Oh, no, here come The Republicans!

Let's throw a big "Republicans Go Home!" party and give the $ to some lefty cause! It should be a benefit but it should also get press... that's the point, to make a grassroots statement that says "Ick, go away!"

They should leave and take the gay republicans with them. I always wanted to do a Pride float with a burning "Log Cabin".

Make sure you've got raw eggs, tomatoes and poop ready to throw at them. Lots of it!

We don't want to throw them a banquet!

...I will vote for Bush!, after all, did not do it so bad.....only did not
-sign the kyoto treaty, originally promoted by clinton.
-illegal wars (irak, afganistan)
-the spy plane in china,
-the selling or equipment to taiwan, while they were not far from the reunification,
-perforation of alaska,
-support to israel no matter what they do (never the situation is been worse in the middle east),
-confrontation with (what this administration calls the new europe, it seems now that france and germany are new countries,....wonder if they still think spain is in south america),
-the stop of humanity help to corea, much before they started their nuclear plan,
-threats to siria, iran, and basically any country do not think like them,
-comercial blocking to brasil, since their economy might be dangerous for the USA,
-the selling of intelligence knowledge to spain in order to support a fascism regim (with the make up of democracy) agaist Catalans and Vasc countries,
-the submarine issue with rusia, in the bearing sea, the sending of more troops to more than 150 countries, already occupied.
-issues to get visas, even myself i had issues to renuwe my work permit, (and that was before 9/11)
-the killing of NIGHTLIFE IN NYC, well and the list goes on and on.....for all this I will support this administration, because after all, spain also produces a big amount of oil........too bad is olive oil!!!

Should be completely forbidden to have a president that has been out of his own country twice before been elected.

Hold the onions and tomatoes

Aside from how much we hate this farce, isn't anyone in the City government concerned about the security issues? A Convention in the hot month of September... (no doubt they will trumpet their 'triumph' over 9/11 to death)... in a City with overtaxed resources ... Would this not be a 'perfect moment' for the terrorists to go all-out and try to take out Bush and his cronies? I kind of can't believe it is being allowed. It is massive hubris at the expense of all the folk who live here.

That is a very good point S'tan. I have heard concerns voiced by many people about what possible consequnces could come from the convention coming to NYC.

**The Fabulous Miss Helen Jones**

Aside from the real possibility of bodily harm to innocent citizens from some type of violence aimed at the Fasci- uh, I mean, Republican Party party, the totally inevitable consequence will be how much it will cost taxpayers for extra overtime from cops, sanitation and the wear and tear on the infrastructure. The Little Bushies want to throw their party here but it really means they want to drop their empties, paper plates, cigar butts, condoms and confetti all over downtown while exploiting the 9/11 atrocity they bungled and taking the citizenry, the majority of which did not vote their way, for a total ride. Yes it means a brief windfall for prostitutes, cab drivers and hotels, but the influx of cash from the Little Bush claque really amounts to a kind of hush money. It certainly won't add up to the 50 billion that was promised in post 9/11 aid. After three years of the most awful excuse for professional politics we have seen this century the credibility of the Republican Party is hanging by a thread.

wish mother had a summer lodge in the pocanos.

there will be twelve arraignment courts operating according to newsday (normally there are four?). arrest are projected to reach 1000 a day. because of the budget there are fewer prosecuters which may slow things down.....

am sure there will be mass arrests of street people and the more obvious boys and girls of the night just before the show starts as well. there will be roads and streets blocked off so make sure you have PROPER ID that shows YOUR HOME ADDRESS ON IT so you can get home when you want also.

have already heard from a friend in the catering biz that started dealing with the repuglians just after this was announced. he said the gop comes in and treats people terrible ording everyone around, planning food then ordering somewhere else after the plans were made, while planning these parties and how they are gonna spare no expense. expect these guys to be calling for food delivery from 21 and the four seasons all day and night all over manhattan. they won't eat out of the little dirty local dinners for sure. it won't be good enough. such wasters.

was really hoping they would have done the floating hotel and never come ashore.

Of course they wanted to do the floating hotel room on the river but the mayor said "NO WAY!" And I don't blame him one bit. IF they are coming to NYC they better spend money within the city and not all on one ship tied up to the Hudson. May they all have a horrible time here. It is the last time a Republican will be in the Executive office for a very long time.

