Convention Plan Puts Protesters Blocks Away

[OneBlueSky]

by Rick Klein
Common Dreams
Saturday, February 21, 2004

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0220-02.htm

Protesters at this summer's Democratic National Convention in Boston may be confined to a cozy triangle of land off Haymarket Square, blocked off from the FleetCenter and convention delegates by a maze of Central Artery service roads, MBTA train tracks, and a temporary parking lot holding scores of buses and media trucks.

Under a preliminary plan floated by convention organizers, the "free-speech zone" would be a small plot bounded by Green Line tracks and North Washington Street, in an area that until recently was given over to the elevated artery. The zone would hold as few as 400 of the several thousand protesters who are expected in Boston in late July.

"The area looks a little silly, to be honest with you," said Urszula Masny-Latos, executive director of the National Lawyers Guild's Massachusetts chapter. "People will not be able to express their concerns with whatever will be happening, because no one will have access to delegates. No one will be heard, and the area is just too small."

Officials with the National Lawyers Guild and the ACLU of Massachusetts plan to meet with Boston Police Department representatives in the weeks to come to ask that the plan be changed. Boston police say no final decisions will be made for months, and stressed that they're open to input.

- more . . .

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0220-02.htm

[corporatewhore]

1. they also hired the fascist of miami john timoney why am i not suprised

[Kolesar]

11. The Democrats hired Timoney? What an outrage!

Can you document this? I would like to send the text and url around to some other activists.

[Goldom]

2. oh boo hoo

They throw democratic protestors in free speech zones, then complain when they get a taste of their own medicine? please.

[corporatewhore]

3. it is not just repugs who are going to be protesting alot of hard core

leftists too besides i thought it was only rs who were hyppocrites

[Snazzy]

4. Who cares who's protesting

1st amendment is flipped on its ass by this crap.

How about we just go back to freedom to peaceably assemble and if you break the law you get your ass arrested.

Democrats shouldn't put up with this police state crap. Can see it being sluffed off already--"well, the Boston cops said this is what we have to do."

BS. Protect the Bill of Rights--insist there is no "free speech area".

THE ENTIRE COUNTRY IS A FREE SPEECH AREA.

or so it was.

[MSchreader]

5. We will not stay in their pens!

We will not surrender our democratic rights to the Democratic National Committee.

Martin

[corporatewhore]

7. you goin'too?

[renegade000]

6. question...

what are they there to protest?

-the democrats have distorted the truth to take us to war
-the democrats have lost millions of jobs
-the democrats are driving the government deeper into debt

i think not.

[Snazzy]

8. Daschle

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=376216&mesg_id=376216

Ok, it wouldn't help--I guess--I mean with the election.

But it doesn't matter what people want to protest. Democrats can win points (and be righteously just) by loudly insisting that they be allowed to do so.

Let the repugs try to sweep NYC under the rug. Let Boston be a model for democracy.

[Philosophy]

10. Reverse psychology

That's a good idea - the Democrats should welcome protesters. Then in order to maintain their strict contrarianism the half dozen freepers that show up would have to protest the protest.

[NashVegas]

9. I Guess This is Why Congress is Limpid on Free Speech Zones

And it would pay to remember how the FSZs came about in the first place.