Civil Liberties are in the Eyes of the beholder

[woodchip]

Well by now we all know how warrior like the Demoscammers go out and battle the evil Republicans for trying to spy on us and reduce our freedoms. We hear them rail about the poor Gitmo prisoners and how that barbaric facility must be demolished. Yet it is passing strange that when their (Dems)convention looms and it looks like activists and protesters may (gasp) hold demonstrations, all civil niceties are thrust aside:

\"DENVER - Activist groups say the converted warehouse poses a threat to civil liberties. The city maintains the facility is needed in case of mass arrests during the Democratic National Convention.

The makeshift holding center, dubbed \"Gitmo on the Platte\" by activists, is located on city-owned property near Steele Street and 38th Avenue. Newly-installed security cameras guard the exterior, chain-link fences and barbed wire form cells inside.\"

http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx? ... &catid=188

So you see boys and girls, the real threat to our personal freedoms is not Bush and his horrid henchmen. Look out for what you say if the Dems get full power in this country. If you speak out against the dems, it may very well land you in some secret prison. Not in Europe, not in Cuba but in some abandoned warehouse in a deserted part of a big city near you. Some libs accused Bush of being Hitler like. Just wait though, if the Democrats get full power and you say the wrong thing, you will find out what the real Nazis Germany was like. All in a city near you.

[MD-1118]

Good thing I live in a little backwater town in the sticks. Also, I think that as long as I say what I want against their opposition (and everyone else as well), they'll not mind what I say against them. Hopefully. If all else fails, I know some good places to hide after I drop off the grid.

[Duper]

I think that right now, it's what they say it is. It hasn't become anything dubious yet and thus not much can or should be done. If it's dismantled after the convention and move along everyone go home.

[Ford Prefect]

Remember this? 1968 and the Chicago Democratic National Convention.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1968_Democ ... Convention
That event has a history of being protester unfriendly.

[Tunnelcat]

The Republicans also kept protesters far away and locked them up in holding facilities during their last New York Convention as well. Neither party seems to like dissenting voices around during their little private groupthink celebrations.

[MD-1118]

The Republicans also kept protesters far away and locked them up in holding facilities during their last New York Convention as well. Neither party seems to like dissenting voices around during their little private groupthink celebrations.

That's exactly why I stay at home during conventions and elections. I might contemplate nonexistence, but I don't exactly have a deathwish and as such I'll not throw myself to the wolves, so to speak.

[Foil]

As someone who lives in Denver, I've been hearing about this issue for a while now.

It's not simply a partisan thing. From everything I've heard and been told about it, it's a City-of-Denver problem, driven by the appearance the city council wants to present.

Basically, it boils down to the city trying to get all the 'undesireables' (protesters, homeless, hippies, etc.) off the streets during any event which gathers national attention.

It's come up at least twice since I've lived here, not just for political events. As I recall, last year there was some minor flap in the news because the city police wanted to \"clear out\" a particular area where homeless people typically sheltered, because of a large event (I think it was the annual National Stock Show, which draws big crowds).

The Democratic National Convention is a huge deal as far as the city is concerned; I've been hearing about it since I moved here nearly two years ago. It's not surprising to me that the city of Denver is resorting to questionable measures for national appearance' sake.

[Lothar]

The city of Denver also banned carrying urine and feces during the DNC.

Apparently, there are a couple of protest groups that were going to walk around with buckets of human waste during the DNC. I read some of the websites, and they seemed overly vague... like... \"we're protesting for our rights\" without any description of what rights they even meant. Sounds like the city is between a rock and a hard place...

[Cuda68]

The city of Denver also banned carrying urine and feces during the DNC.

Apparently, there are a couple of protest groups that were going to walk around with buckets of human waste during the DNC. I read some of the websites, and they seemed overly vague... like... "we're protesting for our rights" without any description of what rights they even meant. Sounds like the city is between a rock and a hard place...

Make no mistake, Denver is not a place for Republicans, I know because I am one, and I live here.

[woodchip]

The city of Denver also banned carrying urine and feces during the DNC.

Apparently, there are a couple of protest groups that were going to walk around with buckets of human waste during the DNC. I read some of the websites, and they seemed overly vague... like... "we're protesting for our rights" without any description of what rights they even meant. Sounds like the city is between a rock and a hard place...

Make no mistake, Denver is not a place for Republicans, I know because I am one, and I live here.

Cuda, the protesters are not republicans, they are for the most part democrats. I think they are waiting for the Clintons to somehow strong arm the delegates into nominating Hillary for Pres. If that happens, watch the fur fly.

[MD-1118]

In all seriousness, what kind of chance do you think a last-minute third party candidate would have? I'm trying to talk my dad into running.

Seriously.

[Foil]

Make no mistake, Denver is not a place for Republicans, I know because I am one, and I live here.

Interesting, I've heard Democrats say the exact opposite.

Moving here from "buckle-of-the-Bible-belt" Oklahoma, it's certainly more liberal in comparison. My family and my wife's family (die-hard Republicans) see the city as too liberal.

On the other hand, I've heard from Democrats who moved here from the west coast, and they see the city as too conservative. It's not too hard to imagine, nearly everyone I know here is a Republican.

So if anyone should be complaining, maybe it's me (currently registered as unaffiliated with either party).

[Tunnelcat]

There's apparently a difference between the way the Dems are handling the protesters than the Republicans did back in New York.

The Democrats are staging the protester holding area right next door to the press area, with full view and access, whereas the Republicans kept ALL the locked up protesters hidden far away from the press with no access to them.