Real Democracy to hold "massive" anti-war march; plans conflict with Recreate-68

The News:

A new coalition of protest groups promises free concerts, art displays, classes for activists and a "massive" anti-war march during this summer's Democratic National Convention.

The Alliance for Real Democracy is made up of 12 groups, many led by activists in their early 20s and 30s.

Organizers said Tuesday their nonviolent events will urge an end to the war in Iraq and raise awareness of "the global climate crisis." . . .

The what now?

Some of the groups were previously affiliated with the Re-Create 68 Alliance, but split off after a disagreement over tactics.

Re-Create 68 has promised demonstrations that will rival those at the notorious Democratic convention in Chicago held in 1968, which was accompanied by street battles between police and anti-Vietnam War demonstrators.

Members of the Alliance for Real Democracy wouldn't talk Tuesday about Re-Create 68 or the split.

Probably don't want to get their heads beat in by R68 thugs.

But they released bylaws that say the group "will not use or return violence - verbal or physical - toward any person or other creature," and will not damage property, bring weapons to protests or use illegal drugs or alcohol during events.

Re-Create 68, meanwhile, has said that if confronted with violence by police, members will defend themselves.

Bet they use drugs and alcohol, too.

The Alliance for Real Democracy includes groups such as CODEPINK, the Green Party, Tent State University, the Denver International Socialist Organization and Iraq Veterans Against the War.

Members declined to say how many people they are expecting at their events, and some details - such as dates and locations of concerts - have not been finalized.

The anti-war parade is scheduled for the Sunday before the convention, which starts Aug. 25 and runs through Aug. 28 at the Pepsi Center in downtown Denver.

Recreate68, of course, is also planning a massive anti-war march for the Sunday before the convention. Guess they'll just politely ignore each other.

The concerts will include a guitarist who played in protest of the Vietnam War during the 1968 convention in Chicago, as well as a local hip-hop group, according to organizers.

Among other events planned is an "aerial image," in which thousands of people will use their bodies to form a message to release detainees at Guantanamo Bay and to stop torture, said Zoe Williams, a member of CODEPINK, an anti-war group whose name is a play on President Bush's color-coded terror alert level.

But will they be naked?

The guitarist mentioned is Wayne Kramer, whose group, MC5, as the Rocky says, "played an eight-hour concert in Chicago's Lincoln Park at the 1968 Democratic National Convention." Kramer is an unregenerate leftist idiot, but his "The Hard Stuff" (1995) is one of the best hard-rock albums ever. Here's "Crack in the Universe," which is a little dated (remember "going postal"?), but still good, clean fun.

More:

the Rocky has a couple of stories and a slideshow on the Blackhawk helicopters flying around downtown all week doing anti-terrorist training.

"Tribes to showcase political clout at DNC":

Four superdelegates and an estimated 150 delegates — a doubling from the past two conventions — will represent the Zuni, Choctaw, Winnebago, Comanche, Blackfoot, Kiowa and more of the nation's 563 tribes. Delegates and superdelegates say they expect to showcase their culture along with their growing political clout.

Indians, who represent 1 percent of the U.S. population and whose political affiliation is an estimated 80 percent Democratic, also have an unprecedented six members on the Democratic National Convention Standing Committees.

Colorado AIMsters, who will be stuck outside the convention center with the rest of the losers, no doubt consider them Uncle Tomahawks.

The Washington Post notices the DNC's funding shortfall, mentions that there may be protests at the convention:

The convention is also expected to attract protesters. A coalition of antiabortion groups, including Operation Rescue and the Christian Defense Coalition, intends to hold a series of prayer vigils and demonstrations.

How frightening! Oh yeah, some others might be protesting too:

Protests are also expected by an organization called Re-create 68, a reference to the year when protests outside the Democratic convention in Chicago turned famously violent.