Politics and the City - Issue 4

MLW Rocks the Uptown Vote with Ginger
MLW attended a women's event last week at the 92nd Street Y. Entitled, "About Women" the panel included former Representative Geraldine Ferraro (D-NY), Jehmu Green, President of Rock the Vote, and Gloria Steinem. The discussion, a focus on the female vote, was moderated by Amy Richards of The Third Wave Foundation, a feminist activist organization.

The night began with a celeb-sighting. As I waited in line for my prepurchased ticket, a tall, extremely thin, and heavily made-up redhead pushed me aside to loudly ask for tickets. "My name is Tina Louise and I need my tickets." Apparently, Ginger left her manners on Gilligan's Island. For some reason, the celebrity sightings I have in New York are either A list (Woody Allen, Kirsten Dunst) or D list (Tammy Faye Baker) - no middle ground. But on to the serious stuff...

As I've mentioned before 22 million women did not vote in 2000. The panel discussed the reasons behind this and how to encourage women to vote. Steinem noted that "Guilt is not a radicalizing emotion. We need to get radical on our own concerns." She also criticzed the Democrats who "... do not know how to activate their own base." Steinem went on to describe voting as an act of rebellion and self-respect and briefly discussed the history of voter suppression in the U.S. (starting with that Republican icon loudly applauded at the RNC, Tricky Dick Nixon)

As the least-participatory democracy in the world, the U.S. lands on tops in the "difficulty in voting" process. Other countries keep elections open for a week or hold them on a weekend. Don't employers have to give their employees ample time to vote? Richards spoke about her views on voting and I liked this comment on how voting is good citizenship, "It's the least we can do, not the most we can do."

Greene shared her experience at Rock the Vote and for the first time, I felt there is a chance for Kerry can win. She noted that over 700,000 registration forms had been downloaded from their website. Today, the site notes that more than 900,000 individuals have been registered. She brought up an excellent point about the polls that show Bush ahead. She noted that most young voters exclusively use cell phones so there is no way for their opinions to be represented in polls. She talked about the power of same-day registration in states like Minnesota and how that has increased the 18-25 vote.

I was excited to see Ferraro but I have to admit, overall she was disappointing. She talked about being elected when she was not the party favorite, but she towed the party line. Why can't Democrats just speak the truth instead of following outdated and robotic words that do not incite action or support? We can handle the truth! She mentioned that she had two female candidates who she would like to see in the The White House. Steinem asked her to name them. She said Hillary Clinton and Kay Hutchinson, a conservative Republican Senator from Texas. I don't know anything about Hutchinson so I did some research from her website. This is what I found:

On Iraq- "I am troubled when I hear leaders say this is another Vietnam. We have troops on the ground in harm's way. Is it really productive for us to be labeling Iraq after 1 year as another Vietnam? Is it helpful to heap criticism on our President? Is it even helpful to be dissecting what happened in the run-up on the war on terrorism that began on September 11, 2001? Is that what we ought to be talking about right now? I don't think so. I think what we ought to be talking about right now is how we can come together as a country and make sure everyone in America understands the importance of this cause; that we support our Commander in Chief, and that we support our troops on the ground. But the one thing we must all do is be committed to the proposition we can't fail, and dividing our country in half over who was responsible for faulty intelligence is one way we could fail. What we need right now is a united country, not a country sniping at our President, whether it is on the Senate floor or out in the field.

Yes Kay, discourse about the direction of our foreign policy and the state of the occupation is productive, is helpful, and is we what we should be talking about. It's the best evidence that we are a healthy democracy in action. But wait there's more. Breeze through these insightful comments regarding the highest-ranking female in the junta, Condoleeza Rice.

On Condi Rice's testimony before the 9/11 Commission: "I am pleased by the extremely strong testimony provided today by Condi Rice to the 9-11 commission. She established beyond any doubt that the Bush Administration fully appreciated the threat posed by terrorist organizations, including Al Qaeda, and was rapidly putting in place a more robust policy to combat it.

That robust policy that led John-7-deferments-Ashcroft on September 10, 2001, to dismiss acting FBI Director Thomas Pickard's request for counterterrorism enhancements? That robust policy that had proved our military incapable of stopping an attack on our shores? I'm guessing the state of Texas has a different definition of robust than my dictionary. But back to the panel discussion . . .

Steinem pressed Ferraro on her support of Hutchinson and she responded with a lame story about Margaret Thatcher and girls growing up believing that they can be in politics; that just having a female in office, regardless of her political affiliation, was important. I had rather hoped we were past the idea of voting for someone based on anything but their views. I'm not denying the impact of a role model but being female doesn't exempt you from misguided and fascist political idealogy. There is a big difference between Eleanor Roosevelt and Laura Bush. There is an even bigger difference between Clarence Thomas and Al Sharpton. It's El Al in my book and I'm not talking about the Israeli airline.

