August 11, 2004, N.Y.C. Lockdown right on schedule
This might be amusing were it not for the context: famed CBS muckraking and crusading journalist Mike Wallace of 60-Minutes fame handcuffed and taken to a police station (this piece doesn't use the word "arrest" for some reason) after an argument with City Taxi and Limousine Commission inspectors because his driver was being hassled for (allegedly) double parking outside a Manhattan restaurant.
For those who don't know, let me clue you in: Mike Wallace is 86 years old. I believe not only that he both looks fabulous for a man of that age, but that he is also in fabulous condition for a man in his mid-80's, but he is... 86 years old! I'm not exactly sure why the traditional argument over a parking ticket led to what sure sounds like an arrest (and "manhandling" of an 86 year old man) here. Especially for an A-list celebrity like Mike Wallace.
Unless... the New York City Police are simply showing zero tolerance for any questioning of any authority by anyone. We are, after all, around 18 days from city-wide lockdown. I'm inclined to believe that... we are simply on a slippery slope to keep things nice and orderly before the entrance of the Grand Poobah in early September, at an event where not only won't Ron Reagan, Jr. (or Nancy Reagan) be speaking, but it now appears GOP front-man-for-alleged-moderation Colin Powell won't be speaking. Well, you know how these things go. Taxi and limousine drivers in this town tend to be swarthy recent immigrant types, of the kind most likely to be stereotyped as suicide bombers, notwithstanding their wife and 5 kids back in the coldwater walk-up tenement flat in the Bronx. But, they are just there to be hassled, for doing their job that statistically is far more dangerous than that of, say, police officer. Maybe its for our security; maybe its windowdressing to keep the furriners in line when the white-bread and -bred fat cats arrive from Dixie. Ah, the convention...
Well, who knows. There sho' is a lotta po'leess roamin' New Yawk's streets, of late. I don't think its about politically motivated warnings of terror strikes by Al Qaeda... I think our police are more concerned with a domestic threat. The one arriving here on August 30th. BTW-- I got an e-mail from the morons at United for Peace and Justice last night, advising that they are evidently dropping plans for the West Side Highway protest, and insisting on their right to drive my City taxes up by trampling on Central Park's Great Lawn and refusing to post a bond, pay for maintenance, or otherwise address the City's not unreasonable time, place and manner restrictions associated with physical damage to the Park by the protest.
Frankly, given how rapidly Bush is sinking, and given how stupid the organizers from UFPJ and ANSWER are showing themselvest to be, I'm starting to question why anyone should throw Bush a bone by protesting at all, when he could so more efficiently be ignored until he goes away.
As to old Mike, I think some taxi and limousine commission officials can expect some cameras in their faces for the rest of eternity. They just f***ed with the wrong octogenarian.
Comments
this is about the recent limo/helicopter/speedboat hysteria
Posted by Damfa at August 11, 2004 12:06 PM
Well, as you know, I'm not a fan of the big RNC protest, but I do believe that UFPJ offered to post a bond for grass damage.
I am, however, a fan of small, quick, unpredictable protests at restaurants and hotels where RNC events are going on--protests conducted by gray-haired guys in ties and middle-aged matrons from CT. Why, I'll bet you could fill Grand Central at rush hour with Democrats from Westchester and Fairfield Counties . . . (heh, heh). Small work to get them to wear their Kerry or Slash-W buttons.
The list of RNC functions is perfectly available, including times and locations, on the internet. Personally, I think the Republicans are much more likely to notice, and much more likely to feel unwelcome, if they are loudly denounced at the Four Seasons and Le Cirque by fellow customers wearing Kerry buttons and loudly complaining that they can't get lunch because of the stupid Republicans. They won't see or hear protesters corralled in Central Park and on the West Side Highway.
I agree that manhandling Mike Wallace was a terrible thing. And I note that it was covered on TV news (which the Boston protests, held behind barbed wire and plastic panels that prevented any visuals, were not).
Taking the train from White Plains one day, I overheard a mild-mannered gray-haired guy who got on at Scarsdale saying that his family was all going to Disney at the end of August, but he was staying behind to protest at the RNC. I say, let him organize the Harlem Line; I'll take the New Haven. We could have "Bush Go Home" signs in the windows of all the train cars and hand out Kerry buttons to everyone. No cops.
