Randi wondered why a Democrat would protest the convention. I do not know, not being one, but I do know many reasons why people disillusioned with mainstream politics might protest, and no, I am not referring to Operation Chaos. For example, Plodder posted this thread, which got all of one comment, Naomi Klein on Obama, linking to this vodpod video Naomi Klein on Obama and Progressives. On my blog is a a selective compendium, over 6000 words about reasons to protest, which I linked in this thread and poll here, A Case Against Obama Nation: Defend your champion, if you can which got some dismissals as "obvious right wing propaganda" along with a few more thoughtful comments, but nothing to specifically refute any of my points. Perhaps no good Democrat should protest the convention, but if that is the implication, no wonder why I am a radical, not a Democrat or Republican.

One of the groups behind these scummy, disruptive, damaging little protests is the group Recreate '68 -- and that's exactly what they're trying to do: recreate the fractured, ruined Democratic party of 1968. Nixon won that year.

These dirtbags are traitors to the left, traitors to progress, and traitors to America.

They will get ZERO sympathy from me. Go to hell, freakin crybabies. You're not going to ruin THIS election. We ain't letting you.

On the other hand, I haven't a problem in the world with active, committed, confirmed Democrats picketing and protesting, just for example, to see the war ended tomorrow. Or to see impeachment hearings get underway. Or to see a half dozen other initiatives get off their asses and MOVE - including many where I'd disagree with the protesters.

There are more than a few Dems seriously pissed off with the mamby pamby tactics of the party, and can there be a better way to make sure the leadership hears that message? E-mail petitions and letters to the congressman sure as shit isn't doing it.

Now, those like the group described by DaveWard, and the Malloyistas who want to allege that there's no difference between Barack and McCain, I have no time for them. I don't want them out there making us all look like a bunch of irrational shitheads who have a 50 page list of complaints and not a single rational, realistic solution to propose. But I've recently heard somewhere that even those I don't like and who I think make us look bad are still apparently permitted to protest.

There is no 11th commandment in the Democratic Party. Sometimes I find that inconvenient, and even frustrating and embarrassing. But I'll live with those over the alternative any day.

The stupid assholes should be in St. Paul next week if they want to recreate 1968!!

So, you see no parallels to 1968? We have another stupid, immoral, unwinnable war going on, that Democrats plan to escalate, pretending to be antiwar because they have a timetable to wind down the war on one front while they escalate on the other. Is Naomi Klein a crybaby? I got the impression Randi has great respect for her. Code Pink was one of the groups involved in organizing Recreate 68. Are they traitors? Is it not treason to be complicit with treason? Is George Bush not guilty of war crimes and just about every other crime imaginable for a President, while Democrats have the power to impeach him and cut off his funds, but refuse to play hardball, complaining they do not have the votes to get anything through the Senate? That is true, but they have plenty of recourse they refuse to use. If they blow this election, they should not have any trouble seeing why, but I expect they will find a way to blame it on Ralph Nader.