posted on September 11, 2004 07:24:00 PM new
Nationally syndicated columnist Robert Novak participates in three of CNN's political public affairs programs -- "Novak, Hunt & Shields," "Crossfire" and "The Capital Gang."
Hate in America
Thursday, September 9, 2004 Posted: 3:42 PM EDT (1942 GMT)
WASHINGTON (Creators Syndicate) -- The magnificent work of the New York Police Department last week under the masterful leadership of Commissioner Ray Kelly obscured an ugly fact of life today in America.
The protesters, while unable to disrupt the Republican National Convention as intended, represented a disturbing new development in the nation's politics: hatred in the streets.
The organized demonstrations were purely negative, attacking George W. Bush with scant expression of support for John Kerry.
Individual marchers singled out any person they thought might be a convention delegate, firing off angry, often obscene, denunciations. The streets of Manhattan were not pleasant for anyone foolish enough to wander around wearing a convention badge.
I have covered every national political convention since 1960 and never before encountered so unpleasant an atmosphere. Not even the infamous 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago approached last week's level of animosity.
The irrational loathing expressed daily on the Internet by passionate, though poorly informed, bloggers was transferred into the streets. While Sen. Zell Miller's old-fashioned stemwinder inside Madison Square Garden was upbraided by news media critics for being too harsh, they largely ignored the real hatred in the streets.
Organizers of last week's protests in New York threatened to repeat the havoc of 1968, when blood was spilled in pitched battles with the Chicago police. But there really is no comparison.
The Chicago protesters were trying to force a change in Vietnam policy by a Democratic Party where close to half its party and half the delegates supported anti-war demonstrators.
The attempted disruption in New York had nothing to do with changing the position of a political party. This was an attack on "The System."
The model for last week's demonstrators was less the Chicago convention 36 years ago than anarchist attacks around the world at global financial conferences.
When hundreds of thousands of protesters marched down 7th Ave. outside the Garden, the signs predominantly called for Bush's defeat and the departure from New York of all Republicans. Any support for Kerry was extremely hard to find.
While the 1968 demonstrators foolishly risked street combat with the Chicago cops, their 2004 brethren wisely kept their distance from New York's finest.
Unlike their predecessors of 36 years earlier, last week's protesters wanted to single out individuals with verbal abuse that was often vile for the sole reason that they were presumed to be Republicans.
Tim Carney, a reporter for this column, got a taste of that last Thursday night as he left the Garden. He was wearing a three-piece suit and presumably was mistaken for a delegate by a young woman, who yelled at him: "Get out of New York!" She added to Carney, a native New Yorker: "You don't belong here!"
That was much milder treatment than one journalist (who preferred his name not be used) underwent one day when he probably also was mistaken for a delegate.
Walking out of the arena, he was called a "Nazi." That was a favorite epithet used by protesters, along with "fascist," "scumbag" and "crook." This reporter, who has spent much more time in Europe than I, says such harassment in the street is commonplace in European cities. He regrets its spread to this country.
Delegates and journalists mistaken for delegates were attacked as anonymous lackeys of the global economy.
Unfortunately, many demonstrators recognized me from my television appearances and condemned me as a "traitor" because of the CIA leak case, some suggesting I should kill myself. I had to resort to using a security escort to move a short distance to fulfill commitments for CNN.
Noisy and obnoxious though the protesters were, they were careful to avoid physical confrontation with the police. The NYPD was businesslike in carting away anybody who broke the law. When the new jail inmates whined about the facilities and civil libertarians protested, Mayor Michael Bloomberg correctly observed: "This is not Club Med."
Many individual police officers also recognized me, and I was flattered to be encouraged by their support of positions I take. I have not always gotten along with law enforcement officials during 56 years in journalism, but they are truly welcome counterweights to today's street radicals.
posted on September 11, 2004 08:07:56 PM new
So what, Libra, now I could go C&P a LIBERAL point of view of the demonstrators that proves just the opposite.
You have said nothing once again.
Without people getting fired up and angry NO changes would've been ever made in this country, in fact, there wouldn't BE THIS COUNTRY.
Crawl back in your safe little coccoon and quit promoting hatred in America!
Despite the Bush admninistration we STILL have the right to free speech, freedom to gather, freedom to express our opinions so ha ha!
posted on September 11, 2004 08:10:49 PM new
Libra, i've watched robert novak on crossfire. But boy, when he debates with James Carvelle, I really cant hardly watch it... that guy...he never lets anyone else talk...he lays out his side of the isssue, then he just barks and barks like a mad dog when novak is giving his rebuttal. Its like why bother if you never get to even hear the other side?
