When you have nothing better to do
There have been some protests here in Portland this past week regarding the recent Presidential elections. Seems that some people around here aren't too happy with President Bush being re-elected and decided to march through downtown Portland declaring that the election had been rigged and demanding a re-vote.
Now, I understand that losing an election, a very close election, can be heartbreaking. I understand that people can be subject to post-election depression. I can even comprehend some people's inquiries, and INQUIRIES only, into the immigration policies of foreign countries. But for Christ sake people, there's no need to violently parade down your city's streets demanding a re-vote, trying to take over the tracks of a Tri-Met's red line (the local light rail) just to make that statement. That's just downright absurd.
Some of the local news coverage of these protests is quite lacking as well and, I think, bears some mention with regard to the attitudes/views of these protesters. A reporter for the KATU/2 news was at the rally and asked people why they were protesting. Here are some of the hightlights (and I'm paraphrasing here):
1) "Because 45 million votes were recorded electronically and without a paper trail. This election was stolen by the Republicans and there should be another election to decide the Presidency." OK???? Now there is some validity to the lack of security when it comes to electronic-paperless voting, that's for sure. Heck, some 3,500 votes were 'lost' in North Carolina because the machines couldn't handle that many ballots. But to deduce that the Republicans "stole" the election because of this is ridiculous.
2) "I'm here because I woke up and had nothing better to do. Really, I had NOTHING better to do". If this statement doesn't discredit the intent of the protest, I don't what does.
Bottom line, the protestors wanted it to be heard that they were unhappy with the election results. Well, so were 56,000,000 other Americans. You casted your vote, you were heard, either protest peacefully or don't protest at all. I understand you're upset, but you looked like a bunch of sore losers out there.
posted by Ken @ 1:27 PM
5 Comments:
http://www.sorryeverybody.com
Apparently, there's lots of people with nothing better to do. But, last I heard, free speech is a constitutional right. Even if it's stupid.
45 million votes??? Isn't that like a quarter of all the votes cast?
Anyway, this is probably a trivial observation, but I somewhat doubt these same people would be taking to the streets if Kerry had won under the same circumstances.
There was a march in downtown Tucson on Wednesday, too. It happend to be just as I was driving into downtown to go to the courthouse to renew my passport. Fucked up traffic. Then, I had to walk to the Circle K at Congress and I-10 to get a money order, and had to pass through the whole mass of them blocking the sidewalk in front of the federal building (twice). One of them got pissy at me for walking in front of the guy talking...I pointed out that it was my sidewalk, too.
Apparently, just moments after I passed through the second time, a couple of them got beligerent with the cops and got pepper sprayed.
Anyway, I left that experience thinking that if these were the people pissed off, Bush winning couldn't be an altogether bad thing. And I voted for Kerry.
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I wasn't saying that they should be denied their constitutional right to free speech. I fully support that right. In fact, I excercised it when I wrote this post.
But protest peacefully. Otherwise, you're just asking for trouble and making yourselves look immature.
There is a Constitutional protection of free speech. There is no Constitutional "right" to block public thoroughfares while exersizing free speech.
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