My photos and videos from the rally in NYC **56k warning***
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PittsburghAfterDark
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I kept flipping through baseball and the C-SPAN cameras showing the march past MSG without commentary. They had cameras in the crowd and stationary above the street. I noticed a few things about this crowd of what I deem "professional" protesters.
This crowd was all ABB (Obviously.) and huge on the GIMME GIMME GIMME aspect. I was stunned at the lack of variety of signs and the creativity of the slogans. BUSH LIED, Healthcare Not Warfare, or Immigrant Rights or **EDUCATION PHRASE HERE** Not Bombs seemed to be 60%+ of the signs.
There were also numerous streetwide banners that had the organizational names below their ABB phrase, they typically included words like "Proletariat", "Socialst" or "Progressive". In other words, this was the fringe radicals. I also noticed a large amount of union signs from the SEIU so who knows how many union members were in this crowd that marched today so they got a free trip to NYC Friday-Sunday or Monday but didn't give a rats ass about the cause. Don't think it's possible? Only about 1-8 to 1-10 in the union groups had signs.
The other thing that cracked me up were when they actually did do man/woman on the street interviews. Not one person out of 40+ I saw interviewed mentioned John Kerry or how there was a better choice available to the people. All they could do was talk about generally being against war or wanting free something; free healthcare, free college educations, free housing, free money (Loan forgiveness for various groups of Americans.) not one person though mentioned they had a choice coming up in less than 70 days. The tone I took away from every person was a sense of non-reality, they almost didn't know why they were marching except they didn't like Bush.
If anyone else spent time watching this did you notice that there's a big FOX News billboard at 33rd and 7th Avenue? The funniest thing was there were chants.... against the billboard
. I mean c'mon, they alternated between "FOX News Sucks" and "FOX News Lies" depending on the group passing by. Who the shaq fu chants against a billboard ? Is it going to talk back?
The last thing I wanted to point out was that IMHO these were typically the same shiftless and aimless people you see lounging about in coffee shops and crashed in the chairs and on couches in book stores reading books they'll never buy. Poorly dressed, rag tag looks about them, few had pride in their appearance. About 1-10,000 had something of ANY value on them like a camera or even something as trivial as a wrist watch. The rest were dressed like the slobs playing hacky sack or ultimate on a college campus.
Outside the union people I'd really like to know who paid to get these people here to show up, they didn't look like the bridge and tunnel crowd.
The thing that really killed me were examples of such blind obvious stupidity. I saw several signs relating to an erosion of freedom of speech or civil rights. Did it not dawn on these people that 50+city, state and federal government agencies allocated over $50 million dollars to protect 250,000+ Americans that would be able to safely and hopefully peacefully assemble and address their political grievances in a public forum? Isn't that ENSURING your civil rights and freedom of speech? Did you not see the massive dumptrucks filled with sand at intersections with 7th avenue that were established as mobile barriers against a car comb attack? Or how about the dozens of uniformed personnel with automatic weapons? Did it not occur to these MENSA rejects that police states don't allocate funds and resources to be denounced on worldwide television?
I'm glad the major protest went off without violence. I hope the rest of the week is as uneventful.
This crowd was all ABB (Obviously.) and huge on the GIMME GIMME GIMME aspect. I was stunned at the lack of variety of signs and the creativity of the slogans. BUSH LIED, Healthcare Not Warfare, or Immigrant Rights or **EDUCATION PHRASE HERE** Not Bombs seemed to be 60%+ of the signs.
There were also numerous streetwide banners that had the organizational names below their ABB phrase, they typically included words like "Proletariat", "Socialst" or "Progressive". In other words, this was the fringe radicals. I also noticed a large amount of union signs from the SEIU so who knows how many union members were in this crowd that marched today so they got a free trip to NYC Friday-Sunday or Monday but didn't give a rats ass about the cause. Don't think it's possible? Only about 1-8 to 1-10 in the union groups had signs.
