Protest Getty-Gore-Gavin

I'm not sure this is a good idea.
Matt is in the lead in the most recent poll.
Act like the frontrunner, not a protester.
This city overwhelmingly voted for Gore in 2000.
I think an event like this can only hurt Matt's chances.
In my opinion, if you really care about electing Matt, instead of protesting Gore, go walk a precint, do some tabling, or phonebank for Matt.

Just my opinion.

We're busy trying to bring progressive Dems and Greens TOGETHER . . . this will be a highly charged situation that may be more than that BRAND NEW ALLIANCE can handle.

I'm not saying progressive Dems and Greens can't get along and don't agree, and haven't worked together already. I'm saying that the media will go WILD on this and there's no telling where they will take it.

This could backfire and SF is smart enough not to go for what loser Gore says compared to Matt - a winner. As far as support for him in the past, that's because it was a choice between a Bore or a Moron. What support is that? Everyone knows he's a loser.

If you must have Greens there, have the Dems in charge and the Greens supporting them. Have an equal number, publicize the alliance, not the division. Signs like "Dems and Greens Agree - Newsom is a Bore" or whatever.

I would NOT suggest wearing Green.

seems to me matt has acted with great dignity, throughout the mudflinging fests. don't play into conservative democrats fears of anarchists and hippes taking over and protests being held at every juncture. seems to me newsom and the dems are doing an excellent job of digging their own graves.

I love protests when they have strategy behind. This one has no strategy of our own, but strategy that will play in the hands of our enemies.

Matt Gonzalez is leading in the polls, and the strategy is to turnout the vote, turnout the vote and turnout the vote. We need a mobilization allright, but walking precinct, particularly working class and people of color neighborhoods.

It is time for the hard work, not the fun. We need to win this one and a protest will give Newsom and Gore their minute in the spotlight to dennounce progressives and Greens.

Don't.

I agree with the others... walk a precinct instead. It will do a hundred times more good. Let's get Matt elected!

This protest is poor strategy. Let the machine hang itself. Their manouverings and backroom deals are a clear indication of their desperation and fear of the power of the people. Put your energies into the hard unglamorous work of getting Matt elected so we can make Green with envy on election day,. Stay positive, stay united, stay focused. Then we can put energy into demonstrations against all the corrupt politics from a solid base of power. Show your love. The Monk. Noe Valley.

the democratic party has abandoned its constituents as its wealthy leaders fail to resist the pied piper of corporate wealth. the democratic party's failure to fight for labor, for healthcare, for housing and ultimately, for peace, doom the party, but hopefully not democracy in america. even if you don't support the green party, most democrats understand the importance of connecting with the working people instead of the ruling elite. the sad fact is that our leading political institutions, the republican and democratic parties, define themselves as instruments of corruption, responsive only to those who line their campaign coffers. although most people understand the plain meaning of bribery, MOST PEOPLE no longer have a voice because MOST PEOPLE aren't rich. Matt Gonzalez offers MOST PEOPLE hope that democracy can survive in America.

This would be a bad, bad idea! Photos of this would make perfect fodder for the Chron. We need to stay on the high road.

What a bunch of crap. The only true victory is a victory where we stay true to our ideals.

Gore was one of the most conservative members of Congress and the best example of why the two-party system must be crushed.

I think it would be a good idea for registered democrats to show their allegiance with Matt. I would love to see some "Another Democrat for Matt" signs around town. Let the Republicans know we are not fooled by their conservative in libral clothing. Who let this guy into our party anyway?

Don't bother talking any sense into these folks coz they don't listen to anyone but themselves. They are righteous Marys, alright. Self-righteous.

Grandstanding IS their idea of political change. Walking precincts is for "sellouts". They've already decided that the whole world is "mainstream" and that they are the lone survivors in their uber-queer, whitebread, ageist, wannabe-punk, unreal universe. The unfortunate thing is that most of them aren't even SF residents or even voters, and if it wasn't for Matilda, the most anyone of them could organize is a vegan potluck.

Yawn. Can I get a tissue?

For every good thing, there are always those of "us" who ruin it out of shear ignorance and selfishness/unbridled egotism. It's to be expected.

Gay Shame will go the way of the ACT UP imposters...just ignore them, Mary.

quote:
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For every good thing, there are always those of "us" who ruin it out of shear ignorance
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And there are always those stupid arrogant conformist uber-"queers" who can't even fucking spell "sheer" correctly while directing insults about "ignorance" at those who dare question the insular, rude, bitchy, pretentious, self-destructive, hyper-consumerist culture that is "our" so-called "community".