Ferraro did speak about the voting organization she is currently represents - www.grannyvote.org which states its mission as "We want to inform, inspire, and engage grandparents so that they vote for sustainable policies protecting the quality of their grandchildren's lives decades into the future and the stability of the America they will inhabit." A fascinating contrast to W's complete disinterest of his impact on the future - something along the lines of not caring how he'll be judged since he'll be dead.

After the lecture, my friend Alica and I went to an outdoor cafe for a quick bite. As we were chatting we saw Greene leaving the Y alone and walking in our direction. We asked her to join us for a drink and it ended up being a much later night than anticipated. I asked her how she got involved with RTV and she talked about her previous work at the Democratic National Committee. She told us some great stories about who she had met in her non-stop travelling job and she confirmed that Barack Obama is the real deal.

I asked her opinion on the potential for fraud with the computerized voting based on blurbs like this one from www.inthesetimes.com:
"In August 2003, the head of one of the biggest manufacturers of voting machines wrote a fundraising letter saying he is “committed to helping Ohio deliver its electoral votes to the president next year.” According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Walden O’Dell, CEO of Diebold INC., also “attended a strategy pow-wow with wealthy Bush benefactors—known as Rangers and Pioneers—at the president’s Crawford, Texas, ranch earlier this month.” The next week, he invited guests to a $1,000-a-plate fundraiser for the Ohio GOP at his mansion in the Cleveland suburbs. This is the man whose machines have no paper trail and will be used by at least 8 million voters in the upcoming election."

She said she wasn't worried because the same potential for fraud existed with paper ballots, too. That old saying, "Vote early. Vote often" came from somewhere (1960, Richard Daley, Cook County). Besides Rock the Vote, P. Diddy's Citizen Change (www.citizenchange.com) has also been focused on registering the 42 million eligible individuals between the ages of 18-25. For most states, the last day to register is October 4. Ask everyone you know if they are registered. If they aren't, send them to either of these websites for information about registration in their state.


Shout-Outs Around the Nation
All you 25 and under- Listen Up - The Call Up - Coming Up
We have two shout-outs this week. First Jennifer Scott from the land of the cactus directs us to websites for all men (and women, too!) under the age of 25 with some disturbing information:

"There is pending legislation in the House and Senate which will time the program's initiation so the draft can begin as early as spring, 2005, just after the 2004 presidential election. This legislation called HR 163 and can be found in detail at http://thomas.loc.gov/. Enter "HR 163" and click search and it will bring up the bill for you to read. If this bill passes, it will include all men and all women from ages 18 - 26 in a draft for military action. In addition, college will no longer be an option for avoiding the draft and they will be signing an agreement with the Canada which will no longer permit anyone attempting to dodge the draft to stay within its borders. This bill also includes the extension of military service for all those that are currently active. Please take the time to write your congressman and let them know how you feel about this legislation. www.house.gov and www.senate.gov. For more information, please see www.sss.gov/perfplan_fy2004.html to view the Selective Service System annual performance plan, fiscal year 2004. The Pentagon has quietly begun a public campaign to fill all 10,350 draft board positions and 11,070 appeals board slots nationwide."

Nevermind about the hunt for Bin Laden
And for John Beary and Dennis Virga - their movie theatre, The Majestic , in Crested Butte, Colorado is one of only three theatres in the country showing "The Hunting of the President" which follows "The ten-year campaign to destroy Bill Clinton."


From the Barrister's Chair: More Fodder for Winning Family Fights
Thanks to Ann Molloy for her contribution of excerpts from Bush pere's memoirs "A World Transformed" on why he didn't pursue Saddam Hussein at the end of the Gulf War.
"Trying to eliminate Saddam...would have incurred incalculable human and political costs. Apprehending him was probably impossible.... We would have been forced to occupy Baghdad and, in effect, rule Iraq....There was no viable "exit strategy" we could see, violating another of our principles. Furthermore, we had been consciously trying to set a pattern for handling aggression in the post-Cold War world. Going in and occupying Iraq, thus unilaterally exceeding the United Nations' mandate, would have destroyed the precedent of international response to aggression that we hoped to establish. Had we gone the invasion route, the United States could conceivably still be an occupying power in a bitterly hostile land."

Thanks to Joe Bednar for these words from the man in charge of Mourning in America, Ronald Reagan.
"I think when you make that decision (to vote) , it might be well if you would ask yourself, are you better off than you were four years ago? Is it easier for you to go and buy things in the stores than it was four years ago? Is there more or less unemployment in the country than there was four years ago? Is America as respected throughout the world as it was? Do you feel that our security is as safe, that we're as strong as we were four years ago?

And if you answer all of those questions yes, why then, I think your choice is very obvious as to whom you will vote for. If you don't agree, if you don't think that this course that we've been on for the last four years is what you would like to see us follow for the next four, then I could suggest another
choice that you have. This country doesn't have to be in the shape that it is in."

