15,000 angry Americans protested the Bush inaugural
cermonies, just in San Francisco, the local paper reported.
Six Pigdog Journal staffers were on the scene...
Typing "Inauguration" and "Protest" into a search engine had led Pigdog editor
Johnnie Royale to a bar on Saturday morning. As the cabal of disgruntled
Pigdog voters assembled, marking pens and white poster board became
slogan-bearing signs. And then, in viking helmets and Jesse Ventura t-shirts,
we took to the streets.
A vast crowd had gathered around the Civic Center, American flags unfurled by a
sea of protest signs, and their homegrown messages ultimately crashed the
nationally-televised ceremonies. No matter who controls the airwaves, it will
be remembered that tens of thousands of demonstrators assembled and paraded
angry words through the streets.
Scribbling on a scrap of paper, I collected this yawp of history. Brace
yourselves for an exhaustive list. Instead of holding their hands over their
ears for four years and chanting "la la la la" every time Bush appears on
television, these people were trying to change the world simply through the
power of their slogans.
So what were these American voices saying? Some were threatening action and
unrest....
I dissent. He's not my president. We will not forget.
Whoever they inaugurate, we are ungovernable. Organize. Agitate. You're
smarter than him.
Some reflected on what the election had meant for the country.
National shame Voting is futile. You will be assimilated.
Saddest day in history Argh Shame. National Day of Mourning
Other signalled their belief that this election was stolen.
Jail to the thief. Gore got more. Bush cheated. Don't blame me, I
voted with the majority So help me fraud Bush lost, fair and square.
(S)elected through racism and voter fraud Jews for Buchanan. Gore
won. Proud to be a sore loser. Count me out. I voted. I think.
Re-elect Gore What a joke. W lost. Got fraud? Thou shalt not
steal It's not who votes that counts, it's who counts the votes. Joseph
Stalin.
Many had followed their nation's election process closely, and also felt
compelled to acknowledge the role of the Supreme Court's 5-4 decision.
Supreme Sham Supreme Injustice One justice, one vote.
Some sign-carriers even delved into the chilling political-science implications
of the election results.
Why are you pretending that there wasn't a coup? Illegal election,
illegitimate president We no longer live in a democracy. Without
justice, there will be no peace. Democracy? Stolen election No consent
for presidency by fiat. Democracy? Hypocrisy
If the will of the people doesn't rule, who does? Many protesters felt the
nation had surrendered itself to powerful corporations
This isn't a democracy, it's ruled by the dollar. Bye bye,
democratic elections, hello corporate state. Bush. Serving
white men since 1994 Empower people, not politicians Bush is the
illegitimate love-child of corporate America.
But as middle America stared at the nationally-broadcast cermonies, the
newly-enthroned leader faced defiant mockery and derision from his subjects.
Spurious George Banana Republican Who let the dog out? A thousand
pints of lite Drunk drivin' crack smokin' chimp From oil rigger to
election rigger Resident Bush Dumb son Can Bush even spell women's
rights? The whole world is laughing. At least Reagan could act
Others remembered the administration of Bush's father, and the catch-phrases of
his predecessor, Ronald Reagan.
Read my lips - no new Bushes Here we go again. Monarchists
for the Bush dynasty
There were, of course, a few puns on George W's last name.
We were BUSHwhacked The only Bush I like is the kind I can
eat. Hey Bush, stay out of mine.
And some of them were simply uncategorizable
Bush: the other white president. Filibuster for 4 years!
Feeble Republican Admin Undermines Democracy Romans go home. Welcome
Visigoths. Bush: Making the world safe for demon-ocracy I'm moving to
Serbia
I want to believe that it all means something -- that a crowd chanting "four
less years" has a mysterious power. Have they launched an omen for the future?
Even newscasters reserve a certain reverence for words like "electorate" and
"democracy." There's always the possibility that tens of thousands of people
coming together creates more than just a large group of people....
