TONIGHT'S PROTEST

As you may have heard, Al Franken is planning a rather unique proest for Bush's acceptance speech tonight. Here are the details:

On September 2nd, 2004, at approximately 10 pm [eastern time], George W. Bush will appear on television screens nationwide. For some of our fellow citizens, this will be a moment of joy. But for most of us, it will be the low point of an incredibly exasperating week.

Until now, there have been only two options: miss the speech (either by screaming at the television or turning it off), or bottle up the frustration within us, causing irreparable psychological harm. The first option is unbecoming of citizens in a democracy. The second option is just terrible. But now, for the first time, we have a better way. At the moment we see the president on our television screens, we will rise. We will throw open our windows. And, as George W. Bush moves to the podium in New York City, we will send him a message about his bid for reelection: we will yell, “fuggedaboudit!”

This will be a peaceful, non-disruptive protest. We will stop yelling before the president starts speaking. Our goal is not to drown him out, but to communicate. (And vent.)

Franken has also suggested, in interviews, some regional variations on the shout-out. He's from Minnesota, so he suggests that his statemates shout, in their accent, "No ya don't!" His suggestion for California was that SoCal residents shout "No way!" while those from NorCal go with "Dude, no way!" Technically, I suppose I'm from both parts of California, but I think I'll go with the New York original.