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Busloads from (Wisconsin) plan D.C. protest
Capital Times ^ | January 15, 2005 | Aaron Nathans

Posted on 01/15/2005 3:09:37 PM PST by Chummy

Busloads from state plan D.C. protest
They'll turn their backs on Bush in disapproval

By Aaron Nathans
January 15, 2005 Three busloads of people will be heading to Washington next week to turn their backs on George W. Bush.

They will leave from Green Bay, Milwaukee and Madison, and they will travel all night. When they arrive Thursday morning, they will participate in a nationwide effort to send a message to the president, who will be inaugurated for his second term that day.

The protesters will line Bush's parade route, with no signs and no clothes that distinguish them from the general public. When the motorcade drives by, they will turn their backs.

"We're just going there as people, and at the given cues, we're going to turn our backs. It'll be pretty quiet like that," said Anita Singh, a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and one of the organizers.

The "Turn Your Back on Bush" project was designed to outsmart security personnel who have kept protesters away from high-profile events. Singh said the spoken cue is being kept secret for now, because it appears there may be supporters of the president trying to infiltrate their ranks.

"It is kind of weird. People will be going there to dissuade protesters, turn them in the wrong direction, get them away from the inauguration," Singh said. But their fears of people making a scene are unfounded, she said. "We're trying to avoid any sort of conflict."

With many students still away from Madison, it is impossible to know how many people will participate and how many buses will be needed, Singh said.

Bus tickets are still available for $90 at three locations in Madison: A Room of One's Own, 307 W. Johnson St.; the Rainbow Bookstore Collective, 426 W. Gilman St.; and the Madison Info Shop, 1019 Williamson St.

Ron Kossik of Manitowoc said he expects 30 people will take the "Lakeshore Bus," picking protesters up in Green Bay, Manitowoc, Sheboygan, Milwaukee and Racine.

And Tracey Sperko of Milwaukee said she's got a separate busload coming from that city. Other protesters, especially those planning to stay longer in Washington, will be carpooling, she said. Bus tickets from Milwaukee are available from Atomic Records, 1813 E. Locust St.

"I know it won't change anything, but what I've found is that it gives hope to a lot of people that we're not just a forgotten 49 percent. That we can stand up for ourselves, we can represent ourselves. We're still part of this country," said Sperko, a veteran of the Persian Gulf War. She was state director of Veterans for Kerry. "Some people have rolled our shades up, but for some of us, it's making us feel better to just stand up."

There may be some scholarship funds for people who cannot afford the entire price. The Madison delegation will depart from the Wisconsin Memorial Union at 5 p.m. Wednesday, and will return Friday afternoon.

There will be organized protests, but people with a bus ticket are free to do as they please while in Washington, Singh said.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: District of Columbia; US: Wisconsin
KEYWORDS: bush; dubya; freep; greenbay; inaugural; inauguration; madison; milwaukee; president; protestwarrior; turnyourback; uw; w; wasteoftime; wisconsin
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To: gc4nra

Pepper spray, especially if they do a MOON! I just bet - someone will do that! Turn their back and do it. I sure hope they get busted for it. Give 'em a shot of pepper spray, just in case!

LOL!


41 posted on 01/15/2005 5:52:31 PM PST by JLO
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To: Mike Darancette
"The protesters will line Bush's parade route, with...no clothes that distinguish them from the general public...."

I doubt that.

Heck, they probably don't believe it....
42 posted on 01/15/2005 6:41:22 PM PST by Chummy (Liberals -- the other Red meat.)
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To: JLO
"...My recollection...Madison was [it was] rather pretty."

I don't know if I've ever heard of State Street (known famously for its Main Street Brats), or its aging hippieville as "pretty".
43 posted on 01/15/2005 6:44:18 PM PST by Chummy (Liberals -- the other Red meat.)
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To: An American In Dairyland

Thanks for the info. At any rate, it was a dirty tactic. What is this I hear that 25,000 hanoi john votes in Wisconsin have been declared invalid?


44 posted on 01/15/2005 8:14:30 PM PST by AxelPaulsen
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To: JLO

"Pepper spray, especially if they do a MOON! I just bet - someone will do that! Turn their back and do it."


LOL!!! I was just thinking the same thing!


45 posted on 01/15/2005 8:40:26 PM PST by MoochPooch (A righteous person worries about his or her behavior, an extremist about everyone else's.)
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To: Chummy
"I know it won't change anything, but what I've found is that it gives hope to a lot of people that we're not just a forgotten 49 percent."

Now she should feel like I did in '92 when Clinton won with 37% of the vote. I was part of the forgotten 63 percent. Idiots!!!

46 posted on 01/15/2005 9:35:30 PM PST by cibco (Xin Loi... Saddam)
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To: cibco
"I know it won't change anything, but...."

"Idiots!!!"

You appear to have smacked the nail firmly on its head.
47 posted on 01/15/2005 9:58:20 PM PST by Chummy (Liberals -- the other Red meat.)
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To: Chummy

What can you say...


48 posted on 01/16/2005 4:32:03 AM PST by cibco (Xin Loi... Saddam)
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To: cibco

Time for a freep, here in wisconsin. Can somebody ping them again?

"Operation Hail to the Chief...Madison"

The UW chapter of Protestwarrior, Local Freerepublic, and the UW College Republicans will
assemble at the steps of the Memorial Union by 4:30 PM on Wednesday, Jan
19th to protest those who will go out to Washington, DC to protest the
President and disrupt the ingural. We will also be there show support
for our president and our troops at the same time.

Bring signs that show support for our president and our troops, signs
supporting the war, or signs against the protesters (Protestwarrior
signs work well for this). There may be some signs available for those
who don't bring their own. The busses are leaving for DC at 5 PM, so we
will have 30 minutes to protest them.


49 posted on 01/16/2005 11:03:38 AM PST by Thunder90
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