[concentric]

Well, part of the whole deal is the experience... It's actually pretty cool to be part of a 30,000 person mass of humanity that has something to say. No, I don't agree with all of them, but I do appreciate the right to free assembly, and traditionally a march on Washington was a great way to protest, so why not NYC or in my case, the protest at the 2000 DNC?

For every whacko in the crowd, there were at least 2 people with realistic, poignant concerns about the political system and certain issues facing America. Even those I consider misguided have the right to care.

Besides, if you're into taking pictures or film, you can't beat it for footage. I got the most amazing shots of the largest police mobilization I've ever seen, including some great film of the LAPD riot squads running (yelling HUT HUT HUT HUT at the top of their lungs and banging their sticks on their shields) bound over interference along the parade route and literally shoving a group of 6 old ladies off their bicycles into some newspaper stands because they happened to be in the way.

Oh, if you plan on protesting, please don't let the authorities corral you in a chainlink enclosure, that's recipe for an a$$kicking, and the a$$ is yours.

Jason