SAN FRANCISCO - Ralph Nader will bring his "People Have the Power Tour" to San Francisco's Masonic Center Oct. 11 to aid California's solar and public power campaigns, to be a strong voice for global justice and peace, and to build greater Bay Area civic activism.

"The purpose of these events this year is to bring progressive people together in cities across America, which is especially critical now,” said Nader, who ran for the U.S. Presidency last year on the Green Party ticket. "Among the reasons progressive Californians must work together is that civil liberties for all Americans are at risk in Congress and the Executive Branch. While we mourn the victims of the recent terrible massacres, we will honor their memory by working together to make sure the values of Democracy, enforcement of the laws, the respect for human rights, and the protection of all innocent people prevail here and spread around the world. Locally, our main focus will be on the campaign for safe, public-controlled, affordable alternative energy, which will help reduce America's dependence on foreign oil."

One of the speakers who will join Nader at the event is Global Exchange co-founder Medea Benjamin, who is a public power advocate (over 2000 municipalities in the U.S. have public power), and a supporter of the MUD ballot initiative, which will be on the ballot in San Francisco and Brisbane, November 6th.

The San Francisco rally is the second scheduled stop in a nationwide rally tour, which began with a 7,500-strong event in Portland, Oregon on Aug. 4th. Nader likened this current tour to the "Super Rallies" he headlined during his bid for the Presidency in 2000. Those rallies filled nine major arenas from Oakland's Kaiser Arena to New York's Madison Square Garden with crowds that greatly surpassed turnouts generated by the major candidates. The current "People Have the Power Tour" is being sponsored by Nader's new Democracy Rising organization, which seeks to unify progressives "in the cause of freeing American politics from the grip of corporate interests," he said.

The rally at the Masonic Center begins at 7:30 p.m.(doors at 5:30p.m.), Oct. 11, and will feature appearances by national entertainers and activist-celebrities. More than 100 Bay Area organizations will also have information tables in the Center, distributing literature and soliciting signatures for a variety of progressive causes. Bring the family, event ticket prices are "suggested", minimum. To order tickets, to volunteer or for further event information, call (415) 864-6078.

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