Civic Center Blues: Chain link: 'More cages'
But pulse beats within fenced green
By James B. Meadow, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published August 28, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.
The Park has shrunk. By two-thirds. Chain-link fencing forms a choker that isn't very pretty. The interior is completely sequestered. Set-up for the Taste of Colorado has begun. So has outrage. And resignation. But the pulse continues. Here is a stethoscope. Listen. . . .
The candidate for president of the United States stands near a borrowed bicycle wearing a helmet, a short-sleeved white shirt buttoned at the collar, brown shorts and tennis shoes. He looks at the chain-link barrier through thick bifocals. Shakes his head.
"Denying the demonstrators a rallying point from which they can launch marches is wrong," says Bradford Lyttle. He is the candidate of the U.S. Pacifist Party. He is 80. He does not want to recreate 1968 because he was in Chicago that year. He was gassed and clubbed during the "gross hostility." He knows that "demonstrations can be enormously effective if peaceful."
He looks at the fence. He shakes his head again. . . .
A gentle waterfall of notes from a gu zheng tumbles over the meditating disciples of Falun Dafa. The ancient, Chinese zither is almost as peaceful as the men and women who sit on the grass looking within themselves. . . .
Fun and fury erupt. A band of militant, anti-gay Christian zealots arrives to antagonize a band of militant anarchists. The anarchists react with defiant humor. Two women embrace and kiss in front of the zealots. When the zealots shout "You're going to hell!" the anarchists take up a spirited chant of "Pizza Party in Hell." One anarchist moons the zealots.
Cops arrive. A lot of cops. More than 40. Lt. Vincent Gavito tries to mediate. He looks like a man who doesn't want to be here. . . . He perseveres. The anarchists have the permit. The zealots can stay in The Park but they must keep moving on public walkways. The zealots leave The Park. . . .
Sarah Graves is an anarchist. She laughs derisively as the zealots leave. "They're a ridiculous enough spectacle," she says. She looks at all the chain-link. "More cages," she says. "This is supposed to be a space celebrating free speech, a space to resist. The city is clearly afraid of that." She isn't laughing. . . .
Friends of Sabeel describes itself as the "Voice of Palestinian Christians." Iris Keltz arrives to take part in Sabeel's demonstration. She is "shocked" by the fence. "It's sort of scary. Yesterday, The Park was so wide open and peaceful." She looks away. Her expression is fearful. . . .
Two Hillary Clinton diehards protest Barack Obama's nomination. A bumper sticker says "Nobama." A nearby Hillary tambourine has the words "Women making & shaping history." Not many people are interested in making history today. . . .
Food Not Bombs is feeding people vegetarian chow because that is how it manifests its revolutionary posture and protests war and poverty. Vegan oatmeal is the main course. It is also referred to as "Cattlefood for Cannon Fodder - Now 30 Percent More Vegan." That's a joke, explains Keith McHenry. What's not funny is the fence. He wonders why the city is more interested in a commercial event than raising people's consciousness. . . .
Tidavius Carter is more interested in raising the blood sugar of people with his ice cream. And he does. Slowly, his inventory begins to disappear. Bomb Pops. Big Dippers. He is smiling as he sells someone a Tear Jerker. . . .
The anarchists are protesting companies that have contributed to the DNC and are "installing puppet strings on people like Obama." That's what one anarchist says. He is holding one side of a large banner on which is painted "Our World Our Way." On the side that isn't displayed is printed "Coors - Now Hiring." Anarchist recycling maybe. . . .
The anarchists march off. The Friends of Sabeel hold a modest protest. Police cluster where they can find shade. The pacifist candidate for the presidency of the United States has pedaled off to find a demonstration that can be enormously effective. A class from the Odyssey Charter School sits on the grass eating lunch, preparing to ask passers-by, "What is the definition of a working democracy?"
Maybe a place with a chain-link fence, a lot of cops and passionate people. A place where sound and fury and a gentle waterfall of gu zheng notes make for the damndest symphony you ever heard.
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August 28, 2008
5:22 a.m.
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RoloFan writes:
The DNC has been here since SATURDAY. The city waited THREE DAYS to put up the fence, yet Denver has The Taste Of Colorado every year during Labor day weekend, which starts on FRIDAY. Just exactly when did these people expect the city to make preparations for an event that means more to the people who live here year round? And why do the protesters think it's all about them?
Selfish, selfish, selfish.
August 28, 2008
8:37 a.m.
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LBCsurfgoddess writes:
Same crap, Different town...
August 28, 2008
8:44 a.m.
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ifyem writes:
Just when I thought these "Civic Center Blues" stories were over, James B. Meadow comes back and "shines" again with another pointless article. Thanks for not reporting on the shooting in the Highlands last night RMN because I really don't need to know anything about an armed suspect on the loose. Way to help out with the investigation guys.....
August 28, 2008
9:13 a.m.
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kimm1970 writes:
These "protesters" are a more of a detriment to their cause then those they are protesting.
They actually started pounding on a bus in the mall, scared one of my co-worker to death. They got into my way while I had to walk to the train - also because of them and started yelling in my face, lucky I didn't exercise my right to defend myself. They don't care about their message getting out, they only want an excuse to reek havoc on those of us who should matter, in all this ridiculous and costly fiasco.
