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I’m tempted to respond to Mike Rosen’s ridiculous column on the Democratic National Convention (“Let’s not re-create ’68,” June 15) with a Jewish curse he may know: Er zol vaksen vi a tzibeleh, mit dem kop in drerd (You should grow like an onion, with your head in the ground). But to judge by Rosen’s ignorance of historical fact (a government commission called what happened in Chicago in 1968 a “police riot,” unprovoked by the demonstrators) and of the most basic constitutional rights (exercising the First Amendment right to “petition the government for redress of grievances” is hardly “harassing” delegates), not to mention his apparent failure even to read the proposed proclamation, which did no more than commit the city to accord demonstrators the same respect as delegates, apparently his head is already, like an ostrich, stuck in the ground.

Mark Cohen, Denver

READER COMMENTS

if you were only tempted then why did you write this stupid letter? dont worry all of the young new liberal left dems will be out there to protest as that is what they are taught to do.
so how was chicago in 68?

Heck, most of the hippies are retired on Social Security and can afford the trip. They just want to re-capture their glory days. Too bad they will be kept in a small corner away from the delegates. What will really frost them is they will be kept away from the cameras. This is the Demcratic Convention. The media won't give much attention at all.
Too Bad. They even dug our their old peace symbol headbands and their tattered banners. Better they should have a yard sale of such memorabilia.

The funny thing about free speech, it that everyone has it. When you interupt someone, shout somebody down, or douse them with some fluid, you are stifling free speech. Make your point in a manner so that people can evaluate it. Be prepared for reasoned opposition and debate. That is the civil way to get one's point across. Unless you want to interfer with free speech by childish tantrums. Of course people will tune out your message and you will get on T.V. Which is the point, you want to be on T.V.....how sad.

I venture to say the conservatives have done a better job of recreating 1968 by entering another quagmire, where US soldiers die daily for absolutely no reason at all. And soon we will have more homeless vets wandering the streets because the conservatives continue to shortchange them with worthless patriotic talk and no financial support. By the way momma, peace is always in fashion; like rosen & anon, you wouldn't know this because you spend so much time filled with hate. Me? I love life. I think I'll go hiking!

It's not about who might or might not do something either the right or the left will like or not like. Bush has made a point of rigging press conferences, speechs and public appearances by filling the bleachers with supporters and excluding those who may protest his political position like other presidents have done and that, contrary to the advice of his and their advisors, is what turns people off. Anyone knows that a venue full of your supporters makes the job easier for the repulican spin doctors on Fox News and other right wing media and, makes it easier for the democratic spin doctors on ABC news and other left wing outlets.

But, what this carefully orchestrated side show also does is deprive the people of a chance to see if the president has the ability to survive controvercy and withstand opposition to his beliefs and the programs that result from it.

That is exactly why people are deceived into beliving what is verbally presented is true, then are subjected to the contrary in the actions taken. And the powers that be can not understand why people have no faith in politicians as a whole and are growing more and more angry and hostile about it. Just who in the hell is in charge of the political parties in this country, the Keystone Cops or Joseph Paul Goebbels.

hikingartist

Enjoy a bit of it for me too. I am recovering from a foot amputation so I can't join you.
What I feel for the looney left is not hate but pity contempt. They ae stuck in their glory days in the 60's.
I don't like the democratic party but the intention of the protesters is to physically disrupt the convention and they have no right to do that. I also believe the result of a major disruption would be to damage the image of the Democratic candidate and perhaps make a change in the election results. I am a conservative Republican but I intend to vote for the best leader so I want no extra trouble in the election for either side.
Speech is fine and most welcome but we already know from their citation of 1968 that they intend to disrupt and do anything necessary to attract the media and be center stage.

Mike Rosen isn't an ostrich - he's more like a Dodo - an extinct creature that no one in the real world pays much attention to.

I have a feeling that many of those that will gather in Denver to "re-create '68" are attention-whores, you know, the semi-professional anarchists that show up for every high profile event, like the G-8 summits, etc.

Allen Campbell, I'm trying to figure out what your post had to do with the letter writer's sentiments.

...I am a conservative Republican but I intend to vote for the best leader...

Will this be for the first time, in the past two elections? America really needed this spirit in 2000 and 2004.

I voted for Bush because I found him to be the best leader but not the best man. The best man was a contest between two men. Neither Kerry nor Gore was competent. Bush has mismanaged the war by making PC rules of engagement. He has chosen to support illegal aliens above Americans. I have always been proud that the very first person I voted for was Hubert Humphrey, again the best leader.

I'm with you momma y inasmuch as the first would-be-King I had the pleasure of voting AGAINST was Tricky Dick Nixon.
But I seriously doubt that you've ever voted Democratic, judging from your previous posts.
You tend to be very negative towards people who simply would like to exersize their Constitutionaly guaranteed freedom of speech.
Also, sometimes you need to fight fire with fire, and it's more important now than it ever was in '68.
If we can't do it within the confines of the law, we'll do it with methods this administration seems to believe is OK, with bombs, bullets and torture.
"Sometimes it becomes necessary", as it says in one of historys' greatest documents.
Also Mike Rosen is a soft, selfish idiot who follows the party line like all the other "volks" in conservative circles.

dmz

Believe as you wish but I am a conservative Republican because they support what I support. In the first election I ranted and raved that Nixon would be a disaster. Unfortunately so is Bush. I don't see anyone who moves me now except Clinton and she moves me to throw up. Good thing she isn't likely to get the nomination.

Now if you want to know how I vote locally I almost never help elect Republicans for the same reason I don't like her...no credibility and no conservatives. Just a bunch of RINOs.

momma,
Your choice for leadershas resulted in turning the term "conservative republican" into an oxymoron.
Please enlighten us all and tell us what's "conservative" about a bully who would mock a woman on death row, and send more Americans to their deaths than were killed on 9/11 ,(for the profit of his friends).
You should be ashamed of yourselves.....Oh apparently "shame" is no longer in the republican vocabulary
Have a lovely day mom.

momma y,

It might be interesting to learn how your choice of "the best leader" differs from the "Fuerher Prinzip", and the concurrent excuses of, "I was just following orders".

I don't think that's what you really want. But then again, it is difficult to decipher just what you do mean.

The best thing about the Democratic Party is its openness. Openness even to those who most heartily disagree with it. In Chicago, the Party didn't start the riots. Mayor Daley's goon squad - the Chicago police, otherwise known as the enforcement arm of anybody, and anything, that comes up with a payoff - started the riots; and, of course, used every brutal tactic in the books to put down the demonstrators.

Those who currently want to sort of re-enact, or re-create the 68 situation have been attempting to deal with Hick's goons, in hopes of avoiding another set of billy-club enforced repressions of any and every possible demonstration of dissent or disagreement.

Oh! But I forgot. Sorry. "The best leader" should be followed - blindly and obediently, of course - not criticized, dissented from, or offered ideas, opinions, or programs other than those that this "best leader" puts forth as HIS intention to "lead". And in pursuit of that ideal "crowd control" should be sort of like what happened at Kent State, perhaps?

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