NYT: G.O.P. Protesters Plan to Infiltrate Convention as Volunteers

[kskiska]

It is accepted as an article of faith among protesters planning to demonstrate against the Republican National Convention this summer that agents seeking to undermine their efforts have infiltrated their ranks. But now the protesters are talking about infiltrating the convention to undermine the event itself.

"Really?" said Kevin Sheekey, president of the New York City Host Committee, when told that protesters were talking about flooding the ranks of volunteers to disrupt convention operations.

The city is obligated to find a total of 8,000 New Yorkers to volunteer to help things run smoothly, and would-be protesters are hoping that by signing up, they can work from the inside during the convention, scheduled Aug. 30 through Sept. 2.

(snip)

Boston appears largely immune to the tactic since the host committee there had signed up 12,000 volunteers by the end of March, the host committee said.

(snip)

"I think they don't understand either just how much of New York City is not prepared to welcome them," said Amanda Hickman, who described herself as a community gardener from Brooklyn. "I don't think that has clicked."

more…
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/28/nyregion/28convention.html?ei=5062&en=8efc6c328bf64d26&ex=1083729600&partner=GOOGLE&pagewanted=print&position=

[Tempest]

1. The GOP knows their not wanted in NYC

But they still plan on demonstrating their arrogance and rubbing the citizen's noses in 9/11.

[piece sine]

59. "My Cousin Vinny"

Brings to mind that wonderful film when Marisa Tomei sez to Joe Pesci..."yah; you blend."

[Beetwasher]

2. hahahahahaahahahaahahaha

Bwhahahahahahaahahahaahah!

Oh, this is gonna be good...

[Muddleoftheroad]

3. Protesters who do this are helping the GOP, not the reverse

They will be arrested. Democrats will be blamed for destroying the civility of conventions. Heck, there might even be a fight or something and of course there they will be on national television being violent agitators.

[searchingforlight]

5. Surely they will be smarter than that.

The way to protest this convention from the inside is to keep it from running smoothly. A poorly run, obviously unorganized convention will have an undermining effect on the opinions of the masses.

[demdave]

22. People on this thread aren't smarter than that, why should the disrupters?

In the short amount of time this topic has been up we have gone from servers not showing up to people proposing putting hair in others food. Now I see where someone is advocating spiking food with Castor oil. How long do you think it would take for "innovative" activist to get out of control and go over the top? I, personally, believe tampering with other's food already is.

Idiots that endorse or encourage this sort of action do not believe in the democratic process and are dangerous to our cause.

[mbperrin]

46. My old granny used to swear that just getting rid of all the shit in your

body was good for you!

Gosh, I guess I thought that this line would signal a satiric moment.

But since the humorless Puritans in charge of ensuring that the party has good manners as it does down in flames to baby-killers, corporate fatheads, and crooked politicians are so busy killing all attempts at parody, satire or just general protest, I'll gladly leave this thread, pray for the smoothest Republican sideshow ever as Bush sanctifies New York with his presence.

Bye. Sorry to offend.

[tom_paine]

47. I tend to agree with you, demdave

Food tampering is going over the line. Way over it.

:thumbsdown: :thumbsdown:

Not to condone it, but people who have been systematically denied a voice while others have artificially inflated theirs to dominate the airwaves are apt to seek "alternate solutions".

I am not condoning it, but the Busheviks have been working very hard to stuff the Liberty Genie back in a bottle it's been out of since we vanquished Hitler.

If they keep it up, piss and boogers in their food might be the least of their worries...and, sadly, ours too.

[Just Me]

50. Ummm, the castor oil thingy,...it was just a joke,...you know,...ha ha.

No one was condoning messing with food. At least, not by my reading.

Geez.

This is heavy.

[girl gone mad]

6. I agree.

Sounds like a great way to be called terrorists and get more sympathy for Bush.

Let's hope they come to their senses.

[THUNDER HANDS]

7. I agree

There will be a large enough protest outside of the convention. Anything done inside of it will just make our side look bad.

I see nothing good coming out of infiltrating the GOP convention and causing a disruption.

(that said, I am kinda curious what they'd do)

[Goldmund]

28. I don't know why..

...everybody seems to assume that the infiltrators would cause some kind of mayhem or violence. But imagine what just a subtle act of protest would do. Like, if a few hundred volunteers held up signs that said "NO WAR" during *'s speech. On live TV.

[NashVegas]

9. The Article Indicates It's a Non-partisan Thing

looks like the planners hate both Dems and Pukes.