Button of the Week
"I only sleep with Democrats"

Overheard in Union Square
"These New Yorkers just HATE Bush!"

Guess which Dictatorship
MLW has plethora of reports about goon squad tactics by security forces in an unnamed country currently ruled by a a leader who assumed power during a bloodless coup d'etat. Can you guess in which country these events occured?

• A woman getting fired because she had a bumper sticker in support of the opposition party on her car
• A mother being removed from a speech by the wife of the ruling party's leader after questioning the legitimacy of the his war in which her son was killed
• Individuals being barred from a speaking engagement of the ruling party's co-leader unless they signed a pledge to vote for the dictator in the upcoming "election"

You guessed it - the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Red State Mutiny of the Week or Another Son of a Former Republican President Gets Smart
From the New Hampshire Union Leader on Septmber 30, 2004
http://www.theunionleader.com/articles_showa.html?article=44657

"As son of a Republican President, Dwight D. Eisenhower, it is automatically expected by many that I am a Republican. For 50 years, through the election of 2000, I was. With the current administration’s decision to invade Iraq unilaterally, however, I changed my voter registration to independent, and barring some utterly unforeseen development, I intend to vote for the Democratic Presidential candidate, Sen. John Kerry."

Liberals of the World Unite! 

Politics and the City - Issue 3

Back to Blogging
Welcome back to MLW. I took a small hiatus while I wondered if I should keep the blog going. I'm still fired up about the state of American politics but the reality is setting in and it ain't pretty. But I like writing and I love hearing everyone's comments and stories. If you'd like to be taken off the list, just click "Comments" to send me an email and I'll remove your name.

You'll notice I removed the "Thought for the Day" archives. They take up too much space and many of you already receive them through my email. If you are interested in having them sent to your email address, let me know and I'll add you to that list.

Between Frances and Ivan, this week blew in a star-studded doubleheader of female power. On September 13, I had the pleasure of listening to an afternoon speech by former Texas governor Ann Richards followed by an evening with playwright/activist Eve Ensler and friends at the "world-famous" Apollo Theatre in Harlem.

Born with a Silver Foot in his Mouth
She was talking about Bush le pere but it's even more appropriate for Bush le fils. The Honorable Ann Richards who lost her re-election bid to Bush fils in 1994, appeared at my job to talk about work/life balance. Early in her remarks, in a dry Texas drawl that hinted at her "smoking like a stove and drinking like a fish" days, she mentioned that you could tell a lot about a person by the people around them. She followed that line with, "But I'm not going to talk about politics today."

She talked at length about what it takes to be a good leader. What struck me was her comment that being a good leader meant not only taking risks but being able to accept the ramifications of those risks. She is the definitive no bs, straight-shooter who has lived one life like it was ten. That concept captured me because it's rarely seen - especially in politics and it comes down to one thing - personal accountability. Isn't that what it means to be an adult? Why don't we elect adults to political office?

Vaginas Vote , Chicks Rock, Chicks Vote, and one Twisted Sister
Eve Ensler hosted an evening designed to encourage women to get out the vote. Opening the show with a serious call to the polls , "Do we have any registered vaginas in the house?" the mostly female crowd responsed loudly. She then introduced a beautifully diverse female performance group called We Got Issues. Addressing women's issues with utter frankness and in-your-face Betty-style chatter, the girls warmed up the crowd for an amazing night of female political and artistic icons wooing women to show up at the polls and get their female friends to do the same. Women danced, sang, and read excerpts from Eve's powerhouse play, "The Vagina Monologues." Among them were Rosaria Dawson, Vanessa Carlton, Isabella Rosellini, Marisa Tomei, Charlotte Martin, and Toni Childs. Eve also acknowledged serious financial support from Jane Fonda and George Soros. Some frightening statistics that were presented during the evening:

• Over 23 million eligible female voters did not vote in 2000
• The U.S. ranks 57 in a list of 180 nations measuring female governmental representation
• Congress is only 14% female

Two female activists from Afghanistan, Malalai Joya and Zoya, and an Iraqi woman named Yanar Mohammed presented their experience of "liberation" in their respective countries. The reality of their lives and the twist* we've received from the junta's propanganda ministers is a long distance from my ideal of freedom. The Taliban and the Northern Alliance warlords continue to violate basic human rights in Afghanistan. Many of them have been appointed to new government positions. Yanar spoke of the current 97% female unemployment rate in Iraq and the oppression of women with the rise of the fundamentalists in the vaccum created by the occupation. Of course, (Do I really have to repeat this?), there is no love lost for Saddam but it's curious that only American corporations (with junta associations) are making jack in this deal. She also spoke of over 400 women having been raped and abducted since the start of the occupation. These are the numbers that have been reported.

