Comments on: New Political Protest Ideas

New Political Protest Ideas

gwint — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 10:44:53 -0800

Signal Orange has an idea to protest the Republican National Convention. Sounds a lot more effect than some other plans going around.

By: konolia

konolia — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 10:50:08 -0800

I think they'd better get permission from next of kin first.

By: Space Coyote

Space Coyote — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 10:53:20 -0800

I think they'd better get permission from next of kin first. I'll bet Nick Berg's dad could come up with a good T-Shirt slogan or two.

By: bondcliff

bondcliff — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 10:55:42 -0800

Those crazy kids should make t-shirts that say "no blood for oil" so they could end this war once and for all and put a stop to this administration's antics.

By: jonmc

jonmc — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 10:56:43 -0800

I'm just hoping for an entertaining riot, myself.

By: stonerose

stonerose — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 10:57:54 -0800

Signal Orange isn't trying to speak for your loved ones and it isn't trying to speak for you. Then they shouldn't use the names of the individuals. I'm sorry, but that's just wrong. I'm as rabidly anti-Bush and anti this-war as anyone, but this is beyond the pale. These soldiers have already been used in the most sickening, costly manner possible. No good can come of using their names for political purposes, in the absence of explicit evidence that they or their families would support such use. For once, I agree with konolia.

By: mr_roboto

mr_roboto — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 11:02:46 -0800

My favorite anti-Bush-administration protest tactic can be summed up in three words: Imperial Death March

By: Pretty_Generic

Pretty_Generic — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 11:10:13 -0800

ah, mr_roboto, I fully approve.

By: chicobangs

chicobangs — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 11:19:23 -0800

Those names are (or at least should be) public knowledge. Hell, they deserve a bit more veneration than they've been getting. I understand that every single damned thing that even mentions anything even involving Iraq is instantly a political act according to whoever disagrees with it, but no one's saying these people would have voted for the Democratic or Republican or Green or Stark Raving Loony Party had they not gone into a territory that became so hostile so quickly. What these shirts seem to be saying (in a fairly dignified way) is that these people won't be voting for anyone at all in November, and their sacrifice should at least be noted. I'm considering picking up one of those shirts myself.

By: matteo

matteo — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 11:23:54 -0800

I knew the orange shirt thing was going to end up here. I don't know, it's kind of icky for me (the War President image was harsh but not as problematic, for me). but it's all about taste, really. I'm not sure it will be effective either, there are just so many ways this can blow back. there's of course a very fine line between pretending those kids haven't died like flies in Iraq hiding their coffins and banning images of their funerals (like Republicans do), and doing something not-very-tasteful as this thing -- as stonerose said, many people will just think these kids are being used once again the Star Wars bit is fun, too bad Ashcroft obviously doesn't get it -- there are no movie theatres in the Middle Ages, where the Attorney General happily resides. but it's brilliant, I agree on preview: chicobangs, it's clear that these kids deserve a memorial. I don't think an orange shirt is the right one, that's all (remember the trouble VietNam vets had when they asked for a Vietnam Memorial? you can't really make political use of casualties of war when a war is lost/going bad/immoral. the Iraqi kids deserve a memorial, though. I doubt they'll ever get one. for starters, the commander in chief who sent them there to slaughter should take the time to show up at a couple funerals, once in a while. away from the cameras, of course. but he should go. or send his Vice President if he is too busy spending the weekend at Camp David )

By: matteo

matteo — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 11:27:16 -0800

who sent them there to be slaughtered my bad

By: th3ph17

th3ph17 — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 11:38:18 -0800

its a brilliant idea, and i dig the site design--very clean. Vietnam had the MIA bracelets for the idea that someone, somewhere hadn't forgotten. would this idea be more acceptable if it was families of the dead who started it? i don't think i could wear one unless i'd written to or heard from the family. Too heavy...i can't imagine being the person who does the art for all of those shirts, with an ever growing list of new ones to make.

By: signal

signal — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 11:50:12 -0800

I, too, dig the clean site design.

By: amberglow

amberglow — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 11:55:10 -0800

What these shirts seem to be saying (in a fairly dignified way) is that these people won't be voting for anyone at all in November, and their sacrifice should at least be noted. I'm considering picking up one of those shirts myself. Me too. It's actually a great idea, and it also reminds me of the mia bracelets.

By: matteo

matteo — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 12:00:34 -0800

btw: Where is PFC Keith Maupin?

By: chicobangs

chicobangs — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 12:02:24 -0800

matteo, I understand your point. It's not the optimum concept, but it's the best idea I've heard yet, especially from the viewpoint that the contributions of these people are being swept under the rug, successfully, for political gain. In the wake of Ted Koppel, I don't see how, as long as it remains what it is -- a reminder of the fact that people are dying in this war, and their contribution shouldn't be ignored due to inconvenience -- that this is any more than a vox populi situation. No one's revealing personal information about these soldiers, and they're not doing non-military people (which sidesteps the whole Nick Berg question). It beats standing around and watching. But if someone has a better idea, I'd love to hear it. If I had a better idea, I'd find that site designer to help me promote it.

By: CRS

CRS — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 13:03:30 -0800

Cool idea. Can I get one that says "Asia Cottom can't vote (not even in 2008 when she would have been 18)", "Killed when terrorists hijacked her plane and flew it into the World Trade Center"?

By: CRS

CRS — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 13:05:52 -0800

Pardon me. She was killed when her killers flew Flight 77 into the Pentagon, not the WTC.

By: Jart

Jart — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 13:09:00 -0800

Sure, CRS... you can get a shirt like that. And then wear it on your trip to Saudi Arabia or Afghanistan, where the people that made the decision to hijack planes and crash them into buildings are. Protest your ass off, maybe Osama will lose the next election.

By: mr_roboto

mr_roboto — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 13:12:33 -0800

CRS: silk screening is easy to learn; you can probably take a community college class or something. Go for it! (Although I'd probably go for something more concise that "Asia Cottom can't vote (not even in 2008 when she would have been 18), Killed when terrorists hijacked her plane and flew it into the World Trade Center. Pardon me. She was killed when her killers flew Flight 77 into the Pentagon, not the WTC." That's a bit much for a t-shirt, really. Unless humor is what you're going for.)

By: Postroad

Postroad — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 14:15:27 -0800

And what will be the protest and the Kerry nomination (Democrats) since both parties voted nearly unanimously to invade Iraq...suddenly, the Dems oppose the war and the GOP is all for it?

By: Ptrin

Ptrin — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 14:58:54 -0800

Postroad: I'm sure there will be some orange shirts at the DNC as well.

By: thomcatspike

thomcatspike — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 16:18:47 -0800

to protest the Republican National Convention. When you cast a vote are you also protesting? Protesting seems odd here unless you're under age.

By: John Kenneth Fisher

John Kenneth Fisher — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 18:52:27 -0800

CRS, when you make that shirt, make me one that says "Nancy Masako Arakaki can't vote: killed when enemy forces bombed Pearl Harbor." It's as related to the war in iraq as your example is, after all.

By: davidmsc

davidmsc — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 21:02:07 -0800

Jackasses. They will change nothing. This "protest" will change exactly zero minds.

By: homunculus

homunculus — Tue, 15 Jun 2004 17:42:04 -0800

NY Convention Protesters Say Rights Threatened