Protesters

I’ve been letting myself get a bit too optimistic about November, so it’s time to discuss some possible reasons for pessimism. First, via Daniel Geffen, I direct your attention to this post be Ed Fitzgerald. I fear he may be prescient about this:

What can you say about these people? They seem completely blind to the fact that the media will cover these protests heavily, always emphasizing the loonier elements involved and whatever property damage manages to be done (even if the protestors themselves don’t do any, there’s bound to be provacateurs who’ve infiltrated the group), and that will provide Bush (and every other Republican bigwig) with the perfect opportunity to stand strong and resolute, denouncing the protestors and subtly (and not so subtly) equating them with the Democrats, wrapping themselves in the flag while simultaneously denying the civil rights which the flag stands for.

Any excuse at all to associate Kerry and Bush opposition generally with something radical, fringish, or generally unappealing to those mythical normal Americans will not only be seized upon by GOP spinners, but flogged to death by the rest of the media as well. Now they try this sort of thing all the time and it generally fails to get much traction (you don’t hear much about the Whoopi Goldberg “hatefest” anymore), but that doesn’t mean we should underestimate the potential for bad press here. The media wields enormous power in presidential elections (as 2000 showed quite clearly), and this would be the sort of thing they’d love to flog as a “turning point” or some such thing.

Am I saying no one should protest the RNC? Not necessarily. Protest can be a good way to get a message out, or register intensity of disapproval. I do, however, have a plea for would be protesters and organizers. Your goal should be to get a useful and important message out, and do your part to show what’s wrong with the current GOP agenda. If you’re at all serious about protest as political action you’ll want to avoid broad denunciations of everything you don’t like (capitalism, meat, whatever) and you’ll want to behave respectfully and legally. Of course, if you’re interested in protest as self-expression, go nuts, shout loudly about whatever strikes your fancy, have a good time. Just please remember that the cost for your thrills is steep. You’ll be handing the GOP a great spin point on a silver platter. Enjoy!