It was a sobering moment when these women spoke. Their words and their un-celebrity presence were the most compelling of the evening. Some part of me felt that they put us to shame when comparing their lives to the vast liberties western women enjoy. But we are born where we are born for a reason. The best we can do is show support for those who don't have our good fortune by listening to their story, raising our voices in their name, and treating the human beings in our own lives with respect and care. To me that's being a good citizen of the world and that's the energy that will extend beyond our borders to change the world.

When Gloria Steinem took the stage, it was an amazing moment. So much of what women have today is due to her and her contemporaries tireless efforts to bring women to the table. As much as the crowd was starstruck, so was a very elegant, 70-year-old Gloria, as she revealed her dream to have tapdanced one day at the Apollo. She emphasized this relevation with "if a crazy white girl from Toledo, Ohio, can make it to the stage of the Apollo, then we can win this fucking election." Her best line was simple and succint. "I don't want to vote for someone I wouldn't hire."

And one more going out to Ms. Maggie Cannon of Denver, Colorado. When Gloria read the Top 10 Reasons she was not voting for W, she noted that W had yet to meet with the Blauck Caucus because "he didn't have time." Yet, she pointed out, he had found time to meet with the Pope, as in "...the Holy Father, not always a women's best friend," on three occasions.

* I'm tired of the word, spin - my new word is twist as in not just spinning but all out LYING; twisters describe the ones who do it; and twisted is the emotional and mental state after hearing/reading the junta lies. Let me use it in a sentence to see how it sounds: "I was one twisted sister after hearing Dick "I- have-other-priorities" Cheney tell everyone that if John Kerry wins the election, there would be another terrorist attack. Yes, that works for me.

But since I bring it up - let's talk about this one - The biggest terrorist attack on U.S. soil took place on Bush fils watch. (Note to entire junta: "Bin Laden determined to strike in the U.S.") The second biggest terrorist attack on U.S. soil took place less than one month after Bush pere left office. What's the common denominator here? Add that one up, Dick "I-had-other-priorities" Cheney.

Tshirts/Buttons of the Week
Better Karma...Vote Kerry
Daddy's Little War Criminal (under a smiling photograph of W)
Go Vote Go Run Go Lead Go Girl!

Fuel for the Fire - Help for winning debates with Republican co-workers and family members
www.misleader.org
www.americanprogress.org
http://afamilyinbaghdad.blogspot.com/ (***best of the bunch)

Today's Shout-Out
Illumination from the land of Jefferson
Jefferson City, Missouri resident Kelli Stiles gets this week's shout-out for sticking it to the man with enlightened humor.

How many members of the Bush Administration are needed to replace a light bulb? Seven.
1. One to deny that a light bulb needs to be replaced
2. One to question the patriotism of anyone who has questions about the light bulb
3. One to blame the previous administration for the need of a new light bulb
4. One to arrange the invasion of a country rumored to have a secret stockpile of light bulbs
5. One to get together with VP Dick "I-have -other-priorities" Cheney and figure out how to pay Halliburton one million dollars for a light bulb
6. One to arrange a photo-op session showing Bush changing the light bulb while dressed in a flight suit and wrapped in an American flag
7. And finally, one to explain to Bush the difference between screwing a light bulb and screwing the country

London Calling
Our man on the street in that city on the Thames, Ranjit Chagar, sent MLW a warning about the ramifications of risktaking vis-a-vis sporting anti-W clothing. Apparently and unknown to virtually all American citizens, it has become a criminal offense to wear anti-Bush tshirts.

A husband and wife were arrested, yes arrested, for wearing anti-W tshirts (they read, "Love America, Hate Bush") at a presidential "appearance" ("not a campaign event" according to a junta spokesperson) in Charleston, West Virginia on July 4, 2004. How completely and appropriately ironic? Or maybe Orwellian is more appropos considering the date. Did I mention they were arrested? No news on whether they've been transferred to Guantanamo on the Hudson. Click here for more really disturbing details http://64.4.46.250/cgi-bin/linkrd?_lang=EN&lah=82ec7821761252b57ee46c8adda2bb09&lat=1095393785&hm___action=http%3a%2f%2fwww%2eveteransforpeace%2eorg%2fCouple_in_antiibush_tee_071504%2ehtm

Sweat Arbusto's Lying Ass out of the White House
A new Bikram Yoga studio on the Lower East Side offered a benefit class for the Democratic National Committee and MoveOn.org, "Sweat Bush Out of the White House." The sweat factor dominates because with Bikram Yoga the room is heated to 105 degrees. The less-serious class featured lots of prizes, trivia, and political quizzes. In the final savasana, a meditative pose as one lies on the floor with eyes closed, the instructor slipped in a tape of Barack Obama's speech at the Democratic National Convention. After 90 minutes of yoga in a sweltering room on a sultry New York summer night, the "audacity of hope" inspired me once again. I'm audacious enough to imagine a Clinton-Obama 2008 bumper sticker. The other Clinton would be the mayor of New York.

