Is it true? tickets required for coronation parade?

[peacebird]

Sounds like most prime viewing at the parade route has been given over to the inaugural committee and they've put up bleachers along it. The protesters are given nine locations but only TWO allow "unobstructed views" of the route - in other words we are behind the bleachers again?

Most puzzling was the statement that it was up to the secret service to decide whether to allow people without tickets past the security checkpoints to view the parade?
:wtf:

i thought the PARADE was the one aspect of the coronation that people were traditionally allowed to view firsthand?


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/13/politics/13protests.html?oref=login

[NMDemDist2]

1. that's what I hear, no "open to the public" this year n/t

[Catchawave]

3. How American :( -nt

[stray cat]

2. First hand if you count television .

Pretty much sold out to corporate sponsors and large donors.

[Catchawave]

5. I'm watching C-Span for coverage....

...chances are they'll be fair and balanced covering the protestors.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. Part of the Bush spin machine

there will be no protests at the inaugural because the TV won't cover it.

[AntiCoup2K4]

6. It's all for "security reasons", naturally....

Mainly the "security" of the PNAC'ers keeping the Idiot Son of An Asshole in his little delusional bubble where he actually believes that nobody in this country opposes his fascism except for a handful of terraists.

[Catchawave]

7. This is not Jimmy Carter's Inauguration.......

...his was for the people:

[noamnety]

8. he's within his rights

It would be different if he was having the parade in a public place, instead of on private property. Or if he were using public funds to support it in some way, like providing security. Then it would clearly be way out of line to deny access based on political preference, and demand payment to attend.

[intheflow]

10. The streets of the nation's capitol aren't "a public place"?

Say what?

And he is using public funds to support the parade. The city of DC is being required to pick up some of the cost, the first time they have ever been asked to do so.

[noamnety]

14. sarcasm on my part (nt)

[intheflow]

15. Oh, sorry.

Some of us are too tightly wound to get the sarcasm without the rolling eyes icon! LOL!

[NMDemDist2]

16. ooops saw the sarcasm --- self delete n/t

[intheflow]

9. Are tickets needed to get to protest sites?

One of the big peace groups got space along the parade route, either Intn'l ANSWER or United for Peace and Justice. Do we need tickets to get in that space?

[peacebird]

12. another article on it - pretty limited access if you aren't a bushie

from another article
"The biggest issue facing protesters, and the general public, is how close to the parade route they can get. By Friday, bleachers lined much of Pennsylvania Avenue - with tickets going mainly to Bush supporters. Once security trailers are set up, the public will be limited to a few street corners.


"There's not a lot of space" for the public, said National Park Service spokesman Bill Line, but he noted that ANSWER had several spots along the parade route and "the largest single swath" of space of any group.


A lawyer for ANSWER, Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, said that 210 feet of street front was small compared with "the thousands of feet given to the exclusive use of the inaugural committee - they're trying to privatize Pennsylvania Avenue."


http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/10648638.htm

[aquart]

11. Good grief, what did you THINK he would do?

Allow protestors to line the route? He NEVER allows that. So all the grandiose gestures planned have been pointless mental exercises.

I still believe there should be NO protest of any kind in DC. They're too prepared and I want them to look ridiculous with their military overkill. I want the city empty and dead for the funeral of democracy. Better we hold memorials in our own cities and towns than DC.

[peacebird]

13. aquart - I won't be in DC for the coronation

I was there with my child when Clinton took office, and we were able to see the parade from several spots by quickly sprinting out of the parade area, and up the street and back in again.

It was great fun, the boy still has his special metrorail farecard from that day! I was going to this one to turn my back on * but the more I read about it the more disgusted I got and then I was just appalled when I started reading about tickets to even get to see the PARADE for heavens sake...

We, the people, are totally screwed.

[aquart]

17. Georgie was never going to let us spoil this one like we did the last one.

Georgie gets even.

He's all ready for us.

No one should go. Empty the town, except for the fascists.

THAT would have been a statement. Hold memorials for America in our home towns. THAT would have been a statement.

Even imagining we could walk free in Washington that day was delusional.

[radfringe]

18. but you are not allowed to LOOK at bush*

so why go?