Sunday, August 24, 2008

Denver's DNC, from a distance

La Bloga has no party affiliation--me, I'm indep.--but since it's in Denver like two of us, maybe it bears some blogging, even from afar. I'm on the other side of I-25, will work with 2nd graders this week and may only get a chance or two to jump on the bike and try to cross I-25, and get through the police's Anti-terrorism/Unfriendly-to-protesters Gauntlet to make any real blogging.

RUMORS:
So far all I heard is that thousands of bricks were discovered under downtown Denver trash cans. Googled for it and found nothing. Maybe it's just an anti-protesters rumor started by whoever passes for COINTELPRO these days. Maybe they were put there by whoever can't get a hold of powdered anthrax anymore. Maybe nothing.

A young Denver gentry-type woman who somehow got onto the Terrorism Watch list was visited by dark suits. She was emptying her car of bricks for the landscaping she's doing of her yard. Haven't heard how the bricks are doing.

FACT:
You can get a Classic Megastar talking/rocking doll at Walgreens just over Speer on Federal for $11.99. Take your pick of Obama, Hillary or that other one. (No Joe at this time.) It sings something supposedly funny to the tune of When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again. Just what you need to liven up that delegate fiesta that's dragging from only Coors being served.

PICS:
None of our own to post yet, but you gotta check out the Denver Post's Sunday online home page, the first, biggest thing on the website. (I post it here for the purpose of analyzing the Denver press's political bias.) This kind of macho-posturing photo won't stop any terrorist or ultra-militant protest. It will scare off some peaceful protesters who'd rather avoid a nightstick beating. And it certainly doesn't portray the kind of state that serves to protect the right to democratic dissent and protest. Lastly, it'll probably play havoc on the bottom lines of Downtown Denver businesses, though.

LEAKED DOCUMENTS:
You might need an ACLU Bustcard, in English or Spanish, in case you get arrested, sent to Gitmo, waterboarded--try to keep it dry--or otherwise detained. Go here for your very own:

TRIVIA:
A Friday Denver Post article entitled, "Police to be friendly but firm with crowds" has Mayor Hickenlooper explaining that, " If Denver police see the potential for violence or destruction brewing during the Democratic National Convention, they have been trained and instructed to swarm in and take down troublemakers with immediate and direct force. [emphasis added]

Apparently the Mayor has pulled back the welcome mat for anybody who appears to have merely just the potential for violence. So, this week all tourists should be careful about their appearance. When you pull out a tire iron to fix that flat, wield it like an ice cream cone, not a sword. Try not to appear too angry about LoDo parking rates and snap back at anyone. That might constitute potential.

The chances of anthrax powder hitting the convention this week are slim. [20,000 instances of suspicious white powder in the U.S. mail since 2001 "and all have proven false."]

OTOH, we hear about real accusations of police brutality in this country every week. Mayor Hickenlooper appears to have set his national stage with the potential for violence by police, in the manner of pre-emptive Bush-style tactics, higher than it has been in some time. Maybe since Chicago, '68.

THE TRUTH:
One of our readers just sent us this site where you can get the news mainstream media doesn't cover or covers so slantedly: Colorado IndyMedia. Looks great, and thanks, Clayton.

ONGOING:

So, this week only, La Bloga is seeking news from on-the-floor or in-the-back-room Democratic National Convention attendees.

Got a rumor nobody else will post because it's unsubstantiated, but you just happened to be in the wrong place at the right time? Did you take a photo of a celebrity in a less-than-delegate-level-behavior moment? Did you accidentally pick up a copy of U.S. foreign policy for the next 8 years, and it's making you wonder?

If so, send it to r.ch.garcia[AT]cybox(DOT)com and if our lawyers say it won't land us in the DNC Detention Center, we may use it. Here's your chance to become famous, or at least posted for an Internet 15 seconds.

PLEASE only send Web-size photos, 300 dpi screen quality. Higher resolutions won't be useable.
All material will be credited, unless you prefer otherwise.

RudyG

4 comments:

msedano said...

bricks under trashcans? unless the neocon terrorist has huge hands un ladrillo makes a tough projectile to launch with any accuracy. but then, what can one expect from neocon pigs?

any truth to the rumour that denver pd consulted the montreal vaches on crowd infiltration and agent provocateur tips?

norma landa flores said...

Rudy, here's a rumor that was circulating at the birthday party recently held for a well-known Native American Gambling Casino's lawyer, "Obama may be nominated but he won't make it to the presidency because some white extremist's groups are easy to buy."

So, if I heard about the rumor, maybe some other folks have too, such as the Denver police or the FBI. Be careful, don't hang out with anyone that may be considered to be an extremist or Native American, I'm sorry to say. At least, don't be SEEN hanging out with them.

Good Luck,
nlf

BG said...

My friends mistakenly planned a vacation in Denver/Co Springs this weekend ... I've already told them to be careful.

Anonymous said...

I've heard reports of some hooligans throwing firecrackers out their window as they drove around downtown. Seems like they were just BEGGING to be billy-clubbed, but apparently, they got away with it, no problem. So maybe there won't be a complete and total crackdown on expression.

Today I passed Civic Center Park, which is my regular route, due entirely to automaticity and fatigue. There were tons of people, tons of police, but actually literally quiet.

Let's hope for the best.