Eyes Wide Open
I attended an extremely moving event sponsored by the American Friends Service Committee, otherwise known as Quakers. Called "Eyes Wide Open," the exhibit graphically illustrates the human cost of war with photographs, posted facts and figures about the U.S.'s relationship with Iraq, and shoes. Yes, shoes. When I attended on Sunday, September 10, 983 Army boots were placed in several rows (alphabetically by state) representing the soldiers killed in Iraq. As we all know, that figure has exceeded 1,000. The exhibit also provides information about the number of Iraqi citizens killed. I've read figures stating 10,000 to 25,000 civilians have died.

It was a beautiful late summer Sunday when I walked to a little church across from Washington Square Park. I expected to be humbled by the exhibit. But as I walked into the room, the shock of all of those boots - in their stark simplicity - moved me to tears immediately. I can only compare it to seeing the piles of shoes at the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. Because the junta has prevented publication of photographs of the war dead, it seems as if the war has had no impact on Americans. But here in this old church on a sunny afternoon, the cost of war cannot be ignored. How many soldiers' funerals have junta officials attended in support of our troops? Zero.

It is a travelling exhibit, so click here http://www.afsc.org/eyes/upcoming-dates.htm to view the schedule.

Politics and the City - Issue 2

War is Peace
The smell of patchouli wafted through Union Square last Thursday night which had been transformed into a liberal outdoor mall - tshirts, bumper stickers, banners, and pins galore celebrating the unique yet traditional qualities of the junta and its associated henchman. I'll be forwarding more photos through snapfish so you can see the highlights. A few favorites:

"Who Would Jesus Bomb?"
"Bill O'Reilly is Full of Shit"
"Abstinence: No Bush or Dick in 2004"
"Dethrone Emperor Bush"
"Nazi Lite"

There were a few W supporters. Dressed in bourgeois BC (business casual), they kept bellowing, "Four More Years. Four More Years." One of them, evidently unaware of current economic conditions added, "Four more GLORIOUS Years." Maybe he was a wanna-be Billionaire for Bush slumming it with the anarchists and socialists (as Fox News repeatedly and erroneously described all protestors.)

After walking around for about an hour, we headed to a local bar to watch W's speech - a masterpiece of Orwellian doublespeak. My favorite line was the one that trumpeted the expansion of liberty. I guess he meant "with the exception of the enemy combatants being held illegally at Guantanamo in total disregard of the Geneva Conventions, the Patriot Act, and women who have had abortions."

My big question for Bushie is how come we haven't invaded Saudia Arabia when 17 of the 19 hijackers are from there? I notice the junta is a very fond of uttering the phrases "9/11" and "Saddam Hussein" in the same breath. Maybe they think if they keep saying it, it will become true? Maybe because a large percentage of Americans still think there is a connection?

The Old Town Bar was fairly quiet while W was speaking. One 50-ish white, drunk guy kept clapping. The only real reaction, besides overwhelming disgust and repulsion, came when Fox News split the screen to show a protestor being dragged out of the hall. Most people were in disbelief that the Chickenhawks ("The Few. The Rich. The Elite. Born to Kill. Not to Serve." ) continue to deride Kerry's military service while their deferments (e.g., "Dick-I- had-other-priorites-Cheney") total double-digit figures. Check out http://www.nhgazette.com/cgi-bin/NHGstore.cgi?user_action=list&category=%20NEWS%3B%20Chickenhawks for more specifics.

I spoke to some Quaker women who encouraged me to visit their exhibition Eyes Wide Open which depicts the cost of the Iraqi war in a very compelling manner. I had read about it a few months ago and sent some of you a link. More on that in my next post.

U.S. Postal Service - Official Sponsors of the Bush-Cheney Junta
A postcard bumper sticker reading "It Takes a Village Idiot" with a line drawn through Bush's name was stolen after being mailed to an address in Chicago, Illinois. Isn't that a federal offense?

Upper East Side - We're Blue!
I decided to tally reactions to a tshirt I wore in my neighborhood (traditionally - more blue blood than blue state) on Friday morning. A simple, white tshirt (made in America) with BUSH IS A LIAR printed boldly across the front inspired quite a few impromptu discussions.

As I waited in line at the bank, a 69-year old Hungarian women told me I was brave to wear it. When I asked why she told me she had been hassled (enough to scare her) by a group of young men while she wore her "Beat Bush" tshirt. Apparently, verbal aggressiveness isn't reserved for the unruly anarcharists who were hassling delgates last week.

As I ran errands, a young man walking toward me said, "He most certainly is a liar!" I asked, what became my standard response for the day, "Are you registered to vote?" Everyone with the exception of my UPS guy, Dennis, said "Yes!" "Hell, Yes!" and "Abso-fucking-lutely!"

