Thoughts on the Upcoming RNC Protests

With Hillary Clinton's ill-advised utterance about RFK's assassination in 1968, we were reminded of certain disturbing political realities. And, in hearkening back to that particular age of political upheaval and protest, we are reminded of the police riot which occurred at that year's Democratic National Convention in the aftermath of Robert Kennedy's assassination. (clickable video links)

The protesters then were in Chicago to stand up for their rights and to oppose an unjust and disastrous war. They had as good a reason as ever to protest and their actions and memories should be honored by all freedom loving people. And, while the spirit of protest still flickers in the U.S., the police forces in this country have not stopped violently overreacting to even the tamest of protests. Quite arguably, the police are less tolerant of dissent today than they were in 1968.

As anyone who has been to a mass protest in the last few years can tell you, the police show up in large numbers and they are not afraid to overstep their own legal bounds to defend their corporate masters. They infiltrate protest groups and have even been known to take positions of leadership within them (so as to direct the protests and report on any perceived illegality by legitimate protesters). In this post 9/11 technocracy one can also believe that they are using electronic surveillance to keep tabs on protesters of all stripes. And I write this not to stifle passionate dissent, but only to make the realities of modern protest clear to those who will bravely, and by necessity, proceed to express their righteous indignation in the face of power. Those engaged in any protest activity should be mindful of what the agents of the state can, and will, do to stifle legitimate political dissent at any given protest.

The focus of this article is on the upcoming protests at the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis-Saint Paul, September 1-4, 2008. I'm not focusing upon the Democratic National Convention in Denver, CO, August 25-28, 2008 for one main reason...I simply don't think the protests will be as large (although I do feel the Democratic Party could use some protest as well). In large part, the convention protests this year will, understandably, be about the war in Iraq. With the Democrats apparently fielding a somewhat anti-war candidate in Barack Obama, and the Republicans going with a decidedly pro-war candidate in John McCain, the question of who will see the larger protests is answered quite easily. Obama's apparent progressivism will also give anti-McCain protesters a little more enthusiasm than they may have had in years past. Also... Obama's heritage will inspire more people to get involved beyond the stereotypical white, middle-class caricature.

As I've said, this year's protest will largely be about the war, but have no question... those who show up will also be in protest of a myriad of other state sanctioned injustices. Climate change and environmental degradation are issues potentially even more serious than the atrocious war. Others will be angry about the revision of the constitution and the disposal of habeas corpus. Some will be demanding the impeachment of Bush. Still others will be in protest of what's been done to the economy and their livelihoods. All are legitimate reasons to protest and all will be represented.

The RNC protests will likely have a festive air some of the time. Notable philosophers and radical activists will give talks at the counter-convention, literature of all sorts will be distributed, banners will be unfurled, puppets and costumes will undoubtedly be paraded, and there will be excessive singing and dancing in the streets. I say "excessive singing and dancing" because I imagine that Iraqi war protests are far more somber and, it seems to me, that many protesters forget why they are there when the protest "festivities" begin. But the real protest will not be a parade or a festival -- and you can be sure that the authorities will not be treating any of it as such.

While I greatly appreciate the efforts of those preparing for this protest, I would ask that they prepare with both eyes open. They need to know that thousands of law enforcement officials, from all the agencies, will be in town with the Republican delegates. AGAIN, I write this not to discourage but only to prepare. There will be cops in full riot gear, on bikes and horses, in helicopters, and on rooftops. There will undoubtedly be undercover officers amongst the protesters themselves at every stage. I will repeat sage advice here, do not engage or cooperate with the law enforcement officials in any way that can be helped.

The anger and the ferocity of the protesters will vary, but I ask you to consider who your real allies are and who the actual enemy is. While some will stay on the parade routes, some will not. Still others might lock-down to block delegates or to draw more attention to the protest. And lastly, still others might even vandalize corporate property. And concerning this last group I ask you to consider this... the bank whose window they smash (or spraypaint) may have foreclosed on their family's home, pulled an Enron on their life savings, or maybe that corporation simply supported the war machine and deforestation. Vandalism is not violence, causing bankruptcy or starvation or war actually is. It is a betrayal of the protest to assist the police in catching petty vandals (who may be morally justified in their actions).

