Republican National Convention Counteraction in New York City : Melbourne Indymedia

For the first time in history, from August 20 to September 2 2004, New York City will be the site of the annual Republican National Convention (RNC). The main purpose of the convention is to nominate current president George W Bush as the Republican presidential candidate for the forthcoming election, but the event will be met by mass protest by local and international activists.

The beginning of action in New York City was marked on Thursday with the arrival of the Democracy Uprising group’s ‘DNC 2 NRC’ caravan. The 258 mile march began in Boston at the Democratic Convention and has spent the last month making its way to New York for the commencement of the RNC. The group is marching for those who can not be present and seeking “dignity, justice, housing, autonomy, education, health care, work and food for all.”

The Gotham Gazette reported that 21 people involved in anti-RNC activities were arrested on Friday. Four of the arrested face a maximum of 25 years in prison for assault, after a police officer fell through a skylight at the Plaza Hotel. Despite calls for peaceful action it seems unlikely that the NYPD will allow activists to carry out events without intervention. Many groups will be on hand during the coming days to provide free legal advice to those in need.

On August 29 the legal ‘The World Says No to the Bush Agenda!’ march, organised by the United for Peace group, will walk past Madison Square Garden, the site of the RNC. Organisers originally requested permission to rally in Central Park but were denied by the New York State Supreme Court. Supported by more than 360 community groups and expecting attendance from prominent community leaders such as the Reverend Jesse Jackson, organisers are confident of large numbers of people joining the march.

August 31 is being marked as ‘A Day of Non-Violent Civil Disobedience and Direct Action’ and the streets of New York City will be transformed into stages of resistance and forums for debate. The A31 Action Coalition issued a letter to residents of New York City asking them to either join the rally or support the action from the sidewalks of Manhattan.

It is evident from the myriad of calls to action, anti-convention websites and involvement from community and activist groups, that the forthcoming days in New York City will see mass numbers of dissidents converge on the city, speaking out against the regressive political agenda of the Republicans.

[NYC Indymedia | Counter Convention | RNC Watch | A-Noise Online Radio | United for Peace | Democracy Uprising | A31 Action Coalition]

Infoshop web Maven and Most Reverend Chuck0 features in a NYT's interview - lock up yr poodles.

HEARTLAND RADICAL
Anarchy Explained
By RANDAL C. ARCHIBOLD

Published: August 29, 2004
Chris Cummins for The New York Times
Chuck Munson, librarian and anarchist, in Kansas City, Mo.
huck Munson, 39, an anarchist, runs infoshop.org, a Web-based clearinghouse for information on anarchism. A veteran protester, he took part in several recent antiwar rallies in Washington, where he lived until moving back to Kansas, his home state, earlier this year. A librarian by trade, he wants to open a radical-oriented bookstore in Kansas City, Mo. He arrived in New York on Friday to protest the Republican National Convention.

Q. Do anarchists differ from other radicals?

A. We are a lot different from other political entities in that we are a lot more anti-government, anti-state. We say that because we think people should have control of their lives at the individual and community level, a sort of radical participatory democracy.

Q. If there is no government or state, how would order be maintained?

A. That's a question anarchists get asked a lot. People think that you have to have a state to organize a life. But I have a lot of examples of what people do in cooperation everyday to organize their lives. There is a whole Alcoholics Anonymous movement around the country and the world. There are cooperative businesses. Most people are familiar with the natural-foods co-ops. They are not ideal because they have to function in a capitalist society.

Q. How would we get goods and services?

A. In an anarchist model, people would be working in a cooperative workplace, worker-owned. We would be producing things and people would do things voluntarily. We would exchange goods and services, but the focus would be on basic essentials, not on having 18 varieties of soap.

MORE ON...

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/29/weekinreview/29anar.html

In general those who claim to be anarchists, or perhaps I should write – Anarchists – have appeared to me far clearer and more focused than average in elaborating on whatever it is that they want. That’s in general, mind you.

Got a question for you, I do.

We used to learn from our Elders, our communities and our environment. That way of learning has seen us through for many, many millions of years and, straight to the point, we survived it.

What happened to respect of our Elders ?

I'm unable to access the site. Might be useage overload, but I'm suspicious!!

Chris Cummins must respect Pr.

TWICE now I've had to complain about InfoShop on Indymedia ( DC) and I get bumped out of the comments section all the time - once I was even suspended for a week and my local library was as well!
I cant even get a PRofile two years after requesting one , in fact the almost the sole response I've had from Chuckles in three has been to whine, ' stop writing me! "

Let's have more respect for ( 10 years older ) Elders indeed!

With indigenous life expectancy running at 57 I surely qualify as a primitivist influenced anarcho-elder?