Did anyone else make it to the Detroit Labor Day Event?

[Motown_Johnny]

gonna cross post from GD. If anyone else was there please comment. I could use your input.



http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1881923&mesg_id=1882495





I can agree with that, but man do I have problems with the way the event was run



First, I wasted over three and a half hours getting tickets to the event yesterday (not counting drive time) because when I showed up today the tickets were worthless. We were put into the same general admission line as people without any tickets.

Second, the venue itself sucked. It was set up nicely for the cameras but because it is such a narrow strip of land between the river and the building you could see in the background the vast majority of the crowd was way off to the side.

Third, the stage was way to fucking short. This was a standing room only event and having a stage so low to the ground completely screwed the vast majority of the crowd. How hard would it have been to lift the damn thing another three or four feet?

Fourth, after spending all the time getting worthless tickets and then getting downtown early to stand in line and then standing in my spot from about 10:00am, some freaking moron decides to open up part of the barrier to let the crowd into another area right in front of me/us. This was at ~12.25pm. So instead of having an OK spot to view from I, and everyone around me, were completely screwed. I could see him for maybe one minute at a time, sporadically, when people didn't have their arms up taking pictures. This pissed me off no end.

Fifth, the sound system was inadequate for the crowd. I could hear it fairly well but I wasn't that far back.

Sixth, Communication with the crowd was nonexistent. The one time they attempted to let us know what was up next was simply wrong. They also had someone on stage say "President Obama Is In The House!" and then the next person on stage said (paraphrasing) "It is my pleasure to introduce to you the President of ..... some freaking union that we did not know was going to speak". The collective groan from the crowd was so loud I thought maybe there was another earthquake in Virginia.



My worthless tickets were dispensed at my congressional district's headquarters and my congressman spoke at the rally, briefly. I plan on writing a letter to my congressman tomorrow expressing views similar to those that I have expressed here. I don't think it is a good idea to do it until I have calmed down a bit more. I don't know who set up the rally at the Capital in Lansing back in the spring but they should have set this one up too, no comparison.


The one bright spot was being stopped from crossing a street on my way back to my vehicle after the event. I was in the front row for the motorcade rolling past on the way out of town. That was fun.



Rant Off

[SharonRB]

1. I was there

But I had a press pass and was on the media riser at the back. I do agree with a lot of your criticisms, though. I thought the venue was bad as well, and too spread out. From where I was I didn't know there was a problem with the sound. We could hear fine at the back at the height we were at.

[PassingFair]

2. I got lazy and blew it off....

One of my girlfriends said it was WAY BETTER
than the last time he spoke here in town.

Bigger space and better control of the crowds.

She loved it.