I hadn’t had the pleasure of Greg.org until this morning, when a chance browse brought me to his thoughts on how he would protest the Republican convention. As the Democrat omelette starts its sizzle up in Boston, grappling with paranoia, security, unity, official bloggers, and the mechanics of trying to drag our nation’s head out of its collective butt in time for the election, his post is timely and welcome.
It’s inappropriate on many levels for the Republican convention to happen here. Apart from security concerns - hello, like we really need more potential risks - there’s a simple reality that should have smelled like coffee to someone, somewhere along the way: they don’t belong here, and we don’t want them.
New York is not voting for their man and New York is not buying their agenda. They will not win in this city or in this state, even if they squick Giuliani in as the Vice President nominee at the last minute “by acclaim.” Setting the convention here is an insult, a backhand, a selfish and cynical act by an administration of mean and empty men.
Greg’s classy riposte, quoted in part:
I would be eerily, even unsettlingly, quiet and orderly.
I would take seriously my responsibility as a New Yorker who lived through that horrible day, and take its symbolism back from the politicians who ignored the warnings, did nothing to prepare, sat or flailed wildly when it happened, sowed fear with it ever since, used it to falsely justify a war of misplaced vengeance, put us all in even greater danger than we were before, and who are now coming to town to usurp the most widely shared monument to their failure.
Enough is enough. I am angry that they’ve chosen this city for their carnival. I like Greg’s idea. I remember the last time this city was eerily quiet and orderly; I still cry about it, and I will never stop. We are not here to serve as a symbol for cyncial, desperate politicians of any party, of any stripe, of any orientation. We didn’t survive for that.
Thanks to Zeebahtronic for the link.
Although I don’t agree with your evaluation of the war, I will agree that using New York as the convention site was flat-out tacky.
I won’t begrudge any politician his Ground-Zero photo-op, but New York City should’ve been a National Convention Free Zone until at least 2012, if not longer.
The stains on that bloody shirt they’ll be waving around are way too fresh.
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Are your bands working with musicforamerica.com?
Channel the outrage into the voting booth.
Good question, deano. Our man Ethan Lipton just performed at a wonderful Concert for Kerry Saturday night at the Living Room. He’s the only artist we’re working with in an active capacity, right now.
I’d never dream of foisting my politics on one of our artists, but Ethan chose to enter the fray and I was happy to support him. And I bought a ticket to the show, rather than riding in on the guest list.
Since you ask, let me point you to Ethan’s song Let’s Go to Mars, which is presented for your listening pleasure as a free mp3 download on his site. It pertains, in a characteristically gentle and whimsical way.
> I’d never dream of foisting my politics on one of our artists <
Maybe Linda Rondstadt and the Dixie Chicks are future HOs. ;~>
Good on Ethan! The non-controversial thing about musicforamerica is they’re solely about voter registration. Just get the kids voting. It’s a start.