Most of the news people commute from Westchester . . . .
Just a thought.
Posted by mamayo at August 11, 2004 12:14 PM
insisting on their right to drive my City taxes up by trampling on Central Park's Great Lawn and refusing to post a bond, pay for maintenance, or otherwise address the City's not unreasonable time, place and manner restrictions associated with physical damage to the Park by the protest."
From Newsday -
"Leslie Cagan said that, same as before, the city had refused to discuss the logistics of holding the rally in Central Park. Her people, she said, would happily assemble clean-up crews after the rally. They'd be willing to put up a money bond, if that would help. A thousand people, she said, had already signed up to reseed the grass or do whatever other gardening might be necessary."
BTW, if the city can afford to waste tax dollars on obscene lockdown measures while it reaps revenues from the influx of GOP asshats, maybe they could spring for a little sod and grass..
Posted by Damfa at August 11, 2004 12:16 PM
It would appear that I stand corrected; these offers to pay for park mainteance are a marked change from what I have been reading in things the UFPJ and ANSWER people sent me, and from reports I have heard and seen on the subject. (Certainly, ANSWER, et al. was screaming that the City had to more or less build their protest infrastructure (including shade and provision for bottled water).)
As such, rles are rules: by the mighty First Amendment (we realize that in Bush world, only the SECOND AMendment is entitled to deference) if the City allows the Great Lawn to be used for ANYTHING, it has to offer more or less the same conditions to a protest-- it can't single out the protest because the Mayorissimo is a Republican and doesn't like the message.
In which case, I repeat that these organizers are morons for not pressing this case in front of a federal judge, and making it painfully obvious to all what is happening, so that even people sympathetic to the protest like me don't think they are a bunch of freeloading assholes (Giuliani lost well over 90% of the time in First Amendment cases).
That said, I rather like MAM's idea: irritating civil (and I do mean civil) disobedience of the Power. No matter what the size or location of the protest, the Power will use it for its
own purposes-- with the full cooperation of the now totally co-opted "Paper of Record", along with Murdoch's spewings and the suddenly neo-authoritarian Daily Zuckerman rag. Best to have small, subtle "you bastards seeking to exploit our
Posted by the talking dog at August 11, 2004 12:28 PM
cont'd
You bastards seeking to exploit our local tragedy had best know we aer none too pleased about being the Chimp's photo backdrop, and locked-down to boot so he can exploit us more.
Have a nice day.
Posted by the talking dog at August 11, 2004 12:41 PM
It was reported today that the Pentagon is questioning $1.8B of Halliburton's $4.3B bill.
Go to it Dog!
Posted by Gene O at August 11, 2004 01:48 PM
Can you overeducated folks guess which former politician Rudy Guiliani has modeled his current career on?
Try former New York State Governor W. Averell Harriman, member of Brown Brothers Harriman (and predecessor of Halliburton's Kellogg Brown & Root). That private banking firm financed the Nazis, and no surprise, Prescott Bush had an interest. As is released piecemeal, it seems Rudy has a hand in all things 9/11-related from consulting to building cleanup.
Wonder if a Bush or two has an interest in Rudy's businesses? Do you really have to?
Posted by Hassan Bar Sinister at August 11, 2004 02:00 PM
You've neglected to mention that Wallace reportedly LUNGED at the officers. And give how rich he is, his wallet probably looked like an Uzi.
Posted by The Raving Atheist at August 12, 2004 09:21 AM
What's the Raving Atheist doing on this site? I thought I was the only evil commentor.
Posted by Hassan Bar Sinister at August 12, 2004 11:12 AM
Sadly TD, you guys are not only W's photo back drop....your emotions on 9-11 have been moved up front and center in BushCo's new campaign ad...a most insensitive,despicable and somewhat ironic display of this man's complete lack of decency, IMHO of course...He ponders the agony of parents who had to decide which child to pick up first on that fateful morning...then has the nerve to say "we won't hesitate" (well, atleast for not more than 7 minutes). There should be a law against such exploitation, but alas, all we get is an election that can't come soon enough.
