Security is a sliding scale. At one end, no one can do anything,and at the other, anyone can do anything. An ongoing argumentexists over where to set the scale when it comes to our ownsafety.
This week, the Democratic National Convention is being heldunder some of the tightest security ever seen. Miles of train trackstand empty, blocks of city streets are blocked off, and numerousrestaurants sit in darkness as hundreds of democratic delegatescelebrate a possible return to the White House.
All the while, protesters are left to shout theirdissatisfaction from behind high fences interlaced with barbed-wire-- a little place lovingly dubbed The Cage. All that's missing arethe orange jumpsuits worn by most people occupying such pens.
I wonder what got us to the point where such great effort istaken to prevent peaceful protest from becoming violent revolt.Americans have proven they can gather in protest without violence-- or have they?
In recent years, major championship sporting events have beenfollowed by crowds of people who initially showed up to have a goodtime but were soon transformed into maniacal hordes whose energyonly grew with every broken window or burning police car. Goalposts torn down by their predecessors seem quite harmless bycomparison. But I know what you're saying -- those are sportingevents. Political activists don't act like those people. But dothey?
Take the last few World Trade Organization meetings forexamples. Each year, there are groups of people who, in the name offreedom of speech, develop intricate plans to disrupt thesemeetings. And when it all goes badly and people get hurt, thepolice are painted as storm troopers when the us-versus-them virustakes hold.
I'm fascinated by crowds of people who are out of control,though I avoid them like an Olsen twins movie. Each such outburstof chaos, when dissected into individual participants, becomes acase of the rabid few leading the well-intentioned lot down thepath of destruction.
Of course, the average college student doesn't go to a bowl gameintending to burn a police car afterward. But add in a littleliquor, and you've got a good old-fashioned moron parade. And whenit's revealed that the festering festivities were caught on tape,those hauled in for questioning want to claim "do you know who myfather is" immunity.
To be sure, this week's convention is no sporting event. Yet,political ideology and sports fanaticism share a boiling pointreached only when the jaded babies of America join forces to gettheir angry word out. Whether painting signs with clever pun-filledslogans or spewing vitriol at anyone who will listen, sports fansand political protesters look vaguely familiar when theirperspective circuses come to town.
If you're under the impression that this week's protesters wereinterested in equal time or free speech, try voicing an oppositeviewpoint. As usual, the speech is free until you disagree -- thenwatch the punches fly. Personally, I'm waiting for the realfireworks when the republicans visit the Big Apple.
