Protesters plan mid-town die-in

[JoFerret]

http://www.nynewsday.com/news/local/manhattan/nyc-prot0519,0,4960194.story?coll=nyc-manheadlines-manhattan

Jason Flores-Williams' decision to protest the Bush Administration by lying down in rush hour traffic in the heart of Manhattan did not come easy.

When he told his longtime live-in girlfriend of his decision to organize a "die-in" they fought about being able to pay bail or the rent.

Flores-Williams, 34, a resident of Jersey City, said he isn't a lifetime protester and doesn't want to get arrested. But he says he lies awake at night brooding over the war in Iraq, the prisoner-abuse scandal and the economic policies of George W. Bush.

And he knows he is very likely to be arrested at the "die-in" he has planned for 8 a.m. Friday on Fifth Avenue between 50th and 51st Streets.

"We are aware of the demonstration and we will be prepared for it," a police official said Tuesday.

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[GaryL]

1. I'd love for a million people to show up.

Then let's see how prepared these assholes are! What a fascist.

[PolJugglr]

2. I'll Go

I am also not a lifelong protestor, but I know that apathy is lethal and this year since I live in NYC I will actively participate in all protests that I possibly can. I know that once a million people are marching in NYC (without their fuckin permit which they will never issue) we will make a difference.

As David Letterman said as he defied the administrations attempt to spin his dozing boy piece (paraphrased): "I'll probably be found dead in my car next week."

[chelaque liberal]

15. Welcome to DU. I like your spirit.

[Just Me]

20. You are fabulous!!!!

I admire your courage and participation!!!!

:yourock:

[demdave]

3. I hope they arrest them and move them out of the way quickly.

Protest on your own time, not mine. If I have somewhere to go....go away. Your freedom of speech does not supersede my right to ignore you. Anti-war can't use this tactic any more than PETA, the non-smokers, the pro-Nader or the KKK. NOBODY.

If you want to do civil disobedience, I hope you get arrested and removed quickly. Your point has been made, you are committed. Now, get out of my way.

[joefree1]

4. I hope they are big pain in the ass and get lots of coverage

"He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it."
- Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929 - 1968)

[wtmusic]

5. LOL

:thumbsup:

[aquart]

9. But what is the point?

To stop NY traffic? Uh, NY IS anti-war. NY IS anti-Bush.

This isn't NY protesting. This is a protest against NY.

51st Street? WHY? Is it convenient? Did he research the local precincts? Or maybe he's scared shit of doing it near a federal building.

George is imploding. I'm not particularly interested in reminding his uneasy supporters how crazy hippies will be in charge if they vote for Kerry. I'd rather be very quiet and peaceful, until they look longingly over the fence. I want the Democratic candidates and position to seem the sanest, most rational and competent choice.

I don't think this is the moment for grandstanding. This is the moment for standing back and letting them destroy themselves, the way it always had to be.

[Earth_First]

13. So, the anti-war movement is just 'crazy hippies' eh?

(nt)

[Whoa_Nelly]

17. Hippies???

ROFLMAO
Hippies were part of the Vietnam War era culture.
Hippies??? I don't need to be no stinkin' hippie to protest the current insanity.

O8)_O_Peace--one of the REAL and original VW bus livin' on the road and occassional commune hippies.

This ain't no Vietnam. This is Iraq and the Bush administration....and I thought the Nixon years had been our country's worst beast.

[Just Me]

21. Nixon is almost "angelic" in comparison to these wicked people.n/t

[Forkboy]

18. "This is a protest against NY."

I suspect simpletons will see it that way.Instead of complaining and being one of them just set them straight.

Thank you for your support.

[RummyTheDummy]

27. He's not "one of them"

I love that rationale, disagree with me and you're a freeper simpleton. Not true. He has a point. NY is in the bag, why keep selling after the sale?

If this is going to be done, why not do it in Dallas or some other Red state/city? Seems like overkill to me but I guess I'm just a simpleton blinded by your eternal light of wisdom. (sarcasm off)

[NYC]

25. St. Patrick's Cathedral.

The 17th Precinct is on 51st St. between Third & Lexington.

[Forkboy]

14. lol

:thumbsup:

[Zhade]

6. Ah, knew that good ol' "Dem" Dave would weigh in.

Gee, is calling attention to the fact that this war is illegal, killing thousands, and destroying this country inconvenient for you?

Too bad. Get over it. There will be more of it, and you're going to have to deal with it.

One wonders how you would have felt about MLK's civil disobedience.

[DrWeird]

7. Hey, as long as those people didn't interrupt

his meal at the lunch counter, I'm sure he'd be fine with them.

[Zhade]

8. OUCH! That's a good one!

NT!

[aquart]

11. No, it's a cheap one. Based on a sloppy rationale.

[DrWeird]

23. It's entirely rational.

Demdave is all for civil disobedience, as long as it doesn't affect him. Sit ins interrupted a whole bunch of people's daily business. So the only logical conclusion is that he wouldn't have liked it.

[aquart]

10. There is NO comparison whatsoever.

MLK's disobedience was to protest the actions of the STATE.

What has NY done to piss off this self-important fool?

[DrWeird]

24. Did you even read it?

The protestor in the article says he's their to protest the actions of the US government.

So their is a rather clear comparison.

What, is it opposite day or something?

[0007]

16. 'Tis quite obvious that dim Dave isn't on the same page.

I hope this protest inconvenience ol' dave to the the max

[JoFerret]

19. I love your irony DemDave.

.

[colonel odis]

12. why not disrupt madison square garden

rather than traffic, etc. stopping traffic and leaving a bad taste in people's mouths won't help anyone's cause.

the idea i really love is the one for disruption of service. hotel workers call in sick. volunteers get things wrong. a tray of good ol' alabama barbecue goes to the california delegation instead of the rednecks from 'bama. hotel rooms aren't made up on time.

plus, if the govt's jamming cell phone service in the immediate area, it could be even more fun. disrupting the convention from within would focus the subversion on the intended, without disrupting the lives of the poor folks trying to go about their lives.

[peanut]

26. Sorry Colonel but MSG will be cordoned

If anyone thinks any protestors will get within a mile of the Garden, think again! Quel Naivete!

I work at Planned Parenthood HX, two blocks directly west of this proposed infestation of human slime. Already we are talking amongst ourselves about whether we will even try to get to work, how we will get to work, or whether we will just take days off and try to protest. I doubt any of us will even try to use Penn Station unless it's our only alternative.

No protestors will be allowed anywhere NEAR da Fuhrer or anything he is at, that's a given. Unless we protest illegally without permits, we may not even be able to protest anywhere in Manhattan that will count for media (staten island, queens? wut? fuhgettabowit)

So sorry, I'm all for a few illegal PEACEFUL but disruptive actions, espec. since protest groups followed the rules and got axed by the City. The point is ANYONE who is oblivious to George Bush, what he is done and WHY he is in NYC SHOULD darn well be inconvenienced enough to at least look up and think and say "Why are a million people in my way? I'm just trying to get to work!" They need to ask those questions of themselves, and answer them too. We all yell about waking people up but stopping traffick is now "bad policy"? You wanna wake up people in NYC? Stop traffick. IMHO

[Myrina]

22. Take a page from the Civil Rights Demonstrators ...

As soon as the first wave is taken away, another crew comes to backfill their spots on the ground ... and so on ... and so on ... and so on ... until the NY jails and booking facilities are so overloaded that they simply cannot handle any more of them.

The ensuing administrative nightmare will practically shut down the city's already brow-beaten infrastructure.


Oh and Demdave ? I think Free Republic is calling for you ...