It will be HOT in early September, even in Minnesota! Dress accordingly and carry enough water for at least yourself. You may also want to carry simple but effective particle filter masks in case the police start indiscriminately using pepper-spray or tear-gas. You do not want the protest to end just because the police start using their typical heavy-handed tactics, but do wear comfortable shoes in case you have to run. Carry cameras to film the POLICE, not to document any misdeeds of your fellow protesters. Consider being a legal observer or a street medic.

I expect this to be one of the biggest and most passionate protests in American history. It is a good and necessary thing, part of our civil duty, but be prepared if you plan on showing up. Know why you are there, how you expect to help, and the message you want to convey (in case you get interviewed by the media [who you may actually not want to talk to]). Be as bold as you can be and maintain strict solidarity with the other protesters who will be showing up from all over the country.

The Impeachment of Bush is Imminent, Just in Time

Until Scott McClellan's whistle-blowing expose was brought forward I, like so many others, thought Congressmen Wexler & Kucinich (and the Ralph Nader-types) were just fighting the good fight. Good, but without much hope. Suddenly though, as with so many revolutions, the miracle conditions manifested themselves in dramatic fashion. One little boy, McClellan in this case, revealed that the emperor was wearing no clothes and then, suddenly, everyone could see it was true. And again, many people knew it, but none had as close of a look as McClellan did -- and he couldn't stomach what he saw. So now, thanks to his revelations, those tilling the ground for impeachment have proven that the soil was fertile. The former press secretary has painted a picture perfect image of what most of us could only see from afar.

From his cocaine use, to manipulating the public into war because of 9/11. From mishandling the Katrina disaster to outing a covert CIA operative for political reasons. The list of crimes and abuses of power by President Bush (and his administration) goes on and on. But you didn't have to be a disillusioned congressman or a preeminent consumer advocate to know that something was wrong in the country. Aside from some polls immediately after 9/11, Bush has had approval ratings as low or lower than Nixon's. And Cheney's approval ratings are appropriate for somebody who shoots his friends in the face. But approval ratings aren't what matter -- what matters is that nearly everyone could see and feel that Bush was destroying America.

We might have been more aware earlier on about the disastrous path that Bush was leading us down if only the shock of 9/11 hadn't caused us to overlook the Enron collapse engineered by Bush's pal (Kenneth "Kenny Boy" Lay). And, unlike Enron, it turned out that most of us weren't heavily invested in the very successful Halliburton business. So, economically, the average American was feeling the crunch... but what could we do about that? Surveillance camera's were going up everywhere even without demand from Big Brother Bush and stories of wiretapping seemed par for the course. And even though habeus corpus was being effectively suspended, most of us were still getting due process regarding the growing prison-industrial complex. These policies were thoroughly unAmerican, and blatant abuses of our disappearing rights, but what could anyone really do? These things were just happening and most Americans simply can't afford to spend their work days getting involved with the ACLU. Still, we knew something was going terribly wrong in the country. We just didn't have the focus or the network to stand up and do something about it.

We had some informed skepticism about the reasons for the war and, while millions futilely tried, we couldn't stop the war. When our brothers, sisters, and friends were sent to Iraq, how could we know what they would be asked to do? It's bad enough that thousands of our loved ones are still coming back in flag draped coffins (hidden from the camera by the administration), but did anyone really believe that those young soldiers in the pictures at Abu Ghraib took it upon themselves to torture and humiliate those Iraqi prisoners? Bush has now admitted to authorizing torture, but who could effectively put the obvious together and throw the sadist out of office?

Enter Scott McClellan. The Bushites didn't realize that they had someone with a conscience amongst them. We know now that McClellan must have been aghast at the policymaking he was privy to. But what could he do? He bided his time, received his honorable discharge, and now he's bringing down the whole administration. But he's not doing it alone. The American people are with him. Many congresspeople are with him. And those that are not offended by Bush haven't a leg to stand on. Who really wants to defend the indefensible? Even if they're psychopaths they won't want to blow their cover in prime time. And the literal primetime pundits are, in fact, starting to call for impeachment. When the corporate journalists turns on power (and do what real journalists are supposed to do), that power is in trouble. The Bush Administration is in trouble.

