You should see the way the RNC has SHUT New York DOWN

[Stephanie]

I just took the bus down Ninth from 42nd. The security behind the Post Office (across the street from MSG, which is between 7th & 8th) looks like a checkpoint at the Berlin Wall. One lane is shut down on Ninth, I guess for special Republican transportation. Like the Diamond Lane.

And ALL of EIGTH AVENUE is SHUT DOWN from 14th to at least 34th, I'm not sure if it goes higher. Earlier today it was closed from 23rd up. Now it starts at 14th. The cop told me it was in case someone gets hurt and they have to get an ambulance up there. What?!

So New York City has to CLOSE DOWN for the RNC and the COWARD from CRAWFORD?! It's so outrageous I can't even tell you.

[CityZen-X]

1. Not Even Sadaam....

needed to shut down Baghdad when traveling about

[Pallas180]

2. Salon has a great piece on the march, but says tomorrow cops get rough

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2004/08/30/sunday_protests/index2.html

[aquart]

3. I told an Indymedia reporter in Central Park

that I haven't seen so little traffic since just after 9/11.

I was really startled to see deserted streets that far uptown.

[in_cog_ni_to]

4. There's never been a president hated as much.

That "I" can remember. He knows it. Wherever he goes, he meets protesters...the UK, Italy, Spain, Poland, at rallies, at fundraisers.....HE'S HATED. He HAS to hide behind barriers, police and the SS.

I wish I could say what I'm thinking. I can't. :grr:

[Stephanie]

10. Nor so COWARDLY

I DARE George Bush to set foot on the streets of New York. Just once. He will not. He is nothing but a COWARD.

[ComerPerro]

5. And who gets the bill?

[Stephanie]

8. We do!

$65 million at last estimate - I'm sure it will go higher. But no money for raises for the cops, firefighers and teachers.

[Chelsea Patriot]

6. All Of Eighth Avenue is shut-down.

Hundreds of cops...10-12 on every street corner along Eighth Avenue....Helicoptors overhead...Police on scooters and bicycles...sirens blaring everywhere.

The tension and anxiety is so thicker then the humidity.

I have never seen anything like this before. It's worse then 9/11. At least during 9/11 one felt law enforcement was there to help. Who knows what to expect at this point.

It wasn't the Protesters who shut down our city. It was the GOP

This is horrendous. I'm having continual 9/11 flashbacks. I knew it would terrible: but, I had no idea of the magnitude.

Damn Bush and his entire misbegotten family and their hate filled supporters!

[Chovexani]

7. Hang in there

Saw you at the march yesterday. Isn't it nuts?

I've always been happy to be a Brooklynite but never so much as this week. I feel so sorry for you guys over the river.

[belle]

19. Yeah, I must say, I'm happy to stay in my quiet little Queens 'hood today.

[Stephanie]

9. I feel exactly the same way

And we are neighbors. I have never seen anything like this, except for 9/11. I have never seen streets shut down.

It's so incredibly OFFENSIVE that they would come here and do this to us.

[Chelsea Patriot]

22. Thank You for The Support, My Fellow NYCers and Americans!

I love you all!

We are stronger then these Cowardly Pieces of Shit.

We will triumph!

[linazelle]

11. But but but a smiling Tom Brokaw and Tim Russert reported everybody

had left town, traffic was light and everything was simply great! Why would they lie? :beer: OK I'm putting down the Kool Aid.

[Stephanie]

13. Everybody DID leave town. There is no traffic

because the STREETS ARE CLOSED. And everything IS great. IF YOU ARE A REPUBLICAN.

They have CLOSED OUR CITY for their own personal use. Just like Jacko shuts down F.A.O. Schwartz so he can buy toys for little boys, George Bush has shut down NYC so he can use it as a SET to snow America.

[linazelle]

12. If you haven't been to DC, it's about the same, Bush has shut down the

White House pretty much. It's wrapped in tarp, hidden by razed ground, an absolute mess. He has a knack for fucking things up.

[Stephanie]

14. I haven't been in years.

You should see Madison Square Garden. There are three rows of concrete barricades in front, with huge steel fencing on top of that up to about six feet. If there had been trouble yesterday thousands would have been trapped. We were behind the fire and there was absolutely no way out. And behind MSG, it looks like a war zone. These are OUR city streets, not George Bush's private property.

[Stephanie]

15. I will add, tho, that this is as if he shut down all of Pennsylvania Ave.

They have shut down at least 30 blocks of a MAJOR avenue, and that's just for starters.

[napi21]

16. I agree with all of you, it's terrible what has happened to your cities.

I do have one question for you though. I had quite a few people tell me in 1999 that the President elected in 2000 would not survive office, or at minimum would be shot but survive. When I questioned this, they told me that every President elected in an even year has been assinated or shot (Reagan). If shrub would be physically harmed in NYC, what do you suppose would happen to the election in Nov? No I'm not wishing shrub harm, but I remember JFK's assination, and what that did to this country. Even the Pubs that disliked him were supportive after that. I sure wouldn't want the pubs to win on a sympathy vote!

[ChocolateSaltyBalls]

17. Bush wasn't elected...........

so technically he's safe.

[napi21]

18. HA! I never thought of that!!!! n/t

[belle]

20. Maybe that's it. sigh. stupid fuck. I hate him so *much.*

Remember Clinton? remember how *loved* he was, Monica or not? nobody ever shut down a city like this for him. hell, people *thronged* him. and now he LIVES here.

fucking Bush. how much money are we losing to safeguard this assclown?

[Stephanie]

21. $65 million

At last count.

[LuCifer]

23. F'ers!

I just can't believe how the republiKKKans are so blatantly exploiting 9/11 by not only doing their CONvention in NYC, but also right around the anniversary of it. Fucking bastards. I wouldn't puke on the if they were on fire.

Lu Cifer