RNC 2008: The Non-Violent Protest Equivalent Of An Ammo Dump

Photo by John Hoff, September 1 and September 2

On Day 1 of RNC 2008, protest signs are ready at the edge of the State Capitol grounds for rally participants to pick up when they march. If you didn't bring a sign, that's OK, somebody will provide you one and will be happy to have you carry their slogan. It's like this at most protests; the big and well-organized ones, anyway. I believe this is a group of socialists. Not all or even most of the people at the march were socialists, but you'd THINK that if you extrapolated too much from this photo. There must have been half a dozen "sign dumps" like this, and quite nearby the location of this photo.

Compare the September 1 anti-war rally signs, above, to signs from the Poor People's March, below, made from scavenged cardboard and wide black Magic Markers. But the tactic is the same: somebody brings a bunch of signs for the people who showed up without one. It's this way everywhere. So if you're thinking of going to a protest but you don't have a sign, don't worry! There will be some extra signs there. And if there isn't, well, you probably won't be the only one without a sign and you can wear a sticker, a button.

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