They are all pathetic wastes and need to go back to the perfect lives they have that allow them to travel from everywhere just to cause problems for those of us who have to make a living.
August 28, 2008
9:23 a.m.
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julesoncello writes:
i consider myself lucky now that i took the time to depart from the group with which i am working during the DNC (CODEPINK) to walk down to civic center park tuesday night. it was so peaceful, yet supercharged with the electricity of people galvanized with a common purpose. though i don't look like one of the dredlocked hippies or the protesting anarchists, i was thankful for the free dinner provided by everybody's kitchen and i felt a sense of community with them as my partner and i sat and ate in the "green safe zone", after which we listened as a passionate young woman led everyone in within earshot if the amphitheater in a 10-minute moment of silence. even the riot gear-clad police felt safe enough amongst all the peaceful message bearers to remove their helmets as they strode through.
i was really looking forward to going back today after my activities were complete...and then heard from the downtown grapevine that fences were going up, and despite having permits, people's access to the entire park as a place to gather to peacfully demonstrate or just be was being denied. it's tragic and very telling that something like a restaurant expo (the likes of which i have experienced in my own disgusting home of texas) is more important than people finally feeling catalyzed enough to get involved and exercise their civic rights during a groundbreaking and important national political event. why on earth is it necessary to start putting up fencing on wednesday for something that begins on friday? especially when the event with which those being denied access have come in ends on thursday. shame on you, denver powers that be and decision makers, for your attitudes towards your city's guests with causes this week. "free speech zones" (cages) and enough law enforcement to make the city feel like a police state is the kind of thing i would expect from small-minded texas fascists, not from a city i formerly held in high regards. i know there are still amazing people and places in this city, but there are many more in which i've found myself grossly disappointed.
thank you james b. meadow; i appreciated your article. it's the kind of journalism that people will be able to read 40 years from now and find to be an interesting and telling slice of what happened and what it was like at the 2008 DNC. whoever covered the last night's shooting in the highlands won't have that kind of piece in their portfolio.
August 28, 2008
9:33 a.m.
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julesoncello writes:
oh and kimm, since we were apparently typing passionately at the same time...
i'm so sorry you ran into the minorty faction of protestors who are just here to cause problems; that's absolutely not the intent of anyone i know or have ever met. how about to you take some time to get to know even one of the visitors to your city before labeling us all "pathetic wastes ... with perfect lives that allow us to travel from everywhere..." you try living a life on the road and see just how "perfect" it is. and if it were, do you really think any one of them would feel the need to make their voices heard? and don't worry, after the not-at-all-warm welcome those of us not arriving under corporate endorsement felt from your city, i can't imagine anyone would want to stick around any longer than necessary, and most of us should be well out of your hair in plenty of time for you to enjoy your weekend.
August 28, 2008
9:47 a.m.
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kimm1970 writes:
Julesoncello,
Kinda hard to do when they are screaming in your face and you are about to keel over because of a breathing problem.
I have gotten to know many people who've made the trek for the convention, and while I dislike conventions, these people were nice people.
There are many protesters that are good people, they don't violate people's rights and they don't interfere with necessary daily activities...in other words they understand that those of us who work for a living are the ones they should encourage, not discourage.
Those I label "pathetic wastes" are those who care about nothing but getting noticed by the media and becoming borderline criminals by unlawfully detaining people from their necessary route...were you one of those on 16th yesterday?
Try not being so selfish, but by all means protest, just don't expect sympathy when all you do is create a sense of animosity because you feel it's your right.
Oh and as for the park, that is a yearly event, get over it. Or were they not allowed to have the Taste of Colorado just because some protesters felt it was their right to be there?
August 28, 2008
10:17 a.m.
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julesoncello writes:
i was not on 16th yesterday. i was encouraging delegates to wear bright pink buttons and stickers and hold up pink "peace hands" declaring them delegates for peace during yesterday's roll call.
by all means, have the yearly event, of course. but surely this year's planning committee could have planned things out so as not to bump into the frenzy that the DNC would surely bring about. it seems ridiculous that fencing needed to go up so far in advance. and as for the protesters feeling they had the right to be there...they absolutely do have that right. it's guaranteed to them in the constitution.
August 28, 2008
10:37 a.m.
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kimm1970 writes:
So we should put our yearly event on hold for the DNC?
It seems ridiculous to have a 4 day party with a bunch of overpaid government workers.
It seems ridiculous that the only people that get the short end of all of this are those of us who had to work through this whole mess.
Don't you find it odd that in trying to do what you feel is good (which it may be and probably is) you actually disassociate yourselves from the masses that might be the most useful to your cause, by interfering with what they HAVE to do just to get by?
Did your organizers ever think that the only people you cause a problem forn are those who you should be impressing and not alienating?
Did you ask your organizers how long you had those permits for? Because we knew when the Taste of Colorado would be a year ago.
The Taste of Colorado is mostly for the Colorado Businesses and for the little guys to sell things...so in effect you want to take money from them.
August 28, 2008
10:38 a.m.
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kimm1970 writes:
jules,
they may have the right, but I also have the right to do what I have to do, to work to live, to get to locations without keeling over because I can't breathe.
Why do you have the right to keep me from that?