TEX AND THE CITY or IS THERE LIF

by Christianne Tisdale

��The Republicans are coming. The Republicans are coming,�� a lone rider cried out down Lexington. Tens of thousands of New Yorkers fled the city in protest. I stayed in my apartment. Tens of thousands fled to New York to protest. I stayed in my apartment.

One day I ventured out��a little yoga, a little nosh with my friend Alan, a little walk. The walk brought me up Sixth Avenue. At 11 pm, I encountered blinding lights; a tsunami of blue; National Guard with assault weapons, wearing camouflage (Camouflage in the city? I can see you.); huge, mysterious SUVS; and barriers holding back the common (and uncommon) man, stricken with fear, dismay and disgust. Above were military choppers and planes.

Felt like the days immediately following 9/11.

Party line? They came to the city to honor us. Exploiting 9/11 dishonors the great big, delightful, dysfunctional family that is New York City.

Party line? We are not exploiting 9/11. Yet every politician who spoke at the RNC chewed on the events of 9/11 and the decimation of the Towers. We don��t need to be reminded; we live with it every day. More tragically, we live with the decimation of our great big, delightful, dysfunctional family every day. Of that, we rarely speak. It is far too painful.

The GOP wished to honor us? I'm confused. There was so much security. Were they terrified of terrorism? Why put New Yorkers in terror's way? Were they terrified of New Yorkers? We��re reasonable people��in a city where Democrats outnumber Republicans 5 to 1, our Governor and Mayor are Republican. I even voted for them.

Were they terrified of us? Then don��t hold the Republican National Convention here.

Over fifteen hundred people were arrested and detained with little more than a charge of disorderly conduct. Businesses ground to a halt��stores, restaurants and theaters deserted; offices on skeleton staff; transportation unrecognizable.

Despite all the security, protestors made their way onto the convention floor repeatedly. Makes you wonder about that safer America they claim as their own. A Young Republican, an actual representative of the Party, kicked a protestor while she was down. Makes you wonder about the future of the Republican Party.

Don��t let the party line fool you. This was one of the great traumas to New York in this millennium. Actions speak louder than words, and these compassionate conservatives brought their conservative sides, but left their compassion at home. Their actions were representative of the way this administration has performed��with disregard for the common (and uncommon) man, and little foresight.

Is their life after the RNC? You bet. New Yorkers are survivors.

But we��ve been tested enough, don��t you think?