Keeping the RNC out of New York

[T_i_B]

I'll post some of the sites involved in this story as well.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uselections2004/story/0,13918,1200606,00.html

The humid New York summer could get a whole lot stickier when the Republican National Convention (RNC) rolls into midtown, less than two weeks before the third anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

It's hard to imagine a greater clash of cultures within America than that between George Bush's Republican party and the New York left.

Ever since the announcement, in January last year, that for the first time in convention history the Republicans would be coming to Manhattan, a multi-layered conflict has been looming.

http://www.counterconvention.org/

http://www.rncnotwelcome.org/

[jonnyblitz]

1. very interesting article

this one comment I found kind of disturbing :

<snip> A day earlier, an unknown blogger had put a posting on their discussion board mentioning the idea of bringing a firearm along to the protest.
<snip>

I know I will be there...

[enough]

2. Call me paranoid

It seems to me that Bushco would LOVE to see "nasty" and violent and protests at the convention.

Then they can portray themselves as part of the thin blue line protecting "normal red-blooded mainstream Americans" from the onslaught of the barbarian hordes. And another nice plug for the Patriot Act -- we need it to protect you from THEM.

You can bet the media will be running around getting footage of every "outrageous" and violent outbreak around the city, forgetting to cover the rational explanations of why people are angry and mobilized.

[jonnyblitz]

3. we can't let that stop us from participating.

This is the same thing as saying that protesting the war gives comfort to the enemy. It's a way to stifle dissent..I won't fall for it.

[enough]

4. Have to disagree, jonnyblitz

I've been marching and protesting since about 1960 straight through the present. And I intend to be in NYC to protest the convention.

I said nothing at all about not protesting. I'm talking about violent confrontation, which I do not think would help our cause. In fact I'm sure the opposition will be trying to promote it.

[Kahuna]

6. Of course they will try to provoke something. They remember..

Chicago '68. They will be praying for the Dems to get ugly.

I likewise plan to protest. But I do not want any violent outbursts.

[Kahuna]

5. No. It's to say, that we don't want a repeat of Chicago '68..

which caused embarrassed Dems to stay home or vote for Nixon.