A Long Hot Summer

Two political conventions, the olympics, and the threat of terrorism looming over everything. It will be a long hot summer.

A group calling itself the "NoRNC Clearinghouse" is coordinating various activist liberal groups in an attempt to disrupt the Republican National Convention in New York City,

When the vote does not place in power those who represent the will of the people, democracy must be taken to the streets. This administration's choice of New York City, historically known for its diverse population, its welcoming of immigrants from far off lands, and its radical politics will prove to be their biggest mistake yet. [source]

From the quote above, it seems they think they represent "the will of the people"...

The NoRNC Clearinghouse offers lots of advice about how to disrupt the convention. They point out where the majority of the delegates will be staying. here There's a collection of snippets culled from the media that provide information about various aspects of the convention. here There's even a guide that shows where cameras are located in public places. Presumably this is so protester's can avoid having their pictures taken.

There's a whole lot more information on the site and it appears to be at the nexus of a well-organized group of liberal activist organizations.

Right now you may be asking yourself, "What about Republican plans to disrupt the Democrats' convention?"

Well, I haven't heard of any, but the Democrats aren't out of the woods.

An organization calling itself The Black Tea Society has plans to disrupt the Democratic National Convention in Boston. They're not Republicans though,

Why should we protest the Democrats? I know I hate virtually all that Bush has done to this country and the world since his administration was placed into office. Why don't I like Bush? Because he is corrupt, doesn’t allow the American voice be heard, because he bases his policies on the ideas and visions that are only shared by the elite and mega-rich. He veils this agenda in a well-spun and calculated manner by which millions of Americans are deceived and the rest are intimidated. [Source]

I'm tempted to say, "That's just not fair" in regards to disrupting a political party's convention but the level of civil political discourse has gotten so low these days that citing "fairness" is just a joke. I suppose these people have a right to make their opinion known. However, a good look at their websites hint that they have more in mind than a peaceful march.

As if all of that isn't enough there's the story of the rocket launcher found next to some train tracks in Atlanta. Via Murdoc Online comes speculation from ACE that such a thing could be a dry run for an actual terrorist attack.

It's going to be a long hot summer. Let's just hope (and pray) that it's a safe one.