Over 100,000 demonstrate at RNC!

[Neserk]

YES!

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040830/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_convention_rdp&cid=694&ncid=716

[sorryiwasdreami]

It's a protest, not a scheduled Democratic event; it's the Republican National Convention, not a Kerry rally. 100K is HUGE.

[Neserk]

It's a protest, not a scheduled event; it's the Republican National Convention, not a Kerry rally. 100K is HUGE.

According to the article, the organizers say 500,000 showed up... I was expecting a much lower number...

[Thomas Veil]

That's enough people to fill one and a half football stadiums...at least. Any way you look at it, that's damned impressive! :)

[sorryiwasdreami]

To clarify what I meant, I view a protest as a grassroots, DIY, anti-rally for a specific cause/event. It's not the main show; it's a reaction to it.

To have 100,000 people speaking against the "main show" in an unorganized, unlead manner (unorganized as in show-up-at-your-own-free-will) is a big deal. Of course there could have been more, but to see that amount of American liberals organizing themselves over one cause is remarkable.

[IJ Reilly]

Of course there could have been more, but to see that amount of American liberals organizing themselves over one cause is remarkable.

And to some, obviously a little scary.

[Rower_CPU]

User ~kilroy~ has been placed on a 1-day ban for spamming/trolling.

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[Lyle]

That's enough people to fill one and a half football stadiums...at least. Any way you look at it, that's damned impressive! :)I guess the DNC wouldn't let the Republicans borrow the cages that they used to construct the (no) free speech zones in Boston. ;)

[Desertrat]

It certainly shows the power of and the utility of the Internet. Many of the protesting groups have been planning and coordinating for quite a while, plus calling for folks to show up via appeals at various websites.

Interesting coalition of interest-groups. I wonder if anybody would be able to put a complete list together? :) (But I guess the anti-terror cops are doing that, bless their little hearts...)

My only negative view, really, is the headline I saw earlier today that some hope to disrupt the convention to the point that its process is interrupted as to the nomination of Bush. That's a wrong thing to do, regardless of one's opinion of Bush.

'Rat

[Neserk]

That's a wrong thing to do, regardless of one's opinion of Bush.

'Rat


I disagree. Bush should be out on his ass already. We shouldn't have had to wait for the first presidential election in 8 years to get him out. Anything to demonstrate American's total disgust for him should be done.

[Leo Hubbard]

I disagree. Bush should be out on his ass already. We shouldn't have had to wait for the first presidential election in 8 years to get him out. Anything to demonstrate American's total disgust for him should be done.
There was the presidential election just 4 years ago. Remember the one that Gore almost stole with his New York voters in Florida and when that didn't work tried to get the courts to steal it for him? :rolleyes:

[Thomas Veil]

Oh, you mean the one that, had Gore asked the Supreme Court (the same one that selected Bush) to review the votes in all Florida counties instead of a select few, he would have won, even electorally?

[Leo Hubbard]

Oh, you mean the one that, had Gore asked the Supreme Court (the same one that selected Bush) to review the votes in all Florida counties instead of a select few, he would have won, even electorally?
No actually I meant the one that Gore asked the Supreme Court to review the votes in only the democrat counties. The one where the news papers did review afterwards and discovered that using either of the two conventional methods Bush still won, despite all the New Yorkers double votes.

[IJ Reilly]

My only negative view, really, is the headline I saw earlier today that some hope to disrupt the convention to the point that its process is interrupted as to the nomination of Bush. That's a wrong thing to do, regardless of one's opinion of Bush.

Protesters aren't going to get anywhere near MSG, so the question is sort of moot.

Can anyone recall a protest of this size around a party convention after 1968? I can't.

[Thomas Veil]

No actually I meant the one that Gore asked the Supreme Court to review the votes in only the democrat counties. The one where the news papers did review afterwards and discovered that using either of the two conventional methods Bush still won, despite all the New Yorkers double votes.
I suppose this point is always going to be in contention. I was referring to counting votes for the entire state, not just Democratic counties. According to the mainstream news, by that method Gore would've won. (Read that quite a while ago, so sorry, don't have the reference.)

[toontra]

Just to remind you, we had an anti-Bush march in London last November to coincide with his visit here - about the same turnout 100-200k (depending on who you listen to). Not bad considering he's not even our leader!

As with this one, it was almost entirely good-natured and contained people from a whole spectrum of beliefs, united by one thing - they hate Bush!!

Proud to say I was there, and I'm glad to hear you guys (some at least) are doing the same. Irrespective of their effectiveness in changing views, it's still an essential way of ordinary people voicing their feelings and dissatisfaction.

Four more months!

[zimv20]

Can anyone recall a protest of this size around a party convention after 1968? I can't.
the NYT said it was the largest convention protest ever.

but their records go back only a couple hundred years :-)

[IJ Reilly]

the NYT said it was the largest convention protest ever.

Sure, but it was smaller than 1968, as percentage of GDP.

[Leo Hubbard]

I suppose this point is always going to be in contention. I was referring to counting votes for the entire state, not just Democratic counties. According to the mainstream news, by that method Gore would've won. (Read that quite a while ago, so sorry, don't have the reference.)
Actually Gore would've won only if they used one of the two methods not approved for counting ballets. There were 4 total methods that were mentioned in the article. Using the two "conventional" methods Bush won. Tossing out the New York votes, no way in heck did Gore win.

[skunk]

Sure, but it was smaller than 1968, as percentage of GDP.
What's GDP? Gross Demonstrator Population? ;)

[Chip NoVaMac]

Just saw a local news report on the RNC Convention. Thursday should be interesting from a production standpoint. If the report is right, the "circle" that the bands and choirs use, will be moved in front of the stage; and Bush will raise up from that stage.

I wonder if he will have stigmata marks on his hands? :rolleyes:

[Thomas Veil]

Just saw a local news report on the RNC Convention. Thursday should be interesting from a production standpoint. If the report is right, the "circle" that the bands and choirs use, will be moved in front of the stage; and Bush will raise up from that stage.
According to reports, Dubya will then be bathed in a powerful shaft of light, as his father, George H. W. Bush, announces in a booming voice, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

[SPG]

500,000 people...that's a lot. 10 stadiums. Every single man, woman and child in Seattle. I am simply blown away by the number, but not at the idea that so many people would be so opposed to this administration's actions that they would come out to protest.
I watched a little bit on C-Span and got a phone call from my brother in the crowd and I just wished I could've been there for such a historic moment.
Did anyone see the 1,000 flag draped caskets? I seriously almost cried when I saw that.
Saturday John Kerry came to Tacoma for a rally and thousands showed up to stand around in partly rainy, partly sunny weather for hours to get a chance to hear him speak. Outside there were about a dozen people who made some very big signs saying things like "Asians for Bush" even though the sign should've been singular as only one guy was standing underneath it. One heckler in the audience who was quiet after John Kerry very succesfully answered his question and a lot of people really fired up to hear a good speech by a good man. No fear, no lies, no divisiveness, just a really good plan for the future of our country and an assessment of the failures of the current administration.

Oh yeah, I shook John Kerry's hand.

[SPG]

Oh yeah, regarding the theft of the election in Florida, read Palast.
http://www.gregpalast.com/columns.cfm?subject_id=1&subject_name=Theft%20of%20Presidency
It wasn't about hanging chads and which counties needed to be recounted, it was about illegally denying the vote to tens of thousands of residents of predominantly democratic counties.

[skunk]

Bush will raise up from that stage.
A sort of "diabolus ex machina"?