DNC CONVENTION- DAY 4
BOSTON-DAY 4
I awake, take the first decent shower I’ve had in days, order some more chinese food, and am ready for a BIG day of shooting.
However, much to my chagrin, I find out that in my fatigue, I forgot to hook up my battery, meaning that I only had 30 minutes of machine life, and hence, could only shoot 30 minutes of video- DAMN!
I arrive at the free speech zone, to discover that it’s still pretty much the same horrific sewer/public works project it was the day before. However, as the day previously had been dominated by the radical left- the insane right had set up shop, today. The first act of the day?
The Fetus-blood-slinging whacko that had marred the ANSWER protest, on Sunday. He put up a spiritied show- ranting about how he hated not only Kerry, but also Bush, America, the world, and everything else in general (with a few particularly venemous words said about catholics- you’ll have to wait for the footage…) It appears that you, I, and just about everyone but this guy and his mom is damned to a fiery hell, where various hot instruments will be applied to our tender bits, into eternity.
Thanks for the tip, dude!
He was swiftly followed by the guy with the frightening sign from day 3, demonstrating his position regarding gay marriage, using two extension cords as visual aids (again- wait for the footage.)
Then, as part of my job with the Kucinich campaign, I shot a few interviews, getting visitor’s impressions of the whole “free speech zone” concept (again- Bless Kucinich- he’s the only candidate, I know of, who is challenging this sort of crap.) I also got a chance to film a short interview with someone who was trying to get something done about the chinese government’s repression of the Falun Gong, in China (again- go to google for details…)
After about two hours sitting about, waiting for interviewees, I decided to check out the zone again…
When I got there- I was cursing myself, for not charging my batteries, even more fiercely than before- for the TRUE freaks had arrived…
The Reverend Phelps from the notorious “GodHatesFags.com” and “GodHatesAmerica.com”, was into his second hour of berating the assembled multitudes with his unique brand of bigotry, hatred, and fire-and-brimstone preaching- punctuated with choral congs by his security detail (which, by the way, was nowhere as good as the LaRouche songsters.) Within two minutes of shooting, my battery went dead, and my stream of resentful curses temprorilly drowned out the endless stream of idiocy flopping out of the word-hole of the good Dr. Phelps.
I mean- this was prize footage- Reverend Phelps is a legend, of an odious sort- he’s been featured in the works of innumerable filmmakers, including Michael Moore. Check out the photo gallery, for a TINY sample of what the guy’s selling. I think the lost opportunity to film this guy will be the greatest regret of the campaign.
I hung about a bit, just taking in the insanity, and got the crazy idea in my head that I might just be able to get a photo alongside the good reverend- such a picture would be quite an ironic image. However- such was a pipe dream- the security detail would not let a single person past their (very tight) cordon. In fact- they were the coldest people I’ve met in my entire time in politics- maybe it comes from their habit of waving signs that say “Thank god for 9/11″ at every public event they can access. But- I must admit- I truly believe that it partially comes fgrom their utter alleigance to their leader, rev. Phelps.
The man is a repugnant, bigoted slimeball that would rather spit on you than give you the time of day. I revile him, and everything he stands for- but: Standing there, in the crowd, watching him preach- it’s strange- no matter where you stand- you feel as if he’s looking straight at YOU, eye to eye- he has an unspeakable gift of fundamental, visceral connection with his audience that defies verbal description.
People who knew Hitler said, in later years, that they felt the same thing, in the presence of their fuhrer. That ability to just lock your attention, and your entire spirit, with a simple gaze.
The Reverend Phelps is, indeed, a remarkable man, and I regret not being able to talk with him personally. He is posessed of a gift that is rarely doled out in the genetic dice-roll. It’s truly unfortunate that he became a spokesman for such an unspeakable, hateful ideology- one wonders what such a unique individual could accomplish, had they chosen to use their talents for greater and loftier goals than pure, unspeakable hatred.
But- as I type this, it’s 4:30, and I feel the darkness closing in- more tomorrow…