Defying Convention

In the days leading up to the protests against the Republican National Convention, the specter of possible violence by radicals fueled much of the media coverage of the activists. Fox News made every effort to conflate dissenters with terrorism, not by reporting terrorism by protesters--since there wasn't any--but by constantly juxtaposing the words "protest" and "terrorists." The New York Post even reported that the Weather Underground, a group with less relevance these days than the Jefferson Starship, was plotting a comeback.

The hysteria wasn't limited to the far-right Murdoch media. The New York Times reported that a "shadowy group" was coming to town--hoodlums known for "throwing rocks." The Daily News warned of Anarchists Hot for Mayhem. Former 1960s radicals joined the chorus, fretting over the possibility that if the RNC protests got rowdy, Middle America, fearing anarchy and chaos, would vote Republican in droves, "just like in 1968."

Let's cut to reality, shall we? On Sunday, August 29, United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ) led half a million people in a peaceful march through Manhattan past Madison Square Garden, where the Republicans would convene the next day. Many were mainstream and patriotic. (One sign read, Our Flag Should Stand for Pride, Not Arrogance.) Although the whole gamut of liberal-left cultural and ideological tendencies was on display, the marchers were united in their opposition to George W. Bush and his right-wing agenda. Police were mellow. Like everybody else, they mostly sipped sodas, enjoyed the spectacle and tried to stay cool. (There were about 200 arrests, but most of them were away from the main march.)

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