Ted Rall "Dim Bulbs, Big City" -- 2004 GOP Convention

[maha]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=127&ncid=742&e=7&u=/uclicktext/20031030/cm_ucru/dimbulbsbigcity

Everyone from radical anarchists to moderate environmentalists expects the NYC/GOP ideological collision to spark the biggest American protest march since the end of the Vietnam War. Families of 9/11 victims, predominantly Democratic like the oasis of ideological sanity they live in, are so incensed at reports that the convention was timed to allow Bush to lay the Freedom Tower cornerstone at the World Trade Center site that many plan to join the protest. "Keep your hands off Ground Zero," Rita Lasar, head of a 9/11 victims group, warns Republicans. "Do not make a political football out of this."


Too late. New York's Republican mayor and governor have denied the cornerstone-laying story, but they've confirmed that Bush will shuttle back and forth between the convention in midtown and speeches at Ground Zero. And Rudy Giuliani is encouraging convention organizers to use 9/11 as a prop.

(snip)

Both sides are itching for a fight. "If they think New York City will welcome them with open arms, or even tolerate them dancing on the graves of the WTC victims, they are in for a very rude awakening," "Seraphiel" posted to the TalkLeft.com website. "I hope it is a remake of the '68 convention in Chicago and the fabulous NYPD, this time, get to break some left-wing heads like grapes," a Bush supporter named "David" retorted.


As much as I relish the idea of a million angry Americans turning the tawdry Necropublican National Convention into a Seattle WTO-style fiasco, the potential for mayhem is terrifying. As a Manhattanite, I hope that the Republicans will seriously consider moving their convention somewhere else. New York, wounded by the dot-com crash and 9/11 (the latter injury exacerbated when Bush welched on the money he promised to help the city rebuild), continues to suffer from widespread unemployment. The risk of convention-related terrorist attacks should be reason enough to not hold it in a city that paid the highest price on 9/11. A revival of 1968, with cops fouling their batons with the blood of young people, wouldn't do anyone--left or right--any good.

[NJCher]

1. they should hold their convention in Texas

Cher

[Simeon Salus]

2. GOP 2004 Convention in Baghdad

It's the only place in the world that conditions can be controlled to their satisfaction.

Hee-hee.

My goal is to work to make New York the most embarrassing place imaginiable in which to hold a convention. If we can convince Repuke delegates that they will be humiliated merely to arrive, then it will have a better effect than if heads are broken.

We have to beat these assholes with creativity. In that arena, we can win.

[maha]

3. That's brilliant!

Works for me!

[beyurslf]

4. Is there any chance

we could have more protesters than delegates there? That would be nice. And maybe we can take up enough rooms in Manhattan that they are staying in Jersey and tunneling over.

[Fovea]

5. Great idea...

Maybe every Dem in NYC might consider booking and pre-paying for nice night out in a hotel, just for a change. Hell, we could have them sleeping in Baltimore.