They Might Not Come!!!

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/10/nyregion/10convention.html?th

...now saying that maybe is is NOT such a good idea to use the city for their grandstanding. Given what might come out in the current hearings.... "Bush Knew!"

Wishful thinking, hon. My gut feeling is the GOP infestation will proceed as planned come hell or high water. At this point they've placed their bet on NYC and backing out now would look worse than not backing out, no matter what the 9/11 commission says. Start storing the pig's blood and rotten cabbage heads anyway.

I agree with you. I just was thrilled there might be a glimmer of hope.

Valuable Info for protesters:
http://www.rncnotwelcome.org/fighttheman.html

Also here:
http://www.notinourname.net/rnc/

btw Lexxy you made my week... I bust out laughing every time I recall your "tits like a sparrow" gibe.

My friend, a very liberal democrat who is forced to go to the Republican Convention since she is a journalist and a stringer for AP, gave me a brilliant idea. For those of us who want to escape town during this horrible invasion, worse than the 17 year cecadas, rent out your apartment for the week to some Republican, and suck them for cash. Make them pay to stay in our city. She said $1000 for the week, depends on the apartment, and proximity to the horrid Javits Center where this all will ensue. It is just a thought...

It's a whore's approach...we just have to establish the price.

http://www.disturbingauctions.com/
We need the naked soldiers (look under "emotionally scarring toys"

Well things are really beginning to pick up on the RNC protest side. Surely the Sunday Aug 29 march will be historic, especially if it doesnt get a permit - Seems everyone is marching anyway that day. Can the mayor's office be that clueless??? (Rhetorical Question..)

Wanted to pass along a few links-

http://www.counterconvention.org
http://www.rncnotwelcome.org/
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=1810

Between the three, there is a wealth of information and ways to get involved.

let the mayor know what you think

call 311... ask to make "an opinion to the Mayor"

don't be afraid to speak up...

I'm a little embarassed to say I've never voted before just because....but I need to register for this upcoming election and dont know how.I'm curious to know if anyone will be having some sort of registration event before november?

C262

Christopher-

Everything you need is at

http://www.nyc.gov/html/vac/html/registration.html

Thanks I just checked it out!

Who is staying in town for this hell?
I have my ticket to San Francisco. Goodbye.

They're putting up traffic blockades from
30th to 36th Street, and
from 6th avenue to 9th Avenue.
You will not be able to
drive on the block without lots of ID, and they will video-screen underneath every vehicle passing into that area.

I'm just below that (West 26th) but by mid-August 21 I feel sure this "no fly" zone will be extended. I just hope the cat-sitters will not need ID to get on the block.

S'tan you don't want to experience this Khafka-meets-Fellini event? What can SF possibly offer in compensation, besides tweeked up mutant hippies and down at their heels refugees from Silicon Valley? I'm sure your business associates are over-booked for the week. It would be very engaging just to see the psychic gymnastics that will take place. I think one key here to not being bothered is to simply not see the convention attendees as they see themselves. Not hard really. People who live in a mass delusion aren't so psychically accessible to begin with.

My boss is closing the store during the convention so that we can go protest. She says that she expects to be thrown in jail. I'll be right with her, but alas they will seperate us and either throw me in with the men, or put me in a "special" holding tank. I feel so strongly about what Tolstoy referred to as "Non-resistance" which so greatly inspired Ghandi and Martin Luther King, but with Bush and his cronies and all that are with him coming to our city, my heart and soul are full of desire to be at the barricades expressing my disgust and disdain. I consider myself very fortunate that I work for a woman that also feels so strongly about it that she would actually close her shop to be there. I will be right there with her and everyone else who cannot hold back from putting themselves on the line of protest.

You are very fortunate, Stacy - Good luck to your boss and yourself this week!

This is so far my favorite piece of RNC NOT WELCOME agitprop...

http://in8.com/fucknewyork/

Sure there will be lots more!

No, seven, I never saw your post til now, and I am fed up with this hee-haw-snicker-snicker attitude that Republicans will actually walk out onto the sidewalks of Manhattan, to visit restaurants, movies, plays or any form of sex worker! Everyone I know is staring into dead air. Everything is going to be called into their hotel rooms! (Or rather, smart sex-workers are already booked into the hotels!) No, no-one's dainty foot need touch the ground...