[i]The organized demonstrations were purely negative, attacking George W. Bush with scant expression of support for John Kerry.
Individual marchers singled out any person they thought might be a convention delegate, firing off angry, often obscene, denunciations. The streets of Manhattan were not pleasant for anyone foolish enough to wander around wearing a convention badge. [/i]
Somehow that doesnt surprise me. So why do you suppose these people have a need to hate so much?
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~~ Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues(forces)of life..Proverbs 4:23~~
posted on September 11, 2004 08:18:52 PM new
There was an estimated crowd of between 200,000 and 400,000 and you two are saying that ALL these protesters were exactly the same....pretty stupid to wash everyone with the same brush.
And here we go with the all-knowing, tea leave reading Neroter who just KNOWS all these people are hate filled.....gee, I thought only god knew everythin or does neroter think she's god now?
IF SOME of these people hate Bush and his administration or the things the Bush and his administration do, then they have GOOD reason, .....the economy, the war, the pollution, the lies, the tax break for the ultra rich, government contracts to off-shore companies who pay NO INCOME TAX, making the rest of the world loathe us....and on and on...........
You have to bea pretty spineless and/or brain dead NOT to be fired up!
posted on September 11, 2004 08:52:06 PM new
Because Neroter12 they are in a time warp. They are still upset that Gore got beat. They are still back in 2000 and can't forge ahead. They don't care what happens to America. Foreign countries are applauding that America is divided as they think now America is weak and a better target, and I have to agree we are...
posted on September 11, 2004 08:52:46 PM new
Well crowfarm, Robert Novak was there and I think 'scant' has pretty much the same as meaning as extremely hard to find.......
Lol Libra, see crowfarm can tell you a zillion times about people's right to free speech, but then will ultimatly reply with her own biased opinion of who exactly - the world according to her, is included in that right...haha!!
Another thing according to her: "Most people" want Bush out so badly.... guess thats why he is ahead in the most all the polls though....
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~~ Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues(forces)of life..Proverbs 4:23~~
posted on September 11, 2004 08:57:29 PM new
Neroter burbles,"reply with her own biased opinion of who exactly - the world according to her, is included in that right...haha!!"
Who have I stopped from having free speech?
And the other "la-la" Libra says, "They don't care what happens to America"
DUH! Why do you think they showed up by the thousands to protest...it's BECAUSE they care about America and hate the direction it's going.
posted on September 11, 2004 09:01:07 PM new
And Libra as far as ,"It's be crowfarm not bea......." goes , if you had put a comma before and after Crowfarm it would have resembled English a little more. And if you think I can't spell be, well....it's the booze... you'd better slow down .
posted on September 11, 2004 09:45:25 PM new
ah, yes, crowfarce, the all knowing neroter is here..come, let me knock those demons out of you! poof! a slight thump and blessing to your forehead...."Be gone Demon!! Be gone"!! And crow crashes backwards to the floor. - ut-oh...Didnt anybody tell her no whiskey on blessings night? Well there ya have it! Arent you just the luckiest you get to hear it here first and you dont even have to pay mother mona?
tsk!..but wait...I'm not the only one to tell you how insidiously malformed your political ideas are, so perhaps I am not the only one with the tealeaves? - Boo-hoo!Ya mean my powers are no good?..why didnt anybody tell me? awww..what the heck...get her bck up, i'll give it another whirl just to make sure!!
Thump!! ...Tharrre she blows again!!
lol!!!!
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~~ Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues(forces)of life..Proverbs 4:23~~
posted on September 11, 2004 10:39:25 PM new
Ah, a majority of the protesters were just hired hands doing their job. And many more are recruited on ego through organizations such as peta.
BTW, this is so nice to see:
crowfarm
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I do not wish to see the baby butt butter that dribbles from cowflops mouth in lieu of intelligence.
posted on September 12, 2004 03:51:48 AM new
Neroter, great way to evade answering a simple question ....you say something about me and when I refute you start your burbling again.
So here's the question again and I think if you're on your meds today you can answer it otherwise have the nurse help you.
Neroter burbles,"reply with her own biased opinion of who exactly - the world according to her, is included in that right...haha!!"
Who have I stopped from having free speech?
And pricklane, if you have me on ignore then why the post???
You sure aren't ignoring me but please feel free.
But I just LOVE your idea that 200,00 people were PAID protesters.....too , too hilarious!
Wow the Dems got a whole lot more campaign funds than I thought they did!!!!!!!
What a pathetic stretch....from a pathetic loon.
So why do you suppose these people have a need to hate so much?