The other thing that cracked me up were when they actually did do man/woman on the street interviews. Not one person out of 40+ I saw interviewed mentioned John Kerry or how there was a better choice available to the people. All they could do was talk about generally being against war or wanting free something; free healthcare, free college educations, free housing, free money (Loan forgiveness for various groups of Americans.) not one person though mentioned they had a choice coming up in less than 70 days. The tone I took away from every person was a sense of non-reality, they almost didn't know why they were marching except they didn't like Bush.
If anyone else spent time watching this did you notice that there's a big FOX News billboard at 33rd and 7th Avenue? The funniest thing was there were chants.... against the billboard
. I mean c'mon, they alternated between "FOX News Sucks" and "FOX News Lies" depending on the group passing by. Who the shaq fu chants against a billboard ? Is it going to talk back?The last thing I wanted to point out was that IMHO these were typically the same shiftless and aimless people you see lounging about in coffee shops and crashed in the chairs and on couches in book stores reading books they'll never buy. Poorly dressed, rag tag looks about them, few had pride in their appearance. About 1-10,000 had something of ANY value on them like a camera or even something as trivial as a wrist watch. The rest were dressed like the slobs playing hacky sack or ultimate on a college campus.
Outside the union people I'd really like to know who paid to get these people here to show up, they didn't look like the bridge and tunnel crowd.
The thing that really killed me were examples of such blind obvious stupidity. I saw several signs relating to an erosion of freedom of speech or civil rights. Did it not dawn on these people that 50+city, state and federal government agencies allocated over $50 million dollars to protect 250,000+ Americans that would be able to safely and hopefully peacefully assemble and address their political grievances in a public forum? Isn't that ENSURING your civil rights and freedom of speech? Did you not see the massive dumptrucks filled with sand at intersections with 7th avenue that were established as mobile barriers against a car comb attack? Or how about the dozens of uniformed personnel with automatic weapons? Did it not occur to these MENSA rejects that police states don't allocate funds and resources to be denounced on worldwide television?
I'm glad the major protest went off without violence. I hope the rest of the week is as uneventful.
WhipSmartBanky
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I enjoyed the picture of the cops in front of the bagel shop!
JSweeney
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I wish that a crowd like that could be gathered for non-partisan, non-political volunteer efforts for the betterment of others...
If you could rally a group of that size, even once a month, imagine all the good that could be done for others.
Unfortunately that never seems like it would happen unless people are under assault from terrorism, war, weather, or God.
It's a pity.
If you could rally a group of that size, even once a month, imagine all the good that could be done for others.
Unfortunately that never seems like it would happen unless people are under assault from terrorism, war, weather, or God.
It's a pity.
[quote name='PittsburghAfterDark'] I noticed a few things about this crowd of what I deem "professional" protesters.[/quote]
Kind of hard to gather a crowd of more than 200,000 "professional" protesters, I would think. The payroll alone would be enormous, not to mention the cost of getting them there....
But to think these people showed up solely because they were passionate in their opposition to Bush....wow....I guess you'd have to come to the conclusion that the prez is a pretty unpopular guy. Like, approval-rating-lower-than-50-percent unpopular. And we all know that isn't true, don't we?
Maybe this is because these are real concerns for real Americans who are facing tough economic times, and Bush hasn't even tried to provide answers? Hasn't even remembered to try and pretend to care?
Yes, I'm sure you are just relieved as all hell you didn't have to rush onto the forum with a post showing how the dirty hippies had destroyed NYC with their violent protest. And I'm sure that if violence occurs, PAD, you won't be writing a single gloating post, but instead will sit silently at your keyboard shaking your head in sadness and regret.
Kind of hard to gather a crowd of more than 200,000 "professional" protesters, I would think. The payroll alone would be enormous, not to mention the cost of getting them there....
