What Would Gandhi Buy?

Yes, it's true -- satyagraha has its privileges:

In a transparently mercantile bid to keep protesters from disrupting the Republican National Convention later this month, the Bloomberg administration will offer "peaceful political activists" discounts at select hotels, museums, stores and restaurants around town during convention week, which begins Aug. 29. Law-abiding protesters will be given buttons that bear a fetching rendition of the Statue of Liberty holding a sign that reads, "peaceful political activists." Protesters can present the buttons at places like the Whitney Museum, the Museum of Sex, the Pokemon Center store and such restaurants as Miss Mamie's Spoonbread Too and Applebee's to save some cash during their stay.

You'll be happy to hear that our kindred sisters were there, raising heck:

Four members of Code Pink, a women's protest group, were arrested for trying to dangle a 40-foot-long banner from their ninth-floor window ... across from Mr. Bloomberg's news conference.

And what did the banner (and the women) say?

The women were in the process of unfurling a 40 foot long pink banner reading "You Say Welcome, We Say Where -- 8/29 Central Park?" ...

"By presenting a pink slip to Mayor Bloomberg, CODEPINK wanted to draw attention to the discrepancy between the Mayor’s words in front of the TV cameras and his actions behind closed doors," explained Jodie Evans, one of the founders of the organization.  "Requests for permits to rally peacefully in the park have been categorically denied.  We do not need discounts at Applebee’s; we need an administration that sets a course for peace and respects our right to speak."

I guess the shopping's not so good in the park...

Diane

PS - According to Israeli writer and peace activist Uri Avnery, Israeli government policy may go from bad to worse this year:

The months before the American elections are a kind of open season for Israel. The basic assumption is that no candidate for the White House would dare to provoke the American Jewish voters at election times. ... Israeli governments naturally time their most controversial moves to coincide with the American elections. The more closely fought the elections, the more attractive it is for Israeli planners and adventurers.

But there's some good news as well -- according to a new Zogby poll, 51% of likely American voters and 70% of registered Democrats believe that John Kerry "should adopt an entirely new policy, different from the present administration, towards Israel." Now if he'd just get the message.