Posted by alicia at August 12, 2004 06:23 PM
Well, Alicia, I think its most fortunate that we are in a solid blue state here, and probably don't have to see ads like that, because you're right: it would upset me.
Forget the 7 minutes, Alicia: what was he doing ALL DAY on 9-11? I was calling people, to see if they were alive (my brother worked a block away from WTC, but in another direction from me; one of my clients, a fireman, was, unfortunately, on duty; a friend of mine (Mike Jaliman-- now running for Congress) worked in the WTC-- and I assumed he was a goner until I heard from him 3 days later. And calling other people to TELL THEM I WAS ALIVE.
That's what I was doing.
We're pretty sure that Sen. Kerry-- who steered his swift boat INTO an ambush, grabbed men out of the water when they fell in, or later, did a Heimlich on a senator to save his life when he was choking, would have done what he said: apologized to the kids and "been president and shit".
And Kerry, as an actual military man instead of a f***ing clown, would have known he was a short drive from McDill AFB and CENTRAL F***ing COMMAND, where he could have gone to a situation room, and at least PRETENDED to be in charge.
Posted by the talking dog at August 12, 2004 07:07 PM
TD...Living in a RED state with a BLUE heart is tough. I, like you and countless other Americans, was on the phone non-stop trying to reach my family...sister supposed to fly out of Dulles that morning...brother totally freaked out by the helicopters over the Pentagon...Bush played hide and seek ALL day...unforgivable. This ad would disgust you, and it too is unforgivable. CNN and MSNBC are running it here in Edwards country and I'm nuts. There are good people in NC that will find this offensive...may they remember their disgust at the polls. It is truly the lowest of the low in campaign ethics, or lack thereof. Speaking of Kerry...anyone see Hardball tonight to witness John O'Neill receive the ASS KICKING he so rightly deserves? Bravo to Chris for not letting this bottom feeder off the hook. Again TD...thanks for your words...makes living in the RED a little more tolerable.
Posted by alicia at August 12, 2004 09:40 PM
3749 check out the hot blackjack at http://www.blackjack-p.com here you can play blackjack online all you want! So everyone ~SMURKLE~
Posted by play blackjack at August 23, 2004 09:21 AM
4765 check out the hot blackjack at http://www.blackjack-p.com here you can play blackjack online all you want! So everyone ~SMURKLE~
Posted by blackjack at August 24, 2004 04:28 PM
5867 Herie http://blaja.web-cialis.com is online for all your black jack needs. We also have your blackjack needs met as well ;-)
Posted by blackjack at August 25, 2004 09:57 AM
credit cards are cool http://credit-cards.order.gb.com 2004 August 26 02:26:10 and I also like Car hire at http://car-hire.order.gb.com and Diecast http://diecast.order.gb.com and 2004 August 26 02:26:10 Dating http://dating.order.gb.com and Car Insurance http://car-insurance.order.gb.com 2004 August 26 02:26:10
Posted by credit cards at August 25, 2004 08:26 PM
3777 check out http://texhold.levitra-i.com for texas hold em online action boodrow
Posted by texas hold em at August 26, 2004 04:58 AM
Best cialis and enjoy your life! buy cialis
Posted by cialis at August 26, 2004 04:53 PM
We provide levitra a comprehensive list of e-pharmacies to help you get the best that is true! buy levitra
Posted by levitra at August 26, 2004 04:54 PM
Whether you have a rigid online poker strategy in mind before you hit the table or whether you play it.
Posted by online poker at August 26, 2004 04:54 PM
Best regards from the casino played
texas holdem be all the way near online texas holdem to poli!
Posted by texas holdem at August 26, 2004 04:54 PM
Drugs are wrong opportunity, be aware of that
texas hold em play the casino here online texas hold em !
Posted by texas hold em at August 26, 2004 04:55 PM
Tramadol is one of the most prescribed treatments for pain in the world.
Posted by tramadol at August 26, 2004 04:55 PM
7431 Look at http://oncas.tramadol-web.com/
its the hizzy for online casino action any where!
Posted by casino online at August 28, 2004 08:28 AM