But to think these people showed up solely because they were passionate in their opposition to Bush....wow....I guess you'd have to come to the conclusion that the prez is a pretty unpopular guy. Like, approval-rating-lower-than-50-percent unpopular. And we all know that isn't true, don't we?
Maybe this is because these are real concerns for real Americans who are facing tough economic times, and Bush hasn't even tried to provide answers? Hasn't even remembered to try and pretend to care?
Yes, I'm sure you are just relieved as all hell you didn't have to rush onto the forum with a post showing how the dirty hippies had destroyed NYC with their violent protest. And I'm sure that if violence occurs, PAD, you won't be writing a single gloating post, but instead will sit silently at your keyboard shaking your head in sadness and regret.
[quote name='dennis_t']
But to think these people showed up solely because they were passionate in their opposition to Bush....wow....I guess you'd have to come to the conclusion that the prez is a pretty unpopular guy. Like, approval-rating-lower-than-50-percent unpopular. And we all know that isn't true, don't we?[/quote]
I'm not sure its that so much as it is that this president is a very polarizing president. Meaning that, generally, people either like him or absolutely hate him.
But to think these people showed up solely because they were passionate in their opposition to Bush....wow....I guess you'd have to come to the conclusion that the prez is a pretty unpopular guy. Like, approval-rating-lower-than-50-percent unpopular. And we all know that isn't true, don't we?[/quote]
I'm not sure its that so much as it is that this president is a very polarizing president. Meaning that, generally, people either like him or absolutely hate him.
MrBadExample
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[quote name='PittsburghAfterDark']The last thing I wanted to point out was that IMHO these were typically the same shiftless and aimless people you see lounging about in coffee shops and crashed in the chairs and on couches in book stores reading books they'll never buy. Poorly dressed, rag tag looks about them, few had pride in their appearance. About 1-10,000 had something of ANY value on them like a camera or even something as trivial as a wrist watch. The rest were dressed like the slobs playing hacky sack or ultimate on a college campus.[/quote]
Whoever said Republicans were elitest?
I would have certainly thought twice before wearing any expensive items in a crowd where there was a potential for violence (either from the protestors or the police).
Whoever said Republicans were elitest?
I would have certainly thought twice before wearing any expensive items in a crowd where there was a potential for violence (either from the protestors or the police).
"Only about 1-8 to 1-10 in the union groups had signs."
'cause you know, you're not a real protester unless you've got a sign.
Why's it so hard for you to just admit that a *lot* of people hate Bush because he's done a horrible job? You don't have to be pro-Kerry to hate Bush - no one said this was a protest of support for something, it's a *protest* - so of course the interviews are going to be anti-Bush.
Yeesh.
seppo
'cause you know, you're not a real protester unless you've got a sign.
Why's it so hard for you to just admit that a *lot* of people hate Bush because he's done a horrible job? You don't have to be pro-Kerry to hate Bush - no one said this was a protest of support for something, it's a *protest* - so of course the interviews are going to be anti-Bush.
Yeesh.
seppo
[quote name='RedvsBlue'][quote name='dennis_t']
But to think these people showed up solely because they were passionate in their opposition to Bush....wow....I guess you'd have to come to the conclusion that the prez is a pretty unpopular guy. Like, approval-rating-lower-than-50-percent unpopular. And we all know that isn't true, don't we?[/quote]
I'm not sure its that so much as it is that this president is a very polarizing president. Meaning that, generally, people either like him or absolutely hate him.[/quote]
So you're saying he's a divider, not a uniter? Well, that's one campaign promise blown. (Of many....)
But to think these people showed up solely because they were passionate in their opposition to Bush....wow....I guess you'd have to come to the conclusion that the prez is a pretty unpopular guy. Like, approval-rating-lower-than-50-percent unpopular. And we all know that isn't true, don't we?[/quote]
I'm not sure its that so much as it is that this president is a very polarizing president. Meaning that, generally, people either like him or absolutely hate him.[/quote]
So you're saying he's a divider, not a uniter? Well, that's one campaign promise blown. (Of many....)
