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Gothamist doesn't know what the local papers would be covering without the Republican National Convention coming to town, because as the days go by, the stories pile on. The hot button issue is, as ever, security. Mayor Bloomberg had a press conference with Police Commissioner Kelly to hype the pros of having the convention here ("This will be a unique opportunity for NYC to advertise itself"), although it came after they spoke to private security workers about security measures at the end of the month. Even better is the Mayor getting into a spat with Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, as Bloomberg pointedly referred to Boston's "barbed wire around protestors" move during the Democratic convention, saying, "[New York] is a city that values its reputation as a place where people can come, congregate and say what they want." Um, yeah, as long as it's on the West Side Highway! Speaking of, United for Peace and Justice is rumored to be making another attempt at securing the Great Lawn for a protest rally.
More:
- Truck checkpoints are being set up around Madison Square Garden with barriers "strong enough to mangle a large truck trying to break through," according to the NY Times. Sigh. Good thing all those area businesses, from the big fashion houses to the small mom and pop businesses are shutting down!
- It might get stinky too - private trash collectors are banned from the area, and the Department of Sanitation will only pick up plastic bags, not dumpsters as some businesses use.
- Robots are also helping out at the Convention, and they don't seem to be the evil I, Robot or HAL 2000 kind: The Coast Guard will be using new sonar to scan for suspicious activity underwater. Underwater - man, a new place to worry about.
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If we elect John Kerry, will this state of constant security finally start to fade? It almost seems as if the administration does this to keep everyone afraid...
This morning there was a BID meeting scheduled to address business owners concerns in the Garment Center...or Times SQ. South as we are now known. At 8:25 there was a line out the door of Parsons,and it was looking a lot like a Max Mara sample sale. Inside the lobby, flashbulbs were going off, on the sidewalk cell phones and Blackberries were singing. Finally at around 8:35 a maintainence man opened a side door and we allowed to enter a service entrance,where we crammed into a concrete stairwell. 10 minutes of getting claustrophpobic, and then word was sent up the from the dungeon below: the room is full. Come back tommorow. Entrance denied. Reschedule your life. There was an angry mob on the steps outside Parsons, with some poor spokesperson who was clearly out of his league. Typical exchange: Why not post this info on the website? Info is on the website. There is no concrete info on the website. Yes, but you can go there.
Great. We are going to extraordinary lengths to protect these Republicans and I'm so sure they are very appreciate of our sacrifices.
"a unique opportunity for NYC to advertise itself."
Right. Since we're not getting our fair share of anti-terrorism funding, how would the Republicans have any idea where New York even is if we didn't welcome them here for their convention?
Actually, Trabby, there's this group of wackos out there who are trying to perpetrate catastrophic attacks on New York. Really! Maybe you recall their earlier work?
And your handle, "Green Trabant", says oh-so-much about you.
For a Bostonian like me, all I can say is: Whoa, flashbacks!
"If we elect John Kerry, will this state of constant security finally start to fade?"
No. No, it won't. And it shouldn't. Any more dumb questions?
1. I doubt if John Kerry would roll back a SINGLE so called security state policy, especially since he has stated that he would NOT roll back a SINGLE state security policy. Duh.
2. If the Bloomberg admin and the RNC welcoming committee thinks its gonna have a smooth RNC, whether with the protests or small business in Midtown, they had better think again.
I think GT raises a good question.
Obviously, Kerry won't make the country less secure. But he wouldn't have Tom Ridge scaring everyone half to death. I lived London when the IRA was active. The government went out of the way not to panic the public.
Maybe we do need a new administration with some new ideas on homeland security.