Here in the 20-30s between 6th and 7th Avenues, Ground Zero 2004... the anxiety level is enormous. You work in this utterly insane neighborhood, seven, don't you walk around wondering if you're going to get nuked by 5 PM? I'm completely nervous wondering if my loft, my cats -- or the building! -- are still going to be here when I return. It's just like the days after 9/11. But worse, because there's no fact to react to: just this hideous $300 million-dollar anticipation. I'm jumping at every sound. Everytime a helicopter goes over I'm running to check the news.

They have helicopters with laser-sights surveying the lint in your belly-button...
10,000 NYC policemen in these few square blocks. Churches issuing ID's to the homeless so they can get to the local soup-kitchen. Your march has no official destination (yet) but they've got the holding pens/jail at Pier 57 all ready! Though I totally understand Stacey Amber's POV on being at the front lines, and commend her for it, this creature neither wants nor needs a personal FBI agent as sexy escort for the rest of her life.

This is a created hell, and I won't sit in the middle of it to be tormented. I would guess Bloomberg has SO lost the vote in this neighborhood. My big protest this year is to go out and vote for Kerry.

Prove me wrong, I really hope so. And again -- good luck to everyone!

"...Police and federal officials, who are gearing up to make sure convention protests are peaceful, showed off high tech police helmets equipped with cameras. The cameras will send live pictures to officers stationed at mobile command units. The system costs about $800,000, according to a spokesman for the Federal Protective Service. "

The photo is not shown online, but in the paper paper (page 2) these crazy big helmets look like giant halos. Smile for the birdie. Gak.

http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/18973.htm

Well of course this is all a bloated excuse for every branch of law enforcement to trot out all their tax-payer financed gizmos and trinkets. It's almost like they are the society and we are outsiders. The whole city is just a guinea pig for their tactics and ultra-surveillance. But S'tan I hope you are taking a vacation because you are annoyed rather than in fear. I'm wondering if the emotion that is motivating you to cut out of here is going to dissipate once the convention is over.

S'tan I hope your blood pressure eases out in S.F. Anywhere in Manhattan is targetsville anyway, if one wants to consider that scenario.

This just tonight -its gonna be a great week-

Check this link for all the news-
http://nyc.indymedia.org/

quote:

---

10:30PM Within the next half hour, Outernational is scheduled to play a show to a packed house at St. Marks Church within the next half hour. However, the church is currently surrounded by police. A NYC IMC reporter on the scene describes it as a "concert under siege."

10:26PM Greg from Michigan IMC reports a street closure at 9th Ave. & 23rd St. He reports that bikes are trapped; there are at least 6 police wagons present and cops are trying to fill them up with arrestees.

10:23PM A reporter from DC IMC says that at 10th St. & 2nd Ave cops are throwing bikes onto flatbeds. It appears as if all arrests have been made there.

10:16PM Police are getting ready to arrest over 100 people near the Lincoln Tunnel.

10:00PM Approx 24 people are being arrested at 9th St. & 2nd Ave. Hundreds of New Yorkers coming from surrounding bars have poured into the streets and are shouting, "Fuck Bush," and "No Police State."

9:59PM All traffic between 8th St. & 14th St. east of 3rd Ave. has been halted. Cops have cordoned off the entire area.


9:57PMA Michigan IMC reporter has been arrested.

9:53PM Eight police wagons and a mass of police are currently heading to the St. Marks Church Area.

9:45PM Daniel reports that cops are literally dragging people off of the street, pulling them off their bikes and arresting them in front of St. Marks Church.

9:40PM Critical Mass riders have formed at "donut shape" around cops in front of St. Marks Church. Reports that cyclists are chanting "Let them go!" while holding thier bikes in the air. A police wagon is en route to 2nd Ave. & 9th Street.

9:38PM The police report that people who show ID will be processed and released immediately from Pier 57. Those without ID will be sent to the Tombs.

9:36 PM Cops at St. Marks Church are only arresting people who are on the street. People looking on from the sidewalk appear to be safe from arrest for the moment.

9:35PM Amidst the arrests, cops are leaving bicycles behind. The NLG will be taking arrestees bicycles to their office. If your bike was abandoned, call 212 679.6018 to identify and retrieve your bicycle.

9:34PM More cops en route to 2nd Ave & 10th St.

