BACA: Denver will be nothing like Chicago '68
By Polly Baca
Published August 19, 2008 at 4:58 p.m.
Ah, what a difference four decades make! And yet so much remains the same: Protesters want their voices heard. Locals fear what might happen. Years on foreign battlefields weary a nation yearning for peace.
Four decades ago I witnessed an agonizing time in the Democratic Party's history. As the national deputy director of the Viva Robert F. Kennedy Campaign in 1968, I was assigned to work in East Los Angeles with Cesar Chavez and Bert Corona in the months prior to the senator's assassination. During the course of the campaign, I met Democratic activists throughout the country. After Kennedy's death, friends suggested that I go to the 1968 National Democratic Convention in Chicago.
The convention began as an opportunity to renew networks with friends across the country. But the events that transpired that week were life changing. There was tension in the air in Chicago. Struggles were taking place in the Rules Committee meetings regarding the seating of an integrated Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party delegation instead of an all-white delegation sent by the regular Mississippi Democratic Party.
The integrated delegation won the right to be seated which prompted the segregated Georgia delegation to walk out of the convention. A bit different from the Rules Committee challenges in 2008 surrounding the seating of the Michigan and Florida delegations.
The two final candidates with delegates four decades ago were Sen. Hubert Humphrey and Sen. Eugene McCarthy. I wore only Kennedy campaign buttons. However, I noted that when I was with my friends who were Humphrey delegates, we were harassed by young McCarthy supporters and anti-war activists. On the other hand, when I was with my McCarthy friends, we were mistreated by police officers and other members of the Chicago mayor's political machine. Obviously, it didn't matter whom you supported, you felt abused and harassed, which added to the tensions both inside and outside of the convention hall.
Friends had given me guest passes for each night of the convention, but I missed the bus to the convention hall the night of the major confrontation between anti-Vietnam War demonstrators and the Chicago police. Not having an agenda, I joined a peace march of several thousand to the hotel serving as convention headquarters.
When we reached the hotel, I became curious about what might be happening at the convention, so I decided to go inside the hotel to see what I was missing. As I entered a campaign suite on the second floor, a great commotion began on the street below.
We rushed to the windows just in time to see the Chicago police in military formation start approaching the crowd I had just left. Without any warning or tear gas, the Chicago police picked up speed as they charged the crowd with nightsticks swinging.
Horrified, I realized I had just missed the encounter and watched as a policeman dragged a woman by her hair across the street. The consequences of that evening are etched in our memories of street riots and National Guard troops lining the Chicago streets.
Our city police forces have learned a lot since 1968 about crowd control and how to respond to demonstrators.
I was privileged to attend a briefing by Cmdr. Deborah K. Dilley of the Denver Police Department for downtown residents who live close to the Pepsi Center.
A sense of confidence swept over me as I listened to this extremely capable officer brief us on the department's plans for crowd control and I realized how different her approach was to that of the Chicago police four decades ago.
As a result of Dilley's briefing, I predict that Denver will not be like Chicago in '68.
Instead, I look forward to the eyes of the world focused on our illustrious city hosting some of the most interesting and important people in the world while respecting those who want to peacefully demonstrate and have their voices heard - as should happen in a democracy.
Former state legislator Polly Baca is a former president and CEO of LARASA, the Latin American Research and Service Agency. She served as a special assistant to President Clinton in 1994 and was vice chair of the Democratic National Committee from 1981-'89. She is a delegate to the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
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August 19, 2008
6:57 p.m.
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rickg19611 writes:
"Our city police forces have learned a lot since 1968 about crowd control and how to respond to demonstrators."
Yeah.... the WTO riots in Seattle proves just how much has been learned. NOTHING.
August 19, 2008
7:07 p.m.
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The_Punnisher writes:
Typical " Pie in the Sky " Thinking.......
Like the SHEEPLE that follow a certain party......
And PICK THE TAXPAYERS WALLET.....
