If Jeralyn's going to be so utterly flattering, then I have a lot to live up to. Read what she writes about our aims at the RNC - I'll be there, along with most of the DNC bloggers (none of which were given credentials to get into Madison Square Garden, as far as I know). Our headquarters will be at The Tank just a few blocks from the convention craziness.
I'll just give a little anecdote as to why I think blogs will be desperately needed in a few weeks' time in NYC. Nigh on 18 months ago I took the Fung Wah bus down to New York, to join in the huge protest against the war in Iraq. I spent hours walking nearly half the length of Manhattan, peoplewatching, reading signs and just adding my body to the general headcount and my voice against the war. I saw families with babies and grandparents, many colours and races, community groups and coffee klatches. all marching happily on what I remember was the first really beautiful, sunny day of the year.
After a couple of hours of peaceful protest, I noticed a scuffle about 50 yards in front on the sidewalk (not in the march proper at all). Five or six of the hundreds of policemen in riot gear had converged on a man who had a tiny bottle of mace, and quickly wrestled him to the ground and tied his hands with plastic twine. This was the only occurrence of anything that could possibly be called "violent protest", that I saw anyway.
That night, watching the news, the announcer breathlessly reported the "violent clashes that characterized today's march". I was surprised, and then astonished to see that the ONLY footage they had of these so-called violent clashes was of the guy with the little bottle of mace! The dishonesty and obvious baying for blood of the media was disheartening and made me think, if only I had been blogging this and letting people know what actually happened. If only I had had some way of counteracting these venomous charges of violence and chaos, none of which actually happened.
And now I do. I'll be there on the corner of 31st and 6th (I think that's the "protest corner") and blogging from 42nd and and 9th. Check out the events that are going on at The Tank.
Alan Nelson of The Command Post and Avocare is credentialed for the RNC (http://www.avocare.net/archives/001578.html).
Posted by: B.G. Johnson | August 19, 2004 at 02:58 PM