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14 - 20 August 2017 | 126 comments (126 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)
Re: "How were the torches obtained" (none / 0)
Did lots of the Unite the Right protesters arrive by charter bus? What I noticed was that all the torches I saw seemed identical. That suggests they were provided by the organizers and those organizers could also have chartered the buses. And it certainly was no surprise to me that Louis Farakhan could organize the 'Million Man March', nor would it surprise people at ET, IMO. We all should have known that since MLK's memorable appearance on the on the National Mall for the 'I have a dream' speech - unless blinded by racial bigotry.

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."
by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Thu Aug 17th, 2017 at 08:51:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: "How were the torches obtained" (none / 0)
Indeed. Bus --mass transit par excellence-- is how black folk have traveled US America, because price, because "fierce urgency of now". We were both seasoned adults in '95, ARG. But how you or I recall the effort to assemble peacefully (1st Amd) in D.C., to instantiate protest of gov't sanctined abridgements of civil rights (from abortion to voting, housing, employment) varies wildly, I'll warrant. It was a "thing" in '95 unknown since '63, '53. Subsequently, Farakhan's "entrepreneurial" accomplishment --which was specifically to instantiate the POLITICAL AGENCY of black men in apartheid USA-- was crucified by MSM for at least a decade, because his "anti-semiticism".

How Spike Lee's `Bus' Trumped The Million Man March (2010 ->1996-> 1995)

The Internet was young in those days, so men mainly got wind of the march through church, their favorite watering hole or the barbershop, which is where I first heard about it.
[...]
My bus had a mixture of young and old heads on board. There was some singing, a lot of debating, but no violence. Cursing was not allowed on the bus, and at least one person was taken to task for firing up a joint (we may not have known what kind of party it was, but we knew it wasn't that kind of party). We were all bracing for a life-changing experience, but when we got to D.C., there was no itinerary; we were on our own.

MSM subsequently adopted q Million [*] March events standard.

Ask yourself, "SELF, why don't I know how many of 6,000 estimated UNITE TO RITE protesters? Did all 6,000  arrive in passenger cars and park at UVA lots? Is 6,000 or 1,000 less than one million? Is there video?"

It didn't happen, if there's no video.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Aug 18th, 2017 at 09:32:15 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: "How were the torches obtained" (none / 0)
Well, travel by bus, such as Greyhound or Continental Trailways, has substantially collapsed in the USA in the last 20 years. I saw many abandoned former bus terminals in LA before I left and have found there is no regularly scheduled bus service in Mountain Home, Ar. This was why I expected that how ever many Unite the Right demonstrators came, they mostly came by charter bus. The parking would have been a problem indeed. Though some may have come by car and stayed in motels. Were anyone actually interested in investigating the details of the episode the chartering of buses would likely be a good place to start.


"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."
by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Sun Aug 20th, 2017 at 04:32:36 AM EST
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Re: "How were the torches obtained" (none / 0)
How many ET subscribers have ridden a bus to protest domestic or federal (EP) legislation in "Brussels"?

How many ET subscribers have ridden a passenger car  (sole use or "car pool") to protest domestic or federal (EP) legislation  in "Brussels"?

I wouldn't know. The comment history does not obtain.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Aug 18th, 2017 at 10:30:23 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: "How were the torches obtained" (none / 1)
The lack of European media and relative powerlessness of the parliament means that popular pressure is better applied to state capitals were you can target your legaslative and executive with demands for the executive voting no in the council and more importantly getting the media attention. Having demonstrations in one state capital and media attention makes it easier to get media's attention to demonstrations on the same issue in neighbouring states.

Then you work with allies in the EP when the parliamentarians see that the issue is important in their home state.

Or at least that is how I remember the reasoning behind the campaign to stop ACTA.

by fjallstrom on Fri Aug 18th, 2017 at 11:11:12 AM EST
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Re: "How were the torches obtained" (none / 0)
Thank you for this information. It does not however answer my question.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Fri Aug 18th, 2017 at 06:56:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: "How were the torches obtained" (none / 0)
I doubt that many here have demonstrated outside the European Parliament for the simple reason that most of us would have difficulty remembering the EP doing anything of consequence; good, bad, or indifferent. Power in the EU is still overwhelmingly wielded in national capitals, something the Brexiteers never wished to acknowledge, because that would have meant acknowledging that all the things they blamed Brussels for had in fact been tacitly or explicitly endorsed if not actually spearheaded by their own government. Brussels has been a convenient scapegoat for the UK, little more.

Index of Frank's Diaries
by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot male dotty communists) on Fri Aug 18th, 2017 at 09:13:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: "How were the torches obtained" (none / 0)
Thank you for this information. It does not answer my question, How many ET subscribers have ridden a bus to protest domestic or federal (EP) legislation in "Brussels"?

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Fri Aug 18th, 2017 at 09:39:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: "How were the torches obtained" (none / 0)
I know I have, but I don't know how many have. I also don't now what entitles you to this information. We don't encourage personalised political discourse or  "lefter than thou" moral posturing or superiority here.

Index of Frank's Diaries
by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot male dotty communists) on Fri Aug 18th, 2017 at 09:48:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]
"entitles you to this information" (none / 0)
I am an interested party to EU um democractic processes, no more or less exercising "moral posturing or superiority" than you have by promoting "Booman" election to an office of public trust in the USA.

Are you, personally, a US citizen?

Don't answer that question! "We" know, I ought respect your anonymity in all matters relating democratic franchise to praxis everywhere. Especially Tunisia and Morocco.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Aug 18th, 2017 at 11:48:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: "entitles you to this information" (none / 0)
Thank you for this information

Index of Frank's Diaries
by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot male dotty communists) on Fri Aug 18th, 2017 at 11:58:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: "entitles you to this information" (none / 0)
I'm not sure how reaching out to Booman in his disillusion at his pundit role and suggesting their might be another way of dealing with his anger and frustration at political developments in the US constitutes "moral posturing or superiority" and I am sure he didn't take it in that spirit as he recommended my diary - something he almost never does. However YMMV.

Index of Frank's Diaries
by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot male dotty communists) on Sat Aug 19th, 2017 at 09:18:38 AM EST
[ Parent ]
secrecy (none / 0)
is of utmost importance in evaluating the number of and solidarity of "social democrats" worldwide. There is no safety in numbers according to the Law of Large Numbers, if most respondents to a survey refuse to identify their actual participation in protest, or participation in grievance of state governance, by assembly or ballot.

Is your legal name truly "Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot male dotty communists) on Fri Aug 18th, 2017 at 09:48:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]"? Reconsider your privilege to adopt one or more pseudonyms and ISP proxies. This strategy could forestall retaliatory action by USA agents.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sat Aug 19th, 2017 at 12:06:14 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: secrecy (4.00 / 2)
I have always assumed that, should they be interested, 'US Agents' could quickly identify ARGeezer and any of the commenters at ET or elsewhere. The only thing bought is that they would not be able to use this information in court until after they had obtained a warrant to obtain it legally. But I rather doubt that I would ever be considered worth such an investigation, and, if I were so considered, there is much that could be done to discomfort me without ever bothering with the courts.

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."
by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Sun Aug 20th, 2017 at 04:40:22 AM EST
[ Parent ]

14 - 20 August 2017 | 126 comments (126 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)
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