[gaijinda]

Over this past week I have made my way around New York City, to Madison Square Garden, through Union Square and visited last weekend's protest march.

Politics aside, those that have been protesting against President Bush and the Republican convention have been totally ineffectual. I am not talking about any particular protest being thwarted by the masterful job of the NYPD to "divide and conquer" those stepping out of the bounds of the law (and a few bystanders swept up with them, if it is to be believed). But rather, the inability of these (mostly) young people to articulate any message.

First of all the city is empty. Besides the threat of real terrorism, the angry mood of the anti-Bush crowd has simply driven people not to be around. It has been like a giant winter storm without the snow and cold.

Otherwise, the F#CK BUSH t-shirts, hateful chants and rude stickers are no way to communicate to anyone beyond your own cohorts. Look at the civil rights movement, has there ever been a more just cause in this U.S.A.? Can any of us imagine MLK, Jr using the tactics of today? Where is the self respect of these kids? Where did they learn this boorish behavior?

Right wing or left, democrat or republican - protest as a form of political and popular expression has been damaged. In this town and across this country.