’s speech. 

 Mayor Anderson’s decision to encourage people to join in the protest, combined with his criticism of George W. Bush at the demonstration, caused an ongoing debate in Utah about the proper role of the Mayor of Utah’s capital city.

After the protest, e-mails and letters to the Mayor’s office showed that a clear majority of those share the mayor’s concerns about the direction the country is headed under the Bush administration.

Mayor Anderson spoke again at the anti-war protest on September 24 at Washington Square. Over 2000 people again gathered to protest the war in Iraq. The crowd cheered and chanted while Rocky delivered an indictment of the Bush administration on a range of issues from fiscal and foreign policy, the environment, and lying to Congress and the American people.  The Mayor also called the media to account for being “nothing more than a bulletin board for dishonest government propaganda.” Listen to the audio of that speech.

 Listen to a preview of the upcoming Freedom Forum. LaVarr Web, Kirk Jowers, a citizen critic, and the Mayor engage in a vigorous dialogue during the Rocky Hour on KCPW Midday Metro, which aired Friday September 30.

  Please also visit panelist Ken Bingham's blog and recent article about Mayor Anderson featured on UtahPolitics.com .