9:30PM Police using nitesticks are plowing into the crowd in front of St. Marks Church. A helicopter overhead is shining a light onto the crowd.

9:27PM Arrests in progress on 2nd Ave. between 10th & 14th Streets. Cops on scooters are pushing people out of the streets. Croud is chanting, "Let them go."

9:20PM A group of riders has gathered at St. Marks Church for festivities and revelry. There are at least 1,000, perhaps more gathered on the streets.

9:17PM At 36th Street & Dyer, cops will not allow people to watch, or take photographs. NLG observers are on scene, but it is unclear whether they are being allowed to observe arrests.

9:15PM Flip at 14th Street & West Side Highway reports that many empty police buses and police cars are being dispatched. Riders are being corralled along 14th Street.

9:12PM Confirmed that some Critical Mass riders are riding nude on 1st Ave. & 23rd Street.

9:10PM Persons on the street report that a bus full of Critical Mass riders have been arrested, location unknown.

9:08PM Critical Mass continues north on 1st Ave in the 20's.

9:06PM Reports coming in that police are calling for vans and buses possibly in preparation for mass arrests. Most activity and arrests seem to be happening on 7th Ave.

9:04PM Dawn from Rochester IMC reports dozens of arrests at 34th Street & 7th Ave. She recounts "less than friendly" treatment by police.

9:01PM Instersection at 34th & 35th has been cleared, 34-35 have been arrested. According to a street reported, several have alson had their bikes confiscated.

9:00PM After a very festive bicycle ride, police, with the use of blockades are forcing cyclists to split up.

8:58PM More arrests near the Lincoln Tunnel.

8:56PM Arrests also at 35th & 7th Avenue and 35th & 9th Ave.

8:52PM Seven arrested at 14th Street & 7th Avenue. NLG and many witnesses on the scene. Police may attempting to coral cyclists.

8:48PM Police have blocked 7th Avenue, cyclists are being forced to ride against traffic.

8:46PM Estimates of 10,000 bikes total.

8:45PM Hundreds of people at Wash Sq. South, going east.

8:35PMMarch is 45 blocks long (!). Heading south on 7th Ave. on 22nd St.

8:30PM - Where's Critical Mass? Check out Live NYC Webcams to find them.

8:24PM - Ride is passing Madison Square Garden from Times Square.

8:21PM - The two rides that were split by the cops have met up and are heading towards Time Square.

8:18PM - Two arrests on 43rd and Broadway.

8:04PM - At the corner 6th & 30th, caller reports that a couple hundred bikes seem to have broken off. This ride is HUGE.

7:58PM - Group split in 2, one group going on Madison at 40th heading North, other on 6th at 51st.

7:54PM - There seems to be a blockade, ride spontaneously rerouted. Going west on 30th now.

7:44PM - Bikes are in the air at 34th and 6th (Harold Square), cheering.

7:41PM - The end of the ride just left! Front is at 30th St. and Broadway.

7:37PM - White SUV plowed through ride, created hole in ride, injured 1 rider, damaged several bikes, medics on the scene. Caller: "impossible to judge" size. White SUV driver was allegedly Foxy Brown.

7:31PM - At least 5,000. There is a really loud response from pedestrians, waving, riding, cheering "shut it down." There is great support, they are lining the sidewalks.

7:28PM - Latest crowd estimate 3,000 - 5,000. Heading northbound on 6th Ave.

7:24PM - Broadway and 4th, heading Southbound. The march is so long that we are getting reports both that the march has left and that it hasn't left yet. Cops on bikes too.

---

The Ugly Republicans Are Coming to Town.

Thanks, Empress for that news link. I have noticed that, unlike on 9/11, the mainstream online media has been extremely slow in reporting on protests.
I also have noticed that the straight media hasn't bothered to inform the public just what Critical Mass is.
Critical Mass is a bike ride that occurs on the last Friday of the month, and happens throughout the country and the world, in many different cities. There are no leaders-- it's definitely an anarchistic thang and its intent is to bring attention to the fact that non-gas guzzling forms of transport have a right to the toad too. In SF, BTW, many of its participants are skateboarders; here, of course it's bicyclists. Last night,many of the participants in NYC decided to veer off and make a statement about the RNC.
Link about Critical Mass

The OTHER great protest this week...
THE MAN IN BLACK BLOC

Sorry I won't be in town for this, but would love a report if anyone else makes it.

http://www.defendjohnnycash.org/call.html

Gorgeous!
My fave term this weekend: Mouse Bloc:

"If one mouse can scare an elephant, what can thousands do?"

