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What if you threw a protest, and nobody came?
October 25, 2006 09:49 PM
That's what the editors and staff at CityBeat must be asking themselves today, following the visit from Vice President Cheney. The VP's speech was at the Phoenix, which is right across from CityBeat's offices. CityBeat invited us all to welcome the VP, by giving him "a message about the shameful U.S. war in Iraq or about the brazen assault on civil liberties by the Bush regime."
Prior to, one cheeky correspondent asked it was okay to attend if he wanted to come out to support the Vice President:
anonymous Says:
October 24th, 2006 at 2:14 pmAm I still invited if I want to write a supportive message?
Gregory Flannery [ed. Greg Flannery is CityBeat's
News DirectorOrganize-feeble-attempt-to-make-News Director] Says:
October 24th, 2006 at 2:21 pmNo, but thanks for asking.
Turns out, they could have used the numbers--because it looks like about 4 or 5 people showed up. One protester (aptly named "Pathetic") put it thusly:
Pathetic Says:
October 25th, 2006 at 2:17 pmWell I appreciate the City Beat Crews efforts but tht was the most pathetic protest I have ever been to. As Arlo said, “Ya gotta sing loud if you want to end war and stuff”, Ya got to show up first.
I was harrassed trying to even get near the area from the north. Myself and one guy holding a Cheney Lies sign were the only two vocal protester on Race north the City Beat building that I could see. I tried to walk around the building to the south thinking there may be protesters in the parking lot or park but saw little action. Including the banner on the City Beat building I saw a total of three signs. Pathetic and sad.
Pathetic and sad, indeed. But not as pathetic and sad as Melodie and Kelly, two of the protesters who had to seek "sanctuary" in CityBeat's lobby from a mounted patrolman. They had to watch the goings-on with their noses--and their anti-war signs--pressed up against the glass.
Naturally, they blame the President,
“Under this administration, there have been no protest rights,” Kelly said.
“If this administration had their way, they’d want it to be a fascist dictatorship,” Melodie said.
Maybe they should blame the people who organized the protest? Or the public, for not feeling sufficiently supportive of their cause?
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Ummmmm, maybe you didn't read or missed the point but there were more protestors. They were all cleared off the (public) street and sidewalk by overzealous CPD cops.