How To Damage Your Cause In One Easy Step
The Washington Post reports that protesters will be present at the annual Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California this year. One group plans to protest a float that honors the 2008 Beijing Olympics, while Cindy "Whatever happened to my adoring media" Sheehan will be on hand to protest the war in Iraq and whatever other hobbyhorse she's riding this week. I expect that there will be a wave of revulsion afterward. Not in the direction the protesters want, however.
This won't be the first Rose parade touched by protest _ in 1992, American Indians complained about the naming of a descendant of Christopher Columbus as grand marshal _ but most problems have been mechanical.
"Honestly, in the past years, it's really been more about floats breaking down, delaying the parade, than other things, than protests," said Tournament of Roses President CL Keedy.
Yet some fear the protests could develop into an annual pattern that could tarnish the parade's shiny image.
"If controversy like this diminishes the positive impact of the Rose Parade, it would be of concern," Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard said.
Chinese Americans who claim they were victims of political or religious persecution in China are criticizing the $400,000 Beijing Olympics float.
Bogaard said the city cited security considerations in turning down the group's proposal for a demonstration along the parade route involving a large band and several vehicles…..
….Sheehan, the outspoken San Francisco Bay area activist whose son was killed in Iraq, is campaigning for Congress against Rep. Nancy Pelosi and calling for the impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. She will join other pro-impeachment and anti-war groups at the parade, according to her sister, Dede Miller.
As many as 1,000 supporters are expected to rally before and after the parade and distribute 20,000 pamphlets while flying 300 banners along the parade route, said Peter Thottam, executive director of the Los Angeles National Impeachment Center.
Police said they were prepared for the protesters and the hundreds of thousands of spectators. As usual, about 1,200 officers from a number of agencies are set to be on hand.
It is never pretty when narcissism trumps common sense. People do not tune in to watch demonstrations and will be revolted at the politicizing of what is a holiday tradition. This is going to backfire on both groups. The public has not been happy about other parades being turned into protest venues. The Rose Parade is an institution that people will be very unhappy to see targeted. (If the media even shows the protests - they may turn the cameras away rather than give Sheehan and company free media coverage.)
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Blue Crab Boulevard » “Dozens” Turn Out To Support Sheehan: Crowd Boos — Tuesday, 1 January , 2008 @ 3:14 pm
By Quilly Mammoth, Sunday, 30 December , 2007 @ 9:27 am
“Hobbyhorse”? When did her ilk trade in their brooms for those?
By NortonPete, Sunday, 30 December , 2007 @ 9:45 am
Someone should tell the protesters that the parade is being held on Jan 20 this year. That when Pasadena holds the spoof Doo Dah parade.
They would fit right in.
By Anthony (Los Angeles), Sunday, 30 December , 2007 @ 10:30 am
If the media even shows the protests - they may turn the cameras away…
Bingo. The parade coverage will never show them.
By NortonPete, Tuesday, 1 January , 2008 @ 2:46 pm
It flopped , “dozens??”:
…Dozens of anti-war protesters staked out spots across from television cameras at Colorado and Orange Grove. They hoisted signs reading “Impeachment is Patriotic” and yelled anti-war slogans. The protesters were booed by parade watchers sitting in the grandstand….
By Gaius, Tuesday, 1 January , 2008 @ 3:05 pm
Yeah, I just found that and am working on a post.