Mr. McClellan isn't doing all the work, nor is he spilling all the beans, but his effort is just enough to empower all of the others who have been working on impeachment. Millions of Americans are about to witness an act of national justice and Scott McClellan is largely to thank. But we still need the Wexlers and the Kucinichs and the Naders. We still need journalists who are prepared to get the whole story and who are willing to fearlessly present it in it's entirety. And we, the people of the U.S.A,. need to collectively stand up for our rights and for justice. Impeachment needs to be demanded by every citizen with a conscience, a soul, or a mouth.

This vampiric regime must not be allowed to escape, now is the time to drive the stake in. Expose this regime to the light of day (the impeachment process) and watch it turn to dust. But all the players and the American public must act and demand action now! As David Swanson recently wrote: "... if we get to impeachment, we will get to indictment for certain. If we don't get to impeachment, Bush and Cheney's strongest defense in court will be to argue that they were never impeached." That must not happen. Bush and Cheney must be impeached and then tried for war crimes in an international court.

Scott McClellan and the Impetus for Impeachment

This is it. If congress does not act on the widespread calls for impeachment now, after the revelations of this former administration insider, we will know, definitively, that they are not beholden to the will of the public whom they claim to represent. Scott McClellan's personal confession & sacrifice, along with his expose of the Bush White House, make this the time for justice. Will the American people and the people of the world finally see the ideals of truth and justice upheld?

McClellan has done what many have only dreamt about... he has gotten close enough to power to actually make it accountable. He came to Washington D.C. with President George W. Bush from Texas and had a front row seat for years to his former boss's less-than scrupulous policy-making process. For ten years he was an insider (as described in his landmark book of memoirs "What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception") but being that close to power obviously didn't corrupt him enough. He confesses, in a very forgivable manner, "I fell far short of living up to the kind of public servant I wanted to be." But, upon resigning from his role as Press Secretary, the President had this to say about him, "He handled his assignments with class, integrity. He really represents the best of his family, our state and our country. It's going to be hard to replace Scott." That was perhaps the most truthful statement Bush has ever made, and more true than he'd like it to be.

Much of the content in McClellan's book is not presented and a new revelation but, rather, it is presented anew by an eye witness to the policy making process -- and that's what makes it so powerful. From Bush's quasi-denial of cocaine use, to the outing of CIA operative (Valerie Plame Wilson) for political reasons, and finally the deception used to sell the American public on an unjust and evermore tragic war, McClellan breaks it all down and presents it for what it really is, the politics of power and corruption. All the pieces of the puzzle are clearly laid out so that even the corporate media makers (whom he generously labels "complicit enablers") won't be able to deny the harsh reality that is presented with first-hand knowledge.

And the weak-willed Democrats in congress may finally be able, or forced, to put impeachment on the table as requested by congressman John Conyers (D-MI). McClellans book is pure political gold and his media tour is a tour-de-force. Now, while the iron is hot, is the time to demand the impeachment process be started.

Impeachment is absolutely necessary for the most critical reasons. The state of the nation and the state of the world have been turned into a state of turmoil like never before in history -- and those responsible MUST be held accountable in the most formal and official manner. As the world community becomes increasingly globalized our fates become more intertwined, tolerated injustices eventually become injustices perpetuated upon all. Having been stained by the actions of the Bush administration, the people of the U.S. and the congress that is supposed to represent them must completely repudiate the policies of the Bush administration for their own sakes, for sake of the nation, and for the sake of the world. Mild criticism and censure are not enough if we want to right the ship and change the course of history that we have been set upon. Impeachment will serve as a mandate for peace and freedom around the world.

Consequently, it is not too late for this action. Even if Bush is impeached upon his last day in office, the message will have been sent and justice will have been served.

I, like Scott McClellan, had been a relatively silent observer of the tragic injustices perpetuated by the Bush regime, but now is the time for action. If our politicians have an ounce of honor or integrity left, impeaching Bush is their duty and the chorus of the public must not let up until they do so. If Clinton could be impeached for his perjurous lying and questionable ethics, Bush and his administration are worthy of a war crimes tribunal. But one thing at a time...