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August 30, 2004
"Republican murderers go home and kill your babies!"
More escalation of tactics, and more Marxist fundamentalist zeal in action. Just as people have no right to run in a Marathon race or live peacably in their own homes when there are more important issues, there's no right to attend the theater either: ....[I]ndividual protesters kept tensions high, some of them hissing or cursing at well-heeled couples heading to popular Broadway musicals like "Thoroughly Modern Millie" and "Fiddler on the Roof."Storm their houses! EAT THE RICH! Old Berkeley stuff for me; I can tell this week will be a walk down memory lane. But speaking of nostalgia, I should remind readers that at a large gay riot I attended, the crowd refused to storm the opera house. In those days, attacking theater patrons was thought (by gay demonstrators, at least) to be gauche and tacky. More gorilla than guerilla theater. Perhaps the demonstrators need a makeover from "Queer Eye for the Demon-straight Guy."
If the goal is to make the Republicans here for the convention as uncomfortable as possible, we can take pride in our collective success. Regardless of how much you may enjoy Aida, you enjoy it much less if hundreds scream that they hate you while you step outside for intermission. The direct confrontation of protesters and the side effects of inconvenient checkpoints and spooky scenes of helmeted police wielding clubs has made things unpleasant for our red state friends.Winning the oppressors' hearts and minds by evoking "Selma-like images"? When I was on Berkeley's Police Review Commission, arrested demonstrators would (as part of their strategy) routinely bring utterly groundless charges against Berkeley's police officers. As might be expected, Berkeley cops are well trained to cope with professional demonstrators, and bend over backwards to accomodate. Never mind: evoking Selma, Birmingham, and Bull Conner was standard fare. "BERKELEY IS JUST LIKE BIRMINGHAM!" "CHIEF BUTLER IS JUST LIKE BULL CONNOR!" Not many hearts and minds were moved. Although a number of eyeballs did move -- upwards.....
Let's see if I have this right. Nonviolent activists attempting to exercise their constitutional rights are being attacked by organized violent thugs..... You know, it does sound like Selma! Perhaps there'll be some winning of hearts and minds after all.... posted by Eric on 08.30.04 at 09:57 AM |
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