Free Speech In Boston

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
The US Constitution, First Amendment

Security is tight in Boston. With several high profile personalities ranging from Bill Clinton to Russel Simmons, there might just be as many personal bodyguards as partygoers. Homeland Security and local forces have teamed up and been working in advance of the convention for months. Surrounded by water on three sides, harbor patrol has been on high alert and will remain so for the next week. Parts of the freeway are closed. Even the manholes have been welded shut.

Most controversial though, is the "free speech zone" which is built under a freeway underpass, fenced in with chainlink and razorwire, and far too small to contain the number of protesters in town (capacity is 1000). Citing security concerns, city leaders in Boston (and NYC) argued the free speech zones were necessary, but activists are generally ignoring the zones and plan to gather on the streets in a much more "fluid" group. In the first permited march on Sunday, the 4000 strong anti war gathering officially declared the free speech zone irrelevant and unsafe.

BIRDS & BEES: Pairing politics and poll (err, pole) dancing: Strippers and prostitutes flocking to Beantown for bored conventioneers.

HOLLYWOOD: No more notorious: Margaret Cho talks about being uninvited to Gay, Lesbian & Transgender event in Boston.

JOCKS: Can Kerry conquer the curse of Bambino? Presidential nominee throws out the first pitch at Sunday Red Sox-Yankee game.

TECHNOLOGY: Crazy dot-com dollars: Bidding for KerryEdwards website now reaches $150,000.

TUNES: On the cutting edge with Jenna and Barb: Do the Bush twins really have indy rock cred?

WEB SURF: Red vs. blue: Site provides real-time updates on state-by-state struggle for electoral college supremacy.

Exercise your constitutional right to vote in 2004. Your founding fathers would be proud.