August 19, 2008
10:06 p.m.
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Mike846 writes:
Talk about whistling past the graveyard.....Seattle was proof enough that the "protesters" have learned more than the police. Ms. Baca will be one of those leading the charge to indict police after the trouble is over. I guess she figures that if we just talk nice to the protestors, they will abide by all the rules and not cause trouble. And there will be trouble. And it will not be started by the Denver Police. By the way, Polly...if you worked with Cesar Chavez, why are you now an activist for illegal aliens? Cesar hated those people, who were scabbing on his union. Interesting how people change, isn't it? Mike
August 20, 2008
12:08 a.m.
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Hstowell writes:
Polly Baca has little to say that I'm interested in. She wants the police to obey the rules but it's okay with her if millions of illegal aliens flood this country like locusts to rip our economy apart. A planned protest in favor of illegal immigration is planned at the DNC. This is an event for citizens and legal immigrants and not those who are here illegally. Ms. Baca is among those that argue that most illegal immigrants are good and decent people. I and most others don't dispute that but hidden among the many good and decent people are many criminals who deal dope and commit violent crimes. Even the good and decent illegal aliens are a huge drain on our economy. Go to any hospital emergency room. Take a look at the public schools and the courts. Every government agency needs translators today to serve illegal aliens who shouldn't be getting services in the first place. Here she is providing a critique of police from 1968 but today she supports the law breaking invaders in our country. She has traded her loyalty to her country for loyalty to her ethnic background.
August 20, 2008
6:38 a.m.
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blacksho89 writes:
The BIG difference between 1968 and 2008 is that in '68, nobody was found in a luxury hotel in Chicago with enough sodium cyanide to kill the whole hotel.
But not to worry. We have no evidence that it was terrorist related.
Mainly because we don't know who the guy is.
Nothing to see here; move along, citizen. Hey! HEY! Is that marijuana!? Your a** is busted, hippie!
August 20, 2008
7:14 a.m.
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Mike_In_Hartsel writes:
It's still not a matter of what the protesters may have learned since 1968 because one major thing hasn't changed: the police have to follow rules while the protesters do not, and the media will be there with cameras rolling to capture every moment.
Anarchists, self-proclaimed revolutionaries and communists believe that only violence will bring about their goals, and they all will be in Denver for the fun and games. Grab some popcorn and sit back and enjoy the spectacle.
August 20, 2008
8:15 a.m.
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HolierThanThou writes:
Thank you, Polly Baca, for your interesting eye-witness account.
You're probably right that the DNC will be fairly peaceful and orderly. I'm a bit leery of the concentration camps that DPD has prepared in some local warehouses. If they are true to their word then those buildings will remain empty of people.
Provocateurs are likely to show up. If you don't believe in coincidence then conservative commentators are already whipping up trouble by exploiting the mob with fear. But maybe that's just a coincidence.
Evidently, enough conservatives are getting ready to make trouble that they've already got a fan club making their own preparations to plop down on the couch with beer and popcorn. The passage of blame and advance apologetics are in full swing as can be seen above. Clearly, they see their fellow Americans as meat for blood sport.
Unlike Chicago, demonstrators today will be carrying scores of little video cameras. When the provocateurs show up to do their thing, they'd better have some good disguises.
August 20, 2008
6:08 p.m.
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MrPeabody writes:
Funny and typical that some are predicting that conservatives are going to make trouble. Most conservatives I know want to be far, far away during this or just avoid heading downtown during the convention altogether.
Projection, perhaps? Or, just warming up your excuses - blame the other side!
There will be plenty of opportunity for trouble without needing any help from conservatives. Besides, the other side of the aisle does a much better job of that and has far more experience at it.
I hope there isn't trouble since I live here and this will reflect on Denver but am not holding my breath given the types of "professional" protesters and anarchists that plan on being here for their 15 minutes of fame. I don't think it to be any great stretch to imagine that these innocents will do their best to provoke the DPD.