News > September 3, 2004 > Web Only

On the Streets of New York: Opportunity

By Terry J. Allen

Chicks with Missile Dicks perform.

The New York protests were also peppered with bursts of humor and a spirit of satire from Chicken Hawks, Billionaires for Bush, Chicks with Missile Dicks, and a roving “Pants on Fire” float designed by ice cream king Ben Cohen, now of True Majority. Pasted on the dashboard of the Lincoln town car as it tooled around the city to gasps and giggles was the note: “Do not put the words Liar Liar on the POF-mobile. We’re trying to be a little subtle. It’s OK if some people don’t get it.”

As if on cue, some young Republican spotted the car and cheered the image of Bush. Then realizing their error, they tried to vandalize it, shouting: “If you’re a Kerry supporter, you’re a faggot.”

People sporting Republican Convention credentials passed through the city as if protected by a magic spell—and police escort—to attend cultural events, lavish parties and to shop. A few ventured out on their own. George Bush’s cousin Jamie Bush and his wife Sue, wearing a pearl necklace and diamond earrings, traveled with the common folk on the E-train down to Ground Zero.

In the end, the ability of protesters to encompass a variety of issues, ages, and protest styles was a testament to broad outrage and heartfelt commitment to social change through humor, song, defiance, outrage, lawful protest and civil disobedience.

On the Streets of New York: patriotism | compassion | courage | security | opportunity

• subscribe to print magazine

  First Name Last Name Home Address City State Zip Code Email

  2-year, 24-issues, $44.95 1-year, 12-issue, $24.95

• stay in touch with our email newsletter

  Subscribe to our regular weekly e-mail newsletter. It's packed with updates on recent and upcoming stories, events, campaigns and things every progressive should be informed about. Check out a sample.

   

• email this article to a friend

  Your Name Your Email Recipient Email

  Personal message Thought you might be interested in this article from In These Times.

   

  Please help us prevent spam by verifying the word you see in the image above

  Send to multiple recipients. Just separate each email address with a comma.

• Reader Comments

  There are no comments on this article yet. Start the discussion below.

• register a new account »Posting Security

  To participate in our forums, please register for a free account.

  Username Password

    Remember me
  

  Retreive lost password »

Member Login

Also by Terry J. Allen

• As Hunger Rises, Chew on This
  
• Vermont Argues Iraq War is ‘Mission Expired’
  
• Pig Intestines, Downer Cows
  
• The Malign Magic of Misdirection
  
• Nanotech: Tiny Particles, Big Risks
  
• Warning: Drug Ads Can Make You Sick
  A $4.2 billion annual drug industry incessantly reinforces the medicalization of complaints through direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising

Your financial support of In These Times is critical, because as a non-profit, we rely on donors like you who know that In These Times will never cede the debate to the right and its corporate allies.

Donate now and get a Kurt Vonnegut mug or t-shirt!