Kudos to Gay Shame.

=====================
"I am a homosexual in a city full of gays"
Micheal Focault in San Francisco
=====================

I'm not really sure a protest is such a great idea either. I'm fine with protest, but not if it has the potential to hurt this campaign. It is not selling out to work to get the vote out-this is also participating in democracy, and I think in this case it's much more constructive. If we work toward getting Matt elected, we will do more for the Green party than protesting a Democrat no one cares about any more. Just so I understand, please explain what the long term goal would be to protest the Al Gore endorsement. What are the benefits and consequences?

Here are my thoughts about it:
Al Gore has the right to endorse whoever the hell he wants, who cares? He has done nothing for the democratic party but brought shame and disappointment over his spinelessness in the 2000 election. He didn't stand up for the rights of the voters who elected him, and I think people remember that. I wouldn't even want his endorsement. If there is to be a protest, fine, but be strategic. Almost everyone I've talked to who is voting for Matt is a democrat and I think that sends a HUGE message to the democratic party. I agree the 2 party system needs to go, but we can't alienate democrats; as long as there are Newsoms, Gores and Feinsteins, etc., the Green party is assured new membership from fed-up Democrats. A showing of Democrats for Matt along with Greens might be ok.

Having a dialog around this is great. Lets try to find some common ground.

Matt's party membership is irrelevant. What needs to be publicized is why Gore is endorsing, under the guise of "party loyalty", a candidate who contributed to George Bush's 2002 campaign! This needs to be in the media more, & people need to know this truth. Gonzalez mentions Newsom's Republican contributions in the Sentinel article linked here, and Angela Aliota knew about it earlier. Gonzalez challenged Newsom with this charge during their 11/23 debate, and Newsom had no comment.
Newsom has also taken funds from George Schultz & other execs at Bechtel and Chevron, etc.

People must learn the truth beyond Newsom's media spin!

Regarding Gore specifically and the Clinton administration generally (from Blood, Oil, Guns And Bullets November 27, 2003, By Aziz Choudry, http://www.zmag.org/sustainers/content/2003-11/26choudry.cfm):

Behind the convenient cloak of "war on drugs", Plan Colombia has provided US $98
million to train and equip Colombian military to protect an Occidental Petroleum
pipeline. With a US presidential election looming let us remember that it was
the Clinton Administration that between 1996 and 1999 quadrupled military aid
for the Colombian government for the "war on drugs", and recall the Gore
family's deep financial ties to Occidental.

Let's not let the compassionate conservatives steal our democracy.

Newsom, Alioto, Feinstein, Clinton, Gore: When any or all of them appear before us:

HOOT THE HACKS !

I heard the Gonzalez campaign making this claim, so I went to check it out for myself at the SF
Ethics Commission website. It's true. The Newsom 2000 campaign reported a donation of $500.00 to
the San Francisco Republican Party on 10/5/2000 (in their Schedule D: Summary of Expenditures
Supporting/Opposing other Candidates, Measures, and Committees).

Here's how anyone can check this FACT out for themselves:

1) Go to the SF Ethics Commission website, specifically their Campaign Finance Database page:
http://sunset.ci.sf.ca.us/olfspublish300.nsf

2) Click on Advanced Search

3) Enter the following search criteria:
a) Limit search by name: San Francisco Republican Party (match exact name entry)
b) Limit search to a specific ID number: 1224413 (this is the ID# for the Newsom 2000 campaign)
c) Limit search to specific schedules: D

Thank you Gavin, for helping defeat Al Gore and elect George Bush. How sadly ironic that Gore is coming
to speak at the Newsom event this Tuesday.

Here is the press release from the Gonzalez campaign:

http://www.mattgonzalez.com/article.php?id=227

The IP address of the circulated email (same text as posted in this thread) shows it originated from the Newsom campaign dirty tricks department. My guess is that it will be reported in the newspapers Monday.

My opinion: avoid protesting/picketing the Gore event, and instead just inform Dems of Newsom's $500 contribution to help elect Bush in 2000.

I agree, the $500 donation to the Republican party should be publicized. Has this been covered at all in the mainstream media? I haven't seen it.

It's pretty black and white, so no matter what Newsom says, what's done is done. Matier et al won't be able to just sweep it away.

This mayoral race is NOT about party affiliation, it is about who is the best man for the job. I am a proud democrat voting for Gonzalez because of his intelligence and integrity.

Anyone who turns this into a party war is short-sighted and foolish. Uh, or possibly someone from Newsom's campaign trying to stir up trouble...