Who got "shipped" in, exactly? Oh, do you mean the people the RNC bussed in to Florida during the 2000 election to protest the vote count?
I know a lot of people who went to NYC of their own accord, simply out of a personal belief that Bush is doing a horrible, horrible job.
I'm really baffled - I just don't understand the thought process that goes through people like gamefreak, and PAD's minds. Do you live in some sort of candy land, where everything is delicious candy, and Bush is the head gingerbread man?
I mean, that's about the most charitable angle I can give to it. Every other notion ends with just declaring you delusional morons.
*shrugs*
seppo
I know a lot of people who went to NYC of their own accord, simply out of a personal belief that Bush is doing a horrible, horrible job.
I'm really baffled - I just don't understand the thought process that goes through people like gamefreak, and PAD's minds. Do you live in some sort of candy land, where everything is delicious candy, and Bush is the head gingerbread man?
I mean, that's about the most charitable angle I can give to it. Every other notion ends with just declaring you delusional morons.
*shrugs*
seppo
Quackzilla
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Did you see any footage of the police brutality?
There were plainclothes officers that drove motocycles INTO CROWDS, THOUSANDS of people were beaten and arrested (New York buses were used as temporary jails), legal observers and independent reporters were targeted and beaten then arrested, and the NYPD, FBI, CIA, and other agencies working there terrorized the protestors.
Yet the protestors did NOT back down and they did NOT resort to violence to defend themselves.
It's like a flashback to the Vietnam protests only on a MUCH LARGER scale.
And please don't try to deny it, it really happened.
Don't come here and post a FOX News link that says violent protestors attack NYC, or some shit like that.
Have some respect for REAL patriots.
There were plainclothes officers that drove motocycles INTO CROWDS, THOUSANDS of people were beaten and arrested (New York buses were used as temporary jails), legal observers and independent reporters were targeted and beaten then arrested, and the NYPD, FBI, CIA, and other agencies working there terrorized the protestors.
Yet the protestors did NOT back down and they did NOT resort to violence to defend themselves.
It's like a flashback to the Vietnam protests only on a MUCH LARGER scale.
And please don't try to deny it, it really happened.
Don't come here and post a FOX News link that says violent protestors attack NYC, or some shit like that.
Have some respect for REAL patriots.
Doylerulez
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[quote name='PittsburghAfterDark']
If anyone else spent time watching this did you notice that there's a big FOX News billboard at 33rd and 7th Avenue? The funniest thing was there were chants.... against the billboard . I mean c'mon, they alternated between "FOX News Sucks" and "FOX News Lies" depending on the group passing by. Who the shaq fu chants against a billboard ? Is it going to talk back?[/quote]
FOX news is evil apparently, but I find this funny as hell. Stupid billboards working the crowd up.
All hail the inanimate carbon rod.
If anyone else spent time watching this did you notice that there's a big FOX News billboard at 33rd and 7th Avenue? The funniest thing was there were chants.... against the billboard
. I mean c'mon, they alternated between "FOX News Sucks" and "FOX News Lies" depending on the group passing by. Who the shaq fu chants against a billboard ? Is it going to talk back?[/quote]FOX news is evil apparently, but I find this funny as hell. Stupid billboards working the crowd up.
All hail the inanimate carbon rod.
Addressing PAD's post:
Take away the biased protestors and that still doesn't change the fact that these issues do indeed exist. It also doesn't change the fact that the Bush administration has failed to make this country better than it was when he gained control of it.
I voted for Bush, despite my democratic roots. I will not make the same mistake again.
Take away the biased protestors and that still doesn't change the fact that these issues do indeed exist. It also doesn't change the fact that the Bush administration has failed to make this country better than it was when he gained control of it.
I voted for Bush, despite my democratic roots. I will not make the same mistake again.
bread's done