I suspect the credibility of the supposed plotters and the chicken littles in the first place.

[mbperrin]

10. I don't remember the 68 Chicago convention helping Humphrey.

Just a thought.

[CaptainClark23]

11. Depends on the tactics.

One line of discussion involves going dutifully to the training, subjecting oneself to the vetting process (which will weed out some of the more hard core activists with operational history) then simply not showing up come convention time. The disruption would be a passive, yet systemic one. Let the conventioneers find their own seats and cabs.

Given that this is a National Security Event, with security handled by Secret Service, I believe that any overt disruptive action by infiltrators who are already tagged and identified would be damn near suicidal.

And for the reasons you give, also counter productive.

[gasperc]

21. they just need to be the laziest volunteers ever

protest by dragging their feet, making the convention unbearable, no need to be disruptive just drag your feet. The convention will start looking disorganized and attendees will get agitated and it'll be all over the news on how the GOP can run a convention.

[hang a left]

45. By the way, not up on the latest.

Are they still planning on having it on a ship?

[Bandit]

24. Squeeky wheel gets the grease and I think it could only help bring

awareness that not everyone is a fascist. I am all for it. Shake up America. Make them reconsider what is going on. Rock their World.

[Muddleoftheroad]

25. We live in a media world

One bad newsclip of some idiot protester. One bad photo of some stupid ass black bloc infant and THAT is what people will remember from the convention.

Republicans will use that as the headline for EVERY protest at the convention. And they will be right.

Frankly, if we infiltrate, we should do so to ensure nothing stupid DOES happen. Let them try to make news out of THAT!

[The Stranger]

27. Fearing whatever the right wing media spin will be is too much like

falling in line behind the Republicans, and that has been disastrous for the Democrats in the past.

If we have learned one lesson, it is that we cannot be silent. I'm not going to do it, but if another wants to infiltrate the Republicans, more power to them. They have my support. We are both Democrats.

[wabeewoman]

30. You've inadvertantly hit the nail on the head

It isn't what is done as much as how it is spun and we've seen the repugs are masters at spinning with the help of the corrupt media. It won't matter if the dems do anything or not, it'll be spun that way. Blame it on somebody else. Don't ya just love the 'part of responsibility?'

[Muddleoftheroad]

33. It DOES matter

Why give them the bloody shirt to wave in front of the crowd. Have you ever seen Grapes of Wrath? Remember when they wanted to bust up the camp and the workers stopped them by NOT allowing them to cause trouble?

[Just Me]

39. But,...they will spin, anyway. Hell, they would persecute a saint.

We could behave absolutely perfectly and they would still spin something out of their arses.

Nothing is going to stop their spinning.

[tom_paine]

49. Nail, meet head!

[G_j]

57. and if all else fails

they will just fabricate more lies.

I don't understand why people get so uptight about how 'they' will spin what we do. They quite simply will make shit up if they feel like it. :shrug:

[Bandit]

31. I want news. I want disruption spread all across the nation

I don't want to be afraid of how the big bad mean GOPers will portray the Protesters. I want them to be on every channel on every TV in America. The more obnoxious the better. Even bad publicity is better than none. Disrupt their jolly good time and do it in a way that will be remembered forever. Make Americans ask questions.

[Muddleoftheroad]

34. You want to lose the election as well it seems

We will be painted as radicals and crazies and troublemakers.

Most Americans DON'T identify with those notions.

Somebody once suggested that we demand protesters show up in suits and ties to show America how orderly and rational we really are. It isn't a bad idea.

[Skittles]

62. we?

LOL, yes, we should be orderly and show up in suits and ties.

[Goldmund]

32. Arrested???

For what?

[Muddleoftheroad]

36. For disrupting the convention

For disorderly conduct, etc. Depends on what they do.

[Goldmund]

37. Exactly:

depends on what they do. Everyone here seems to be assuming that the plan is to raise mayhem. I don't know if that's anybody's plan, but I sure know that's not a plan that I would support.

Holding up signs at a crucial moment on live TV, or maybe chanting, or collecting inside information, is as far as anybody with a half a brain would go.

[demdave]

38. Well if half a brain is the cut-off maybe we are safe.

The problem is with those activists that don't reach this "high" level of qualifications and still sneak in under the bar.

[Goldmund]

42. "Those activists"????

Whom do you speak of?

[Prodemsouth]

52. These people are not Kerry people or the average Dem-

people will be able to distinguish between the two. All they got to do is make sure no Democratic Party activist are involved. An unorgainized or a trouble convention will be bad for them.