(The latter response is complete dramatic license. I have yet to spot Chris Noth - that's Mr. Big to you Republicans - but I'm hoping like the junta, if I just keep repeating it over and over, it will become a reality.)

I spoke with Dennis for about 15 minutes trying to convince him that his voted mattered. If nothing else but to prevent the Supreme Court from becoming completely overloaded with Le Famille Bush consiglieres. He told me that he thought the war in Iraq was W's form of population control. Of Puerto Rican descent, he has a wife and two kids who live in the Bronx. He said he felt safe because he was 29, but was worried about his younger brothers if a draft becomes necessary. He talked to me about the military recruiters all over his neighborhood. Fahrenheit 9/11 certainly had it moments of manipulation but the scene of the recruiters in the urban mall came immediately to mind. I've never seen any recruiters in my neighborhood - just about a mile or so south of Spanish Harlem.

All along Lexington and Park Avenues, doormen smiled and nodded at my shirt. One man offered to buy it. I had only one negative response - a woman in Starbucks walked past me and muttered, "Stupid tshirt." I called after her, "Read the First Amendment."

MLW Reaches Detente with Car Service Drivers
Some of you know about my ongoing impasse with the car service drivers who gather under my apartment window. These guys yack and yack - LOUDLY - from 6:00 am to 7:00pm. I've been polite, I've been rude, I've called the police, I've tried to reason with them - all to no avail. When I came home Friday, one of them stopped me and said, "Miss, I love your tshirt! I'm going to bring you a present tomorrow." Sure enough, he brought me a Kerry/Edwards button on Saturday. Who would have thought a quick political discussion would have brought our contretemps to a peaceful resolution? He smiled at the banners hanging from my apartment windows. ("Impeach Bush" "The World Says no to the Bush Agenda" and "I Say No!"). I think I've acquired my own personal doormen working a revolving 13-hour shift.

A taxi driver, a U.S. citizen from Bangladesh, told me Sunday night that 95% of his customers were "happy that all those Republicans leave us!" We talked for awhile and he told me he was also registered to vote. His family wants him to come back because they think the U.S. is too dangerous now. Overall, it was encouraging but New York City isn't exactly a balanced representation of the U.S. The Democrats outnumber the Republicans 5-1.

Overhead on the Train
A girl from the Dominican Republic reading The New York Post article about the massacre in Russia, "Let's see them bring that shit to the Bronx."

An abomination for sure - there is absolutely zero justification for bringing children into a dispute. I reserve the same opinion for the manner in which the Russian government has dealt with the children of Chechnya the past several years.

Stoddabobbas Rock the Vote
Following the footsteps of Pearl Scher of the Lower East Side in NYC, Dorothy Bednar of the Lower West Side of KCMO gets today's "shout-out" for organizing a Voter Registration Drive at Cathedral Towers in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. Aiming to register the entire population of her building's senior citizens and to ensure they have transportation to cast their vote on November 2, this 75-year old stoddabobba (Croatian for "old lady") is doing her part to smush Bush.

Teed Off and Wearing it on your Sleeve
Kudos to B540 of Flagstaff, Arizona, for letting MLW know about the tshirt he sports the most:

Graphic: Four Native American Warriors circa 1800
Slogan: "Homeland Security: Fighting Terrorism since 1492"

Give Junta Loyalists a Chance
MLW flashes a peace sign to Bill Barloon of RNC Central for even considering mixing it up with folks definitely not of his political ilk on Thursday night. He mistakenly chose W's reading of the Imperialist Manifesto over a rocking display of the First Amendment in Union Square. Dude, we'll save our indoctrination sessions for the near future. In the meantime -remember - the hottest chicks vote Democrat. (Wouldn't that be an awesome tshirt. Maybe I can get Carrie Bradshaw to wear it?)

The Last Word: To Be PC Or Not To Be PC
You might wander why I often mention a person's ethnicity in my articles. Easy - it's to provide a glimpse of the awesome diversity of New York. The size and space limitations of Manhattan make it more melting formaggio fondue pot than any other place I've experienced. I purposely took a mental survey around the train this morning on my way downtown. Across from me were two Chinese boys, three Dominican girls, a young girl from India, and an African-American man. A Russian woman and her child sat to my left; a Puerto Rican kid to my right. A Jewish girl stood in front of me.

Even in my one-block region : my coffee guy Frank is from Naples, Italy; my bodega guy is Pakistani, my dry cleaner is Puerto Rican, the cobbler is Russian, my tailor Eddie is from Uzbekistan, the pizza restaurant is owned and operated by Koreans and Hasidics. I get my manicure from a Sarah, a Nepalese woman; my pedicure from Amy who emigrated from Hong Kong. My landlord and super are from Turkey. The diner across the street is owned by Greeks and the used book store by a Jewish guy from you got it, - Manhattan!

