A Decision...

[flufeemunk]

I live near DC and George Bush's re-inaguration is now impending. I found that I have an oppertunity to be a volunteer/usher, which looks to be a promising forum for civil disobedience (like wearing an anti-bush t-shirt underneath ny suit and exposing it during Bush's speech), but I don't wanna lose teeth after they are punched out by raging Brownshirts... er... I mean... Republicans. The part of me that says that there is safety in numbers wants to join the counter-inagural (http://www.counter-inaugural.org/). Which should I do? Any tips?

[ApostateAbe]

What do you hope to accomplish?

[godfry n. glad]

I live near DC and George Bush's re-inaguration is now impending. I found that I have an oppertunity to be a volunteer/usher, which looks to be a promising forum for civil disobedience (like wearing an anti-bush t-shirt underneath ny suit and exposing it during Bush's speech), but I don't wanna lose teeth after they are punched out by raging Brownshirts... er... I mean... Republicans. The part of me that says that there is safety in numbers wants to join the counter-inagural (http://www.counter-inaugural.org/). Which should I do? Any tips?

Tips, no.

I personally could not attend. I have tendencies to nausea and emesis. I shall stay home and treat my condition. Intensively.

(It helps that I'm on the opposite coast, but somehow it's still not very comforting.)

Which brings to mind a means of protest which I found interesting. Evidently, it occurred here. Three protesters did an in-unison patriotic technicolor yawn for Vice President Cheney...Red, white and blue.

If you intend to go, I would suggest you NOT wear anything "anti-Bush". If anything, I'd suggest something positive that you have your doubts the Bushits support. Like support for the Geneva Accords on the Treatment of Prisoners, the Kyoto Accords, Civil Rights, Peace in Our Time, Economic Equity, Community Responsibility; take your pick or find your own. I rather like, "Keep Our Boys Safe - Bring 'Em Home". Just don't make it specifically "anti-Bush". This was the beauty of those who were given the bum's rush from the Republican rally with Cheney in southern Oregon during the election.....their teeshirts said, "Save Our Civil Rights".

My :twocents:

godfry

[flufeemunk]

Thanks! That's probably a better move. I was thinking something from the Bill of Rights or that quote from Benjamin Frankin, "Those who are willing to give up liberty for temporary safety deserve neither safety nor liberty." "Save our Civil Rights" sounds clear enough and would be a good nod to it, but yeah. I am also thinking something sarcastic would be nice, like Robespierre's "Liberty must be maintained with an iron fist!"

The only reason I am considering at all is that kids being pulled out of school rallies and campaign slots are one thing, but if something actually happened during the inaguration it *could* merit more attention.

One other idea, though it may be too subtle, would be to criticize the "mandate" quote with a shirt that says "48%"...

[ApostateAbe]

What do you hope to accomplish?

[flufeemunk]

What do you hope to accomplish?

I guess that it would be interesting to show the reaction of the Bush admin to free speech in a very public arena. At the moment the GOP is throwing around the whole "largest popular vote ever" thing that Dick Cheney was saying and acting like a second bush term is a "mandate" to get their socially conservative agenda into the lawbooks. I guess this would be a way of expressing that there is still that 48 percent out there, and the Bush re-election did not kill issues that were there before.

[godfry n. glad]

One other idea, though it may be too subtle, would be to criticize the "mandate" quote with a shirt that says "48%"...

Hmmm... I like that idea.

How about:
48% STILL in Dissent

[Roland98]

But didn't the "save our civil rights" girls still get arrested or kicked out or something?

[godfry n. glad]

But didn't the "save our civil rights" girls still get arrested or kicked out or something?

They were escorted to the exit by Bush campaign staff.

godfry

[Godless Dave]

What do you hope to accomplish?

"If your enemy is of choleric temperament, irritate him." - Sun-Tzu