Just announced. Normally I say that anyone is welcome to celebrate anything in New York City -- Rotarians, insurance salesmen, the Klan, NAMBLA, whatever. And congrats to Bloomberg and Pataki for landing one of the most financially lucrative events that a city can have. But am I the only one who thinks that this is just a setup for a huge amount of 9/11 exploitation? Can't both major parties just stay away from New York for this one Presidential cycle so that we don't have to put up with even more crying eagle t-shirts? New Yorkers are already sick of the Twin Towers snow globe and FDNY baseball cap vendors, and WTC tchotchkes + middle-aged Texas housewives = a match made in hell. I must stay away from the city that week.
Calling all Tompkins Sq. anarchists: a variety of "patriotism is for losers" stickers can be found in the NYU area.
I do not care which party has their convention here. They should stay away. The hotels will benefit from their presence but everyone else will be made miserable by the traffic and additional security. Not to mention military jets and helicopters for 24 hours a day.
I don't live in NY, but if the city (not you all obviously) is going to use the argument that NY should be selected for the Olympics in 2012 because of 09/11, then they should have to live with other people (yep even the evil Republicans) making decisions for similar reasons.
I'm sure the "city" has been lobbying for the Republican convention and using 9/11 as a selling point. As such, I have no problem about who is using the city for their meetings. I just want all of them to stay away and use some isolated island for their made for TV infomerical.