Referring specifically to an illegal action planned for the Disney-fied Theatre District later on Sunday...

Reposted from The Well, NY Conf

quote:

---

I think I want to taunt some Republicans this week. My best friend already got in a good shot. The story, according to him:

He and a friend were walking in Central Park. Big-ass SUV pulls up. A woman with a bouffant 'do drawls, "Do you know how to get to Times
Square?"

[practice, practice might've been a good response too, but:]

Friend: Are you here for the RNC, by chance?

Woman: (beaming) Yes, I am!

Friend: Well, then, you're a Republican, you're all about self-sufficiency, right? Find it your damn self.

I hope the next person she asked gave her directions to the freeway.

---

A woman with a bouffant and a drawl. Hmmmm...

Today's New York Times has this gorgeous article and map of where to go to help in the disruption of the RNC today.

NYT Article

The Mouse Bloc (where many delegates were spat at and forced to witness same-sex couples kissing while leaving B'way shows) and various other actions later in the day on Sunday after 1/2 million of us took to the streets, most notably one or two hecklers slipping into a reception at the Boathouse Restaurant in Central Park for Speaker Of The House Dennis Hastert, helped to "welcome" those Republicans.

Yesterday, several marches-- one at the UN and one in Chelsea, eventually joining together-- caused a complete shutdown of West Chelsea north of 23rd Street. Although I missed most of this, as I was leaving a loft on 28th Street, I got to see much of the aftermath.

I shall be out and about today.

Definitely an historic time!

Give em hell, hatches - and please keep posting here - we feel very cut off in NOLa, thank goddess for wifi, now available with your alligator bits and rabbit jambalaya..

(only in New Orleans, kids!)

Missing you and Daddy, Empress!

A-31 Action Site

I went up to the Shut-up-a-thon earlier, and the subway was positively eerie at 3:30 PM-- I was the only person in my subway car-- the D train from West 4th-- that in itself was pretty amazing! Crowd of about a thousand people at the demo chanting, "Fox, SHUT UP!" both within the police "pen" and on the street corners. You could hear the "shut up"s echoing down inside the 47-50th Street subway station. Gorgeous!
I left as it was starting to get a little tense with a million cops and went downtown.
Right now there is a lot happening both in Midtown in Herald Square and down in Union Square.
I can hear many, many sirens heading north, even down here and an unusually large amount of helicopters makin' the rounds.

The Shut-Up-A-Thon:

Wow! the Shut-up-a-thon was fierce! I didn't see you Hattie, but it was easy to miss people. I stayed until a little after 5 when it started to disperse. "Fox Lies. People Die" "SHut the Fox up." "Don't tell me what to think. Fox News you really stink!" I wish I could could remember some of the other chants. The cops were really good. They have to be so on edge now, and they're doing a super job of staying cool, and managing the flow of the city amid the Chaos. THey are actually accomadating the protests.

After the Fox thing I went to Union Square which was supposed to have been a PRo choice Rally but there was a free-for-all of mini rallies going on. We went up to another rally in Madison Square Park, and then watched the War Resisters League doing a Die-in on Broadway between 27 and 28 with a huge police presence.

We then hung out at Herald Square which became a rather ugly mob mentality of people booing various small groups of Republican Delegates going from their Hotels to the Garden through a phalanx of cops in riot gear to protect them. The Police presence there was massive. We felt like telling the various delegates quietly to please reconsider what they are doing before its too late, but couldn't get that close. Most of them made a point of smiling broadly at everybody and keeping a brave face. But they had to be pretty stupid to try to come through that crowd like that. But I guess that goes hand-in-hand with being a Republican.

There is an ugly current of raw hatred out there and within myself as well and I don't like it. It makes me sick. IT's the same hatred that is present in Civil Wars. This is a very intense experience. I feel like I need to go away on a retreat when it's all over.

It's going to be even more intense tomorrow when CHeney is there and even more so on THursday when Bush comes to town. I'm glad at least that the moon is waning, as the mob instinct was really strong tonight.