Should I go to NY for the protests? A poll.

[brainshrub]

Poll question: Should I go to NY for the protests? A poll.

Pros:

1) My brother will also be there with his partner.
2) I can get a ticket for about $250.

Cons:

1) I have no lodging for the weekend & I don't have alot of money.
2) I would be going alone. (My brother is going to be all over NY, and I don't want to be a 3rd wheel.)

ON EDIT: Comments welcome.

[LifeDuringWartime]

1. i decided awhile ago id rather not

for the fear of violence and police abuse, but i decided absolutely not when i saw the story about the 150 dBA megaphone the police will be using. id rather lose eyesight than my hearing! and my hearing is already starting to go....so ill pass.

[DrWeird]

2. Go.

Check with other DUers. Maybe they've got a couch you can crash on.

I missed the Seattle WTO. I've been kicking myself ever since.

This could be something you could tell your grandkids about.

Edited for spelling. Chances are nobody's got a coach you could crash on.

[G_j]

19. housing offered:

Housing board:

http://www.counterconvention.org/lightningbug/index.php?action=enumerate&board=3



www.unitedforpeace.org

[JohnLocke]

3. Go. Bring cameras.

[goddess40]

4. Grandma going

This is Godess40's mom. I'm going and I'm going to be 67 this week. We leave Wisconsin at 2 PM on Saturday, ride all night, protest Sunday and leave NY at 9 PM Sunday evening. Then we ride all night and get back to Madison at 2 PM. Then it's another 3 hour drive back to our home town. One of our friends is going out earlier and is bunking at a Catholic church. If this grandma with a hip prosthesis and a bad back can do it, any one can. Good luck.

[brainshrub]

6. Okay, okay... you convinced me.

I'm there.

I'm Catholic. Which church?

[goddess40]

11. St. John's in Manhattan

is where we are being dropped off so far - of course it is subject to change. I don't know where our friend is staying.

[mrbill]

14. st john the divine on amsterdam between 110th and 113th?

If so be ready to be shocked and awed by one of mrbill's "top seven spirtual sites."

The Cathedral Church of St John the Divine is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world. Construction began in 1892 and continues today (donations accepted).. It makes Notre Dame in Paris look whimpy.

It's the Mother Church of the Episcopal Diocese of New York, but is open to all faiths and beliefs. This is one special place on earth where all seem truely welcome if they don't litter. The clergy here seems to have some very progressive attitides and a nice live and let live policy.

This might be the perfect place for a peaceful protester to be this coming weekend in Manhattan.

It's a easy walk down to Central Park. Riverside Park is not that far away. It's a very safe 80-block distance from Madison Square Garden.

[jonnyblitz]

20. good for you.

are you going to try to hook up with the DU contingent? I am coming in that morning via metro-north commuter rail out of CT. I only live a few hours away...

[YNGW]

5. Stay

How often do we get sub-80 degree temps in Asheville in the middle of August? Exactly! Why leave paradise?

[brainshrub]

7. Since I live in paradise,

it's important to help the non-Ashevillains

[YNGW]

8. Don't tell them we're here.

You call some place paradise, kiss it good-bye.

[brainshrub]

9. Good point

Asheville sucks. The air sucks and there are to many trees.

[YNGW]

10. That's better.

Not to mention those damn traffic backups on the freeways.

[G_j]

15. it will still be here

on return...

lots of people from Asheville going to NYC

[in_cog_ni_to]

12. EMAIL the Randi Rhodes show! A caller to her show offered

to let protesters camp on his property and she has his name, phone number and address. He called her show today. Email her show to get the info. I guess the guy has a LOT of land and is opening it up for the protesters. Woodstock 3? :)

Anyway, I thought it was awfully nice of the guy. He sounded VERY nice. Your costs would be food and getting to and from his property.

[HFishbine]

13. Stay home

Buy $125 worth of Kerry t-shirts and give them to friends who will wear them. Then pay yourself another $125 to work a polling place on election day.

[nodehopper]

16. lodging and community

There is a very active volunteer housing board at counterconvention.org that is finding free places to stay for incoming protesters.

There are TONS of things going on. There are many different groups you can plug into if you want to help out. Check out this website and see if there is anything you would be interested in doing.
http://www.rncguide.com/

Even going there just for the UFPJ march would be great, but there are tons of other marches, protests, events, conferences, screenings, actions and other ways that people are organizing to say no to Bush. Groups like I-Witness are looking for "buddies" for their legal videographers and are offering free legal video training during the convention. In short, there is not a shortage of communal involvement, and you can probably find a place to stay through the housing board.

[sam sarrha]

17. wear a helmate.. at least a bike helmate, they will be busting heads

[LuCifer]

18. Bring EarPlugs!

Cuz you know the scumbag porkers want to play with their new toy, the ear splitting gun.

AND HERE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE...YEAH MY ASS IT'S FREE

KEEP FIGHTING THESE ASSHOLES!!!!!!! BUSHitler MUST GO!!!!

Lu Cifer

[charlie105]

21. Hey, you got promoted to management and have a secretary. I'm sure

you can afford some decent lodging!

But now that you are, you know, up there, shouldn't you be turning Republican?

:-)

[ClassWarrior]

22. Only if you can keep your cool - and get nonviolence training first!!

I can't make it, so go for me in spirit.

Peace.

[noonwitch]

23. Stay home

I don't know how much good protesting the GOP will actually do, as far as getting independents to vote dem. If some of the very radical elements are involved and violence breaks out, it will make our side look bad. On top of that, tear gas really is a nasty thing to have to deal with, and I'm sure it will be used even if the protest remains peaceful-cops like to use it on large, vocal groups.

Let them have their convention. We had ours. I'm hoping they go overboard the way they did in 1992 with the christian intolerance.