You might also wander how I know what ethnicity someone is - sometimes I ask, other times, people wear or carry things that enable you to identify their heritage. (A Star of Davidnecklace, a Puerto Rican sticker, a pierced nose, a book with Chinese characters, copy of the Koran, etc.)

This then, is the best part of New York City. Not the fashion, the restaurants, the shopping, the museums, the culture. But this - Lady Liberty (of French descent) - my favorite NYC landmark, lives and breathes on every street corner every hour of every day. She's one lady who never sleeps. Let's keep her wide awake on November 2.

Politics and the City - Issue 1

A few quick notes this morning -

One Dick Trumps Another
I noted on the way to the subway this morning that Kobe Byrant's apology out-tabloided Cheney's vitriol on the two morning conservative tabloids.

I'm Not a Doctor but I Play One on TV
In response to Sarah Jessica Parker's outspoken anti-Bush stance, Republican women in New York are wearing black tshirts that read, "Carrie doesn't speak for me" on the front with "Neither does Kerry" on the back. Can someone let them know that Carrie Bradshaw is a fictional character?

Men and Women in Uniform
You may hear the Republicans mention today that the Uniformed Firefighters Association (9,000) has endorsed Bush. It's true. But it's also true that the International Association of Firefighters (265,000 in the nation; 2,900 locals) and the Uniformed Fire Officers Association (number unknown), representing the fire lieutenants, captains, and other officers have endorsed Kerry.

Also note that firefighters and cops are currently protesting in New York for a better contract. A group was demonstrating in front of Ground Zero the other night when I was leaving work. A cop told me that NYC cops are ranked 143rd in the nation for pay. He asked me where I was from and I said the Upper East Side. He nodded and then said, "Cops in Newark..." Let me digress, even when New Yorkers don't say "fucking" out loud, their body language and tone make it clear when it goes without saying it - out loud. This is the manner in which he said, "Newark, New Jersey cops make more than us."

Interestingly enough, cops who have been loudly protesting outside of Bloomberg's apartment on East 79th until 1:00 a.m. have not been arrested or trapped with the orange net.

This morning as I crossed the West Side Highway, I turned to look at some jackhammers working away at Ground Zero. A cop noticed me staring and looked at my anti-Bush button. We caught eyes , he smiled and waved. A reminder that we can't judge politics by our work uniforms.

W stands for Warmonger

I want to start with a thank you to all of those who have sent such wonderful comments about the blog. Writing this is the best part of my day so thank you for the encouragement. Please feel free to pass the blog on to anyone you think might be interested.

There have been many episodes of civil disobedience in Manhattan since Sunday's march. The group A31 prompted a warning from Employee Communications at work yesterday because our building was being targeted for a 4:00 p.m. protest. I checked out their website and they had several companies listed under categories like "War Profiteers" and "RNC Contributors." I was relieved to see that we were under the latter. Not that I would quit my job for either category - (re: conversation with young Communist on the merits of paycheck paying the rent) since the laptop on which I write my blog is owned by my company. Maybe that cancels out a little of the contributions to the RNC?

In any case, nothing materialized at our location because the group gathered across the street on the east perimeter of Ground Zero and marched to Madison Square Garden. The nearly 1,000 protesters Bushivicks (as opposed to Bolsheviks so named by some conservative media as reported to me by Cathy Godfrey. I thought she said Bushivicks so it was my word for the day!) who have been arrested are being held at a detention center near Chelsea Piers. The conditions are fairly primitive and already it's been nicknamed (How do you say melodramatic in New York-ese) "Guantanamo on the Hudson."

I went to my local electronics store yesterday and the sales staff cheered my anti-Bush button. I chatted with one older gentleman who was disgusted by Guiliani's speech. He said, "I found him repugnant." I loved that he used such a formal word. I had forgotten that Rudy was originally a Democrat, just like Michael Bloomberg. Following the Corleone tradition of keeping my enemies closer, I watched bits and pieces of the convention, but I must confess I'm not evolved enough to handle it with much grace. I thought Rudy made a good point when he mentioned that after 9/11, Republicans and Democrats worked together to rebuild New York. That, in fact, after the election, Republicans should work with Democrats united for one America. I noted the tepid applause.

I stopped at Union Square yesterday on my way to yoga and the mood seemed to have shifted to an angrier tone. I took a few pictures and wandered around listening to conversations. There was a man with a sign that said, "Trust Bush and Jesus." I'm not sure how a pacifist whose greatest legacy is one of love and forgiveness can be compared to a man who says "You're either with us or against us." I would have asked him but he was busy arguing with some young kids who broke into a chant of "Two more months. Two more months." I wish I could believe it.

I noticed a Causcasian guy in his mid-40s with a sign that read, "Kill All the Rich People and End Slavery Now." As I came upon him an older African-American man told him that his message wasn't right, "You're just driving people away by telling them to kill. That's not right." The sign bearer sneered that he wasn't liberal, he didn't care if it drove people away, and added, "Malcolm X didn't care if his message was too strong."

