Wednesday, August 04, 2004
On the Campaign Trail--Goon Squad Style
There's been a disturbing trend out on the political road this election season. Wherever Kerry goes there have been cadres of local Bush supporters hauling their now-ubiquitous waffles and flip-flops, but of late they've started attempts to outright disrupt rallies. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel noted that, "(t)he high-stakes intensity of the campaign could also be seen Monday in noisy confrontations between Kerry and Bush supporters and the use of bullhorns and air horns by a small group of Bush supporters to try to disrupt the speeches."
Of course, just try that at a GOP rally. As we've noted here before, it has been months since the President has spoken to a crowd that wasn't totally controlled and where any dissent was tolerated. Of course, this was back before he even had a presumptive opponent and his speeches were given in defense factories and selected military bases. Now that he's a regular joe candidate, however, the clampdown has gotten even tighter.
Members of the local peace activist community in Springfield, Mo found this out when they tried to enter a ticketed political rally featuring Bush. This after protesters we're moved substantially farther away from the event's entrance while GOP supporters were allowed a prominent position. Those anti-Bush folks with tickets lined up only to have them ripped up in their faces and told to leave or face arrest.
Turns out you now have to pass a loyalty test to be anywhere near the President of the United States.
George Orwell must be rolling in his grave. But then again, maybe not. He always knew that "some pigs were more equal than others."
There's been a disturbing trend out on the political road this election season. Wherever Kerry goes there have been cadres of local Bush supporters hauling their now-ubiquitous waffles and flip-flops, but of late they've started attempts to outright disrupt rallies. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel noted that, "(t)he high-stakes intensity of the campaign could also be seen Monday in noisy confrontations between Kerry and Bush supporters and the use of bullhorns and air horns by a small group of Bush supporters to try to disrupt the speeches."
Of course, just try that at a GOP rally. As we've noted here before, it has been months since the President has spoken to a crowd that wasn't totally controlled and where any dissent was tolerated. Of course, this was back before he even had a presumptive opponent and his speeches were given in defense factories and selected military bases. Now that he's a regular joe candidate, however, the clampdown has gotten even tighter.
Members of the local peace activist community in Springfield, Mo found this out when they tried to enter a ticketed political rally featuring Bush. This after protesters we're moved substantially farther away from the event's entrance while GOP supporters were allowed a prominent position. Those anti-Bush folks with tickets lined up only to have them ripped up in their faces and told to leave or face arrest.
Turns out you now have to pass a loyalty test to be anywhere near the President of the United States.
George Orwell must be rolling in his grave. But then again, maybe not. He always knew that "some pigs were more equal than others."
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