Post in Saint Paul (and may-be that city across the river) during the RNC

Aug 07 05:37 UTC

So, Dave Thune, you are on the city council and you seem to be in a position to
give all those reasonable assurances that our civil liberties actually WON'T be
sold for the cheap price of hotel room rentals and Xcel Center rental and
whatnot.  I would really love to believe you, since most of what you say has
usually been the case in the past (at least for white people like you and me).
In fact, relations between the peace movement and the St Paul police have
usually been quite respectful and professional.  Much of my alarm about the RNC
has been that this relationship between the police and the policed would be
shattered by the presence of this convention.  I have ALWAYS hoped that my dire
predictions would be wrong.

So let me issue this personal invitation to you: Join us for the big march on
September 1.  It is a permitted march, quite legal.  All the parties, even the
"anti-authoritarians," have promised to keep any hint of violence away from it,
to make it a safe march for mothers with their strollers and grandfathers with
their canes.  So join us.  I happen to know that you are against the war and
the continued occupation of Iraq.  I happen to know that you share nearly all
values of those who are marching and share nearly no values with the war
profiteers and torture advocates who have rented the Xcel.  So join us.

There is nothing as councilman from the host city which should prevent you from
having your own opinions, even as you function as genial host.  So join us.
There is no possibility for danger from the polite and professional police
department that exists only to maintain order and protect our civil liberties.
So join us.

Join us and try to get as many city council members as you can to join us as
well.  You know the route; the police have granted the permit in accordance
with ordinances that the city council has passed.  We meet at 11 a.m. on Labor
Day, September 1, on the Capitol steps.  Join us for our peaceful march.  Join
us with your fellow council members.  Join us for this legal, permitted, safe
march and rest assured (just as you reassure others) that we have absolutely
nothing to fear from the chemical irritants and so forth.  I would be happy to
be marching right at your side.  But really: join us.