Republican National Convention: Day One

NEW YORK, SUNDAY – Jim Fulmer was marching north up Seventh Avenue, one face
in a sea of thousands surrounded by colorful signs.

‘Empty Warhead Found in White House’ read one.
‘Smart Bomb, Dumb President,’ read scores of others.

The Saratoga native left the State’s Capital Region at dawn aboard one of the buses
that arrived in Manhattan late Sunday morning, filled with people who came to march
in protest of George Bush and his handling of the country’s affairs over the past four years.

Today’s gathering of dissenters is a prelude to the four-night stand by the Republican Party at Madison Square Garden who are holding their first-ever convention to New York City.
Rudy Giuliani will be kicking off the convention Monday. The opening night theme is “Courage.”
Tuesday’s “Night of Compassion” features Laura Bush and Arnold Swarzenegger, to be followed by Vice President Dick Cheney who will make an appearance during Wednesday night’s
focus on the ‘Land of Opportunity.’
At Thursday night’s closer, the president will take the podium - according to a GOP press release - to lay out a vision that will help build a safer world and a more hopeful America.

Before any of this got started however, thousands were marching in Manhattan Sunday, many of whom seemed to be grouped together by theme.
One group of women wore pink slips to express the notion of delivering “pink slips” of
dismissal to The White House; others carried flag-draped “coffins,” representing the deaths
of American soldiers in Iraq.
By week’s end, that number would reach 1,000.

‘There are all kinds of people here that come from very diverse backgrounds.
Today, we’re all marching together,’ said Fulmer just as a large,
handmade sign was being unfurled above his head that read ‘Peace’ in a dozen different languages.‘
'This is powerful,’ said Rob Chrust, a Saratoga resident who made the trip to New York City.
‘Dissent is healthy.’

Saratogian writer Thomas Dimopoulos is in New York City providing local
coverage of the Republican National Convention this week.