[Vladimir]

35. Depends how they do it

The clever approach would be to just be extremely incompetent at everything you are doing, or maybe a vigil or something like that. The stupid... well I will never forget trying to explain to a fellow protestor how it would be wrong to burn an Israeli flag on a local anti-war demo. He called me an apologist then went ahead an lit it - of course the burning flag not the demo were on the front pages of the local paper next morning.

[Skittles]

61. oh, poor MOTR

disapprove, do you?

[Just Me]

4. Impressive tactics!!!

Now, the GOP can have a taste of their own medicine. You think they'll swallow it as well as they have expected others to tolerate their hateful garbage?

[TroglodyteScholar]

8. I can't believe anyone here supports this kind of crap...

...I mean, really, this is a B-A-D idea. You don't overcome an adversary by sinking below them, you do it by rising above. This kind of "tactic" (read "nonsense") will give the Repugs a lot of ammunition. I hope this doesn't go beyond speculation. It's really really foolish.

[The Stranger]

29. Again, the fear of "what they are going to say." We're beyond that now.

When we were doing that, we didn't have anything to say. It wasn't until Howard Dean stood up and started saying something that this party began to have even a breath of a chance.

[mbperrin]

12. Shades of 1968! Ushered out the Dems for a decade...

so I say bring it on! If we could cut the Pubs out for a decade at least, that would be fabulous!

This is not your gramma's "If you can't say something nice..." time, this is "Get them out now!" time.

[drumwolf]

15. people feel free to correct me if i'm wrong.....

my understanding is that the reason why '68 was so disastrous for the Dems was because the disruptors were fellow liberals and the convention showed how divided the Dems were, not because of outside disruptors who were conservative Rethugs.

The reason why disrupting this year's GOP convention in NYC has the potential to backfire on us is because people might recognize it as an attack by an outside force, not as a sign of internal division like the '68 Dems convention showed.

[mbperrin]

20. These were antiwar activists, not "fellow" anybodies...

A refresher link:
http://www-cgi.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1996/conventions/chicago/facts/chicago68/index.shtml

I think you'll agree that the CNN version is about as mild as could be stated, and they wouldn't have missed a chance to bash "liberals" or Democrats. They don't do so because nobody alive then (including me) would believe it.

Since so many want to be civil, how about just dosing the banquet food with a great big dose of castor oil? My old granny used to swear that just getting rid of all the shit in your body was GOOD for you!

Just tryin' to help...

[Prodemsouth]

53. I say bring it on too- but you are forgeting the post 68 Democratic

party was much more stronger than todays Democratic Party. It was not out of power for a decade. Carter won in 76. And look at their(the Dems) power in Congress at time you are speaking of. 68-78

[drumwolf]

13. some thoughts

I absolutely would not be in favor of an overt, violent, confrontational disruption of the GOP convention.

I would, however, encourage infiltrators to disrupt in stealthy, subtle ways by doing little things that collectively sabotage the efficiency of the convention's operations, such as intentionally doing slightly-below-average work or calling in sick numerous days.

And in addition to that, they should also focus as much on collecting intel from the inside and doing things like investigative reports or "articles from the front" which would show the workings in a way that mainstream media wouldn't.

[Just Me]

14. I doubt there are any violent intentions.

After all, we are talking about anti-war non-violent types,...aren't we?

<on edit - I think your thoughts are brilliant!!!>

[Earth_First]

16. Depends...

Non-partisan could mean libertarian non-violent, civil disobedience against the convention, or it could be anarchistic black block action against the convention...

[Muddleoftheroad]

18. Even a few black blockers

Would hurt us a lot.

[Earth_First]

19. For sure...

I am a supporter of the smaller, 'white' direct action tactics that impede on the convention running smoothly, as drumwolf has explained, excessive sick days, slow service, et al.

[DinahMoeHum]

17. I prefer the stealthy subtle route myself. . .

This could also be done by hotel and restaurant employees who serve the conventioneers. If they had little lists of conventioneers, they should place a "Circle F" symbol next to them. That would be their code signal to f**k over these conventioneers in any which way possible. Little things like shoddy service/hair in their food/ no liquor in their drink/ etc.

For further inspiration, look up www.stainedapron.com


:kick:

[Tellurian]

23. Just call Omarosa...

Theres no one better than her for screwups!

[htuttle]

26. Mission Accomplished!

Let's see how the GOP deals with the paranoia of thinking they've been infiltrated...

:evilgrin:

[Just Me]

41. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

That's my best "evil" laugh.

