Milton Glaser's City of Lights
What's a protest movement in disarray and no permits to do? We reported two weeks ago on Robert Lederman's idea of small affinity groups dispersing throughout the city with signs. Now comes an idea from artist and designer Milton Glaser, father of the "I § NY" campaign. Glaser's proposal, billed "Light Up the Sky" (lightupthesky.org), is for citizens to protest the RNC with their electricity bills.
"Those with windows on the street can keep our lights on through the night [of Aug. 30]." Meanwhile, on the streets, Glaser proposes people "gather informally all over the city with candles, flashlights and plastic wands to silently express our sorrow." Ravers of the world, unite!
Glaser's plan involves no confrontation, and "[n]ot a word needs to be spoken." Consider it a compromise with the city's "Make Nice" campaign. Glaser closed his public appeal, published in the July 12 Nation, by writing, "Imagine, it's 2 or 3 in the morning and our city is ablaze with a silent and overwhelming rebuke "
Yes, Milton, and imagine that most of the city and the rest of the country is sound asleep, and half of the RNC's delegates are wasted at Scores, squeezing Melanie Mischief's jugs in a private booth, all too happy to have the extra light to find their hotel by. Perhaps the protestors can also use their flashlights to help delegates' wives find their seats at The Producers. You know, in between silent protests.
Glaser's plan is touching in its simplicity and grace, but tiny groups of people silently waving glow sticks at the corner of 2nd and 27thare not exactly going to send a clear message to the world. Nor is democratic protest supposed to resemble a Japanese water candle ritual. Permits or not, something big and noisy is going to happen when the Republicans arrive Aug. 30, no matter how much the city would prefer citizens to just volunteer as tour guides or shut up.
On the subject of city fathers, Page Two would like to offer belated congratulations to Mayor Bloomberg for snubbing Congressman Bob Ney of Ohio in June. Not only is Ney a buffoonhe led the "freedom fries" crusade last yearhis vote against NYC claiming its rightful share of anti-terror funds warranted a sharp response. We're happy that the mayor delivered it by canceling a planned luncheon with Ney. We also applaud other recent comments by Bloomberg that hint he wants nothing to do with the party of Bush or the 2004 campaign.
We just wish this realization had dawned upon Mike before he ran for mayor as a self-financed Republican. Bloomberg may be getting bolder in his bitterness, but we'd like to think Mark Green would have told the RNC in more precise terms what they could expect from the people of New York. One thing's for sure, it won't be a light bulb joke.