I said, "Yes in the beginning but in the end, he didn't promote violence. Besides, rich is relative. To most Third World countries, the poorest American is rich." He ignored that comment - anarchists are just not people-persons!

A young woman came up with her little boy and agreed that the message was wrong. In the end she said she thought that all politicians were bad. "All the good ones they kill." I mentioned Barack Obama and they both said, "But not for another 8 years - if he isn't killed first."

After yoga (during which we heard non-stop sirens - presumably all headed to the Garden) I came across a guy registering people to vote and selling anti-Bush tshirts. I'm not sure that's legal. As I was chatting with him he suddenly leaned over and said, "Lady, I am making so much money tonight!" I congratulated him and told him capitalism was the American way.

As I was crossing the street to the subway, an elderly woman grabbed my arm and asked if I would help her cross. As we walked, she told me that the city couldn't even handle a few protestors, how could they handle another terrorist attack? Her husband said it was all - and here she whispered - "bullshit." With a boisterous crowd milling around us and sirens blaring, I didn't get a chance to ask her which part he thought was bullshit. She thanked me at the next intersection and then grabbed a young man's arm to help her cross 4th Avenue. A little bit of NY chutzpah to get her home safely.

On the train I was thinking if nothing else the protests seemed to have encouraged dialogue. As much as it's fired up New Yorkers, I think it's making people all over the country feel emboldened and empowered to do something - anything! Even if it's just talking to strangers and asking their opinion.

I came home and I read some of Bobby Kennedy's To Seek A Newer World and I realized how little real discussion we've had because the Republican machine is totally focused on character assasination. They've learned everything and nothing from Lee Atwater.

Can you imagine Bush or any neocon for that matter quoting a Greek poet or Albert Camus - not because it makes a speech dramatic - but because the words, the poetry, the literature, inspired or healed some part of their spirit? If Bobby were running today, he wouldn't make it past the primaries. He would be destroyed all over again. I know, like Che, he was flawed, very flawed - but the level of compassion, the willingness to let life and pain transform him and his political experience are unparalleled in American politics for the last 35 years.

An administrative assistant on our team, Sophia, is an actress and a member of a group called THAW - Theatre Against War. She participated in The Line this morning that stretched from Wall Street to the Garden. (I overslept!) Participants stood in a line and held up a "pink slip" with statistics about unemployment in America. There was a great photograph in the NY Times this morning but you can find more information on the website for People for the American Way. Again, I am revelling in the ingenuity of the protests!

When I mention at work that I've participated in a few protests - I am surprised how many people are surprised! My biggest supporter besides Sophia is a British expatriate on a two-year assignment in New York. He asked me today, "Did you slip in a demo before work this morning?"

Employee Communications sent us a warning about today's protests. They were referring to The Line and mistakenly said it would begin at 5:00 p.m. I sent my team an email indicating that it had already taken place. The Brit came by and said, "So now you're giving us up-to-the-minute demo information? Before you know it your email address will be Protests.org."

I couldn't watch Arnold last night but I understand he was compared to Obama. Another incongruous association. I thought the "W stands for Women" signs were curious. I wonder which women that W refers to? The women who have had abortions and whose medical records the Justice Department tried to subpoena? Perhaps, not.

I'm going to end this post with two small but powerful stories. The first appeared in the NY Times yesterday and is my favorite RNC week story so far. I think you will agree. (I hope this isn't copyright infringement. Lawyers, let me know.)

"...One group kept far away from midtown and the Garden, which has been a focal point for many of the organized protests. "We are just not able to walk it," said Pearl Scher, the organizer of a downtown demonstration of about 100 elderly people who came out with walkers, wheelchairs and canes. Wearing T-shirts emblazoned with slogans like "Fermer le Bush" and "Fire the Liar," the elderly protesters were forthcoming in spirit if not mobility. "It was unbelievable," said Ms. Scher, who said the average age of the protesters was 83. "There must have been 100 of us," she said. "When you multiply 80 by 100, you've got 8,000 years of experience."

Pearl - you rock!

And finally, a shout out to Jackie-Loya Torres who successfully fought off an attempt by a conservative mother at her children's Catholic grade school in Kansas City to have the Girl Scouts removed. Why would anyone want to remove the Girl Scouts you ask?

For their liberal, feminist stances and their "association" with Planned Parenthood, of course. Those subverisve Girl Scouts always causing trouble with their badges and those cookies! Thin Mints everywhere wreaking havoc and poisoning girls with ideas of independence, environmental respect, self-sufficiency, and civic duty. Jackie, you do all of us former Girl Scouts proud ! As I told her it's easy to get up one Saturday morning and walk a mile across a bridge but it's the day-to-day battles and our willingness to fight them that change the world.