I Heart Fortress NY

"New York City is a fortress, and I love it," said one Republican delegate, quoted in the Times. Of course, ordinary New Yorkers feel rather differently. The city has not had such a heavy seige atmosphere since the days immediately after 9/11. And besides the fact that it's unpleasant to be so viscerally reminded of that day, it is deeply offensive, when we are forced to live through a week-long security crisis, to hear that those who are the cause of that crisis are rejoicing in it.

The anxiety and the heavy security have little to do with the protests, and everything to do with fear of terrorist attack. The GOP, stumbling over themselves to exploit an earlier attack on this city for their own political gain, have brought another crisis into town with them. And they love it. And they're lovin' this town, lovin' 9/11, riffing endlessly on our blood and our loss, invoking it again and again from the podium and the convention floor. It's their lucky charm, their ace-in-the-hole, their crowning glory. GOP to NY: Thanks for Dropping Dead!

Before I start foaming at the mouth (which is sort of considered a faux pas here in the office), I'll sign off with a couple short notes. First: if you're still hungry for pix from Sunday's big march, Sale bete has an excellent account of the day - with better photos than I've seen even from a lot of big-time news organizations (the BBC's photos, especially, were inexplicably lame).

Also, Anya Kamenetz of the Village Voice has more on the scuffle on Eighth Avenue yesterday (see below): seems the police claim that one of their detectives was knocked off his scooter and beaten unconscious, but there may be more to the story than that.