We did it!

At a rally today in front of the Clark County Courthouse, Cindi Fisher  announced that all criminal charges against her son Siddharta Fisher have been dropped. "We had your support," she told a crowd of about fifty people, "and we had calls and emails and cards coming in from places as far away as the U.K., Ireland, and Brazil. You convinced the authorities that the whole world is watching, that Siddharta's life matters, and that they cannot lock him up and throw away the key. We are so very thankful."

Siddharta was not able to see or hear the rally from the jail cell where he is being held until he can be transported to a mental health facility, but his mother was very happy to see independent photographers and videographers present, so she can show him pictures of the event. The commercial media did not attend.

Siddharta will be held in a psychiatric facility in Washington State, but his mother hopes to raise enough money to transfer him to a program in Michigan that specializes in treating patients who have suffered trauma and have been over-medicated by so-called mental health providers. So far she has $3000 of the necessary $9000 to begin his treatment in Michigan.

For the rally, Cindi created thirty-five signs in the shape of candles, one for each of the years of Siddharta's life, each sign bearing a letter of the phrase, MIND HEALTH IS A HUMAN RIGHT. Cindi's goddaughter, Anna Lowdermilk, created a large birthday card, one side of which was held by Siddharta's sister, Jananda Fisher. (Anna had broken her right arm and had to do the lettering using her left hand.) Cindi also performed a Tai Chi-based prayer-dance of gratitude for the support of a worldwide community in freeing Siddharta from criminal charges. Cindi's webite is here.  More pictures of the rally, including the faces of those who came to celebrate with Cindi, and several shots of the celebration prayer-dance Cindi performed, are here.

It was hard to pick one shot to represent the whole event. I love the pictures of Cindi's dance, but I think the one above tells the story.  I personally add my thanks to the thanks of Cindi and Siddharta, to all who made calls and sent cards and emails or caring thoughts.