RNC Protest Organizers Reject Rally Site.

[tedzbear]

http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/081104V.shtml


It seems everyone may end up at Central Park anyway, even without permission. This could end up getting very disobedient a la Chicago 1968!

:kick:

[DemNoir]

1. I am very worried about this

I hope people realize that the RNC would dearly love violent protests. Widespread problems in NYC will throw the election to Bush.

Chicago 1968 was the beginning of the Democratic losing middle America

[DrWeird]

2. I'm not to sure.

I'd think massive protests in NYC, with riots, abusive police officers beating people for expressing free speech, numerous people hurt or possibly killed, with widespread television coverage probably wouldn't look to good for the incumbent. It would certainly distract from the propaganda crap fest.

[charlyvi]

5. I disagree

I lived in Chicago during the '68 convention; if there are violent protests, it will work for bush* as it did for Nixon. The right can paint the protestors as extremist lunatics who have no respect for the law. The protests will probably have right wing moles who purposely start violence or property damage for this very reason. It would be VERY, VERY bad.

[DrWeird]

6. Yeah, but in '68...

The riots were at the democratic convention. So, I'm assuming, they distracted from the convention and the democrats never got the bounce.

[cybildisobedience]

7. In '68 -

the Democrats, under Hubert Humphrey's candidacy, dropped in the polls after the Chicago convention because people associated violence and division with him.
It could go either way with Bush. People may watch this all on tv and think, "Do we really want this to be our country for the next four years? Or is time to try something new?"
Or, they could think, "Lawless renegades -- Bush is right - they must be exterminated!"

[Warpy]

3. That's why I keep telling protestors to dress like they're

going to a job interview, or better, on trial for murder.

Footage of the cops overreacting against scruffy kids will play well for Bush. Footage of the cops overreacting against solid citizens who look like they just got out of church will play better for Kerry.

[DemNoir]

4. Delete

[central scrutinizer]

8. look at Seattle/WTO protests in 1999

for your model of how the corporate press will "cover" it. Although tens of thousands of people demonstrated peacefully, the press focused on the handful who broke windows at Starbucks and McDonalds. The press will find either drag queens or the protestors with the longest dreadlocks, the most piercings, the most tattoos, and the foulest language to photograph, interview, do features on. It is a way to marginalize, trivialize, and demonize legitimate protests.

[Frances]

10. I agree

We should focus on getting out the vote

[CaptainClark23]

14. Breathe easier.

The rally taking place in The Park, with or without a permit, will greatly lessen the odds of confrontation on this particular day.

Trying to pen a couple hundred thou (at worst estimate) penned onto the West Side Highway would have been the best way to guarantee violence.

[DODI]

9. I have been to two protests in NYC, Oct. 2002 and one in June 2003.

These aren't your '60's protesters. The protests I have gone to seem to represent many different peoples, elderly people, people with their kids, business people, communists, you name the group and they were represented. At both protests the NYPD and crowds were very well behaved. I have no fear of going to these protests. I look forward to it.

[0rion]

11. What are they going to do? Cage in Central Park with Razor Wire?

If you thought the protest cage at the DNC was bad, just wait til they try to enclose Central Park for the GOP convention with razor wire, national guard troops, armed to the teeth and armored vehicles surrounding the protestors.

[CaptainClark23]

12. yeah right.

Tommy Lee Jones tried that once. Made a terrible movie.

[0rion]

13. Boosh needs his 50 mile Free Speech Exclusion Zone....

or he'll throw a little hissy fit.