Whaddya think?

:bounce:

<of course, if you could the petite female from whom that evil laugh is being created,...you'd laugh at me,...>

[On the Road]

40. Hunter Thompson Said He Tried This at the '68 GOP Convention

In the process of reporting for Rolling Stone, he infiltrated the convention itself and found himself in a room full of young Republicans waiting to "storm the floor" in an orchstrated demonstration. They were making out Nixon signs, so he wrote one saying "GARBAGE MEN DEMAND EQUAL TIME!". He ran out with them onto the floor and while the camera were running, turned towards the press box and yelled obscenities at John Chancellor (who I'm sure treasured that moment).

[Just Me]

43. Now that this has been published, they really need not do a thing.

The Republicans will be so dang paranoid of sabotage that they'll ruin their own convention,...tee hee hee.

O8)

[colonel odis]

44. messing with people's food and drink isn't cool

regardless of how much we may hate them. it would backfire backfire backfire. and when the freepers do it with the intention of liberals being blamed, guess what -- liberals will be blamed.

the sick-out is a great idea. doing a job slowly, food and drink trays not showing up on time or showing up at the wrong room, giving people wrong directions, moving around easel signs, light switches being turned off here and there ..... all of those are perfect ways to drive the republicans nuts.

what i love most about the concept is how it'll bring to the surface their disdain for anyone in "subservient" positions. they think they're so damned much better than everyone. watch how rude and crude they'll act when their canapes go to the wrong reception. heh heh heh heh

[drumwolf]

48. one suggestion

Certain cell phones nowadays can take photos, albeit not as good as a full-fledged camera. Great for secretly taking photos of people or situations that might be useful on the outside.

[Runcible Spoon]

51. Well, while the devious, scheming me wants disruption ala Fight Club...

I think I'll settle for mass incompetence.

[cally]

54. Sounds like something Code Pink plans

I would love to see their giant pink slip unfurled during Dumbya's speech. I don't support any violent actions or tampering with people's food, though.

[MaineDem]

55. Maybe the GOP are planning this themselves

To "infiltrate" and blame us.

I put nothing past them.

[Generator]

58. Yep, I don't think it's cool-it sets us up for a backlash

I thought the title actually meant the opposite. Now, that's what I expect!

I want all the protesters declared, like half the frigging population of the city in the streets anti-Bush. That's more powerful.
It makes me want to go, and I haven't lived in NYC in twenty years.

Be counted for standing up, not cheating and decieving like this "government" is.

[BabsSong]

56. And when the Great Leader steps to the podium to speak to his

subjects, please, please, please let one of the inside operatives pull the goddamn plug!!!!

[loudsue]

60. I remember the thread on DU where this idea came up....

I thought it was brilliant! Still do! The poster above who said that the repukes are going to be paranoid just THINKING it may happen, is spot on.

It really doesn't matter whether we do it or not! The fact that they're taking it seriously is enough. And my guess is that it was a lurking freeper on DU who alerted the RNC to the whole idea.

One other thing that astrologers can appreciate: Mercury is retrograde (appearing in the heavens to go "backwards")from August 9th until September 2nd. It's something that happens about 4 times a year, for about 3 weeks at a time. In fact, Mercury is retrograde right now, until this coming Friday!

One classic characteristic of this astral phenomena is that travel plans, electronic equipment, communications and "contracts" (like the contracts that are awarded for services to the convention), are all turned upside down and side-ways. Microphones squeal and cut off, orders are mixed-up, suit-cases get re-routed, computers and cell phones get "glitches", people misunderstand each other, plans are disrupted due to poor communication....it's generally a time of daily delays and disruptions.

Mercury, in astrology, "rules" the mind, and thought processes. While Mercury is "going backwards", people are often confused, and their minds aren't always well-focused on what they're doing. People drive in crazy ways, because they're distracted, so traffic accidents can happen more easily. They sign contracts that they later wish they could get out of, after Mercury turns back to direct motion.

So, you see, the republicans chose a crazy time for their convention to start with. So there will likely be a great many things getting mixed up, without ANY help from "saboteurs". But you can count on it -- if they can blame "liberal saboteurs", the media will carry it 24/7 during the convention. I wouldn't even be surprised if they try to arrest some poor innocent service personnel for it...republicans always need someone to blame, someone that has less power than they do: it's one of their trademarks.

I just hope by convention time that so much of bush's garbage has come out to publicly humiliate him and his band of merry mafiosos, that everyone at the repuke convention will wish they had stayed home.

:kick: