{"id":900,"date":"2016-08-02T12:33:16","date_gmt":"2016-08-02T17:33:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.longlivethemonkey.com\/blog\/?p=900"},"modified":"2021-05-28T12:22:25","modified_gmt":"2021-05-28T17:22:25","slug":"diary-of-philadelphia-at-the-dnc-2016","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.longlivethemonkey.com\/blog\/?p=900","title":{"rendered":"Diary Of Philadelphia At The DNC 2016"},"content":{"rendered":"

I decided to go to Philly to protest the DNC and the horrible choice of Hillary Clinton. I’ve been putting my heart and soul into Bernie Sanders’ campaign since he announced. I donated time and money for over a year. I saw it through to the end when he conceded at the DNC in Philadelpia. I cannot possibly try to describe the once-in-a-lifetime feeling I had being there around people like me. Everyone was so awesome. Everyone talked. It’s like we were all friends. I even got to see and meet some of my progressive heroes like Lee Camp, Debbie the Sane Progressive, Greg Palast, and Jimmy Dore.<\/p>\n

Pictures: http:\/\/yearscollage.com\/user\/niles38?set_id=41<\/a><\/p>\n

Here is the diary of what my experiences were. If you ever get a chance to be a part of something bigger than yourself, please do it and see it all the way through. I need to keep harping on these feelings since I may never feel this way again. That’s how much this experience meant to me.<\/p>\n

Sunday, July 24, 2016<\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. Woke up & finished packing; texted Heidi<\/li>\n
  2. Went over Heidi’s house & helped decorate her car with Bernie writing<\/li>\n
  3. On the way up to Philly we saw another Bernie car decorated; we honked & waved<\/li>\n
  4. We also saw Black Men For Bernie bus; they later honked at us<\/li>\n
  5. Got to the hotel in New Jersey and checked in<\/li>\n
  6. Went to nearest PATCO station; Heidi & Ken got the Bernie Sanders banner; I got my Jill Stein quote sign<\/li>\n
  7. There were other Berners on the platform; talked to them while waiting for the train<\/li>\n
  8. Some guy accidently fell; when he got up, he said, “Hillary for prison!”<\/li>\n
  9. Did an interview with a news station with Heidi & Ken on the platform<\/li>\n
  10. Talked with other Berners on where to go; decided to go to the Climate Rally<\/li>\n
  11. Started marching with the Climate Rally that ended at Independence National Historic Park<\/li>\n
  12. Chilled at Independence National Historic Park; Ken got us lunch<\/li>\n
  13. Decided to go to the March For Bernie at 3; saw Josh Fox speak as we were leaving; gave the rest of our lunch to a homeless man<\/li>\n
  14. Went to Philly City Hall to start the March For Bernie<\/li>\n
  15. Marched to FDR Park; fire hydrants were open so we took turns going through them to cool off; march was around 4-5 miles<\/li>\n
  16. Chilled at FDR Park for a few minutes<\/li>\n
  17. Decided to head over to the Fire early for Lee Camp<\/li>\n
  18. Walked a few blocks since traffic was blocked off to get an Uber (only Uber we took the whole time)<\/li>\n
  19. Chilled at The Fire; Heidi got pizza; drank until the show<\/li>\n
  20. It was really hot in the room; Lee Camp and company were late coming out<\/li>\n
  21. During the show Ken made a chair joke; there were a few chairs at the front; Ken said “one less chair today” referring to DWS; I was also the only one who “wooed” for agnostics<\/li>\n
  22. Left the show early since it was so hot<\/li>\n
  23. Got directions from fire fighters; caught the Philly subway (SEPTA) to PATCO<\/li>\n
  24. Went back to the hotel<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Monday, July 25, 2016<\/h2>\n
      \n
    1. Got up & had breakfast; they had waffles; took picture & sent it to Bri<\/li>\n
    2. Got ready & left the room<\/li>\n
    3. Had a problem finding parking; parked at a Bernie campaign headquarters a few blocks away<\/li>\n
    4. Met more Berners on the platform waiting for the train<\/li>\n
    5. Went to Philly City Hall for the Press Conference which turned out to be a rally<\/li>\n
    6. It was a huge rally; got separated from Heidi & Ken several times<\/li>\n
    7. Saw Nina Turner speak<\/li>\n
    8. Met up with Mel & gang<\/li>\n
    9. Heidi wanted to eat so we decided to do the 3:00 march instead of the 1:00 march<\/li>\n
    10. Walked across the street to a ritzy place; had a crabcake sandwich & beer; talked to two college kids who were Berners<\/li>\n
    11. Jimmy Dore walked in as we were leaving!<\/li>\n
    12. Said hi to Jimmy Dore and that I was a huge fan while walking out… didn’t want to bother him while he was eating<\/li>\n
    13. Ken left for home<\/li>\n
    14. Marched to FDR Park<\/li>\n
    15. Banged on wall & protested outside the wall<\/li>\n
    16. Found a spot on the lawn for the Jill Stein Power To The People Rally<\/li>\n
    17. Heard others & later Jill Stein speak<\/li>\n
    18. Afterward banged on fence during the rain<\/li>\n
    19. Hundreds of Berners seeked shelter under an overpass walking back; some of them wanted to block up traffic; tried to stop them since it wasn’t helping anything<\/li>\n
    20. Headed back to the hotel; got a shower<\/li>\n
    21. Went to Wegman’s for sushi & fruit<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Tuesday, July 26, 2016<\/h2>\n
        \n
      1. Got up & had breakfast<\/li>\n
      2. Ran into Hillary supporter at breakfast; asked me where I was going today; tried to tell me Bernie will be a huge part of Hillary’s campaign & platform moving forward; doubted it heavily<\/li>\n
      3. Got to the train; went to Thomas Paine Plaza for the Bernie or Bust rally<\/li>\n
      4. Debbie the Sane Progressive spoke; Lee Camp spoke; YahNe Ndgo spoke<\/li>\n
      5. Heidi stalked Jimmy Dore & when he was free called me over to get my picture taken with him! I told him I had a crush on him & he kissed me!!!<\/li>\n
      6. Jill Stein spoke<\/li>\n
      7. Got on Philly metro (SEPTA) to take it to FDR Park<\/li>\n
      8. Had to exit one stop before since we weren’t allowed at the last stop (since that was for the delegates); when we got off the train people were chanting “Bernie, Bernie, Bernie”; amazing moment<\/li>\n
      9. Saw the DNC put up another wall to stop us; protested at the wall; yelled to Hillary delegate that she just voted to send her children to war; cried for my cousin and my friends who are in the military<\/li>\n
      10. Watched a bit of the convention in FDR Park (they had a stage & huge screens)<\/li>\n
      11. More protesting at the walls<\/li>\n
      12. Headed back & ran into Jill Stein walking to FDR Park; I was like two feet away from her; she spoke briefly; people swarmed around her<\/li>\n
      13. Headed back to the hotel & had a shower<\/li>\n
      14. Went out to dinner and ran into some Berners; had dinner with them!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Wednesday, July 27, 2016<\/h2>\n
          \n
        1. Got up & had breakfast<\/li>\n
        2. Ran into Bernie supporters on the platform; an older guy named Dan (who looked like Robert Reich) and his trip mate, Patricia; lots of Berners did carpools and traveled together even if they didn’t know each other<\/li>\n
        3. Heidi & Dan did an interview with HBO<\/li>\n
        4. Black Men For Bernie Rally; a few Hillary supporters showed up; someone took one of their signs & then gave it back (hey they did it to us inside the convention); we later all hugged the Hillary supporters<\/li>\n
        5. Heidi got up on stage & spoke<\/li>\n
        6. Ran into Mel who got up on stage & spoke later<\/li>\n
        7. Kshama Sawant spoke<\/li>\n
        8. Had milkshakes at McDonald’s; spoke to a woman who didn’t know who Bernie is; spoke to a Hispanic young guy who would have been deported thanks to the crime bill but he fought it<\/li>\n
        9. Listened to Jill Stein speak again :)<\/li>\n
        10. They took a picture of everybody<\/li>\n
        11. Headed down to FDR Park<\/li>\n
        12. Heidi met LBJ’s daughter on the train<\/li>\n
        13. Got stuck on the hoity toity delegate train since we couldn’t get off; had to ride it back a stop<\/li>\n
        14. Banged on wall<\/li>\n
        15. Listened to delegates speak at the stage<\/li>\n
        16. Greg Palast spoke<\/li>\n
        17. Watched Greg Palast’s new movie<\/li>\n
        18. Met him & got my picture with him!<\/li>\n
        19. He sat on one of our posters for a bit while we all watched his movie<\/li>\n
        20. Rumor started about Bernie so they stopped the movie to address it<\/li>\n
        21. Did the death of the DNC march with candles & a coffin<\/li>\n
        22. A helicopter started to fly really low since hundreds of us were protesting around the wall & they got scared we were going to do something crazy<\/li>\n
        23. Peace and love thing started again<\/li>\n
        24. A Bernie delegate was being interviewed; told stories about how the delegates were told to remove one sign, then another, then another; if they didn’t do so they’d be kicked out; if they got up to go to the bathroom or get a snack a Hillary supporter would take their place; the whole convention was staged to make it seem like the democratic party is united when IT IS NOT<\/li>\n
        25. Headed back to hotel; had debate with Hillary supporter on the way back<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Thursday, July 28, 2016<\/h2>\n
            \n
          1. Got up & had breakfast<\/li>\n
          2. Packed up & checked out of the hotel<\/li>\n
          3. Headed down to Philly; no Berners on the platform since we just missed the train<\/li>\n
          4. Dance party at Thomas Paine Plaza<\/li>\n
          5. Saw Debbie again<\/li>\n
          6. Listened to various speakers; Hillary supporters there & they spoke & BM4B debated them<\/li>\n
          7. One of the BM4B guys got an email from a Hillary supporter who worked for the Pennsylvania government; read the email; horrible horrible email<\/li>\n
          8. Left for home<\/li>\n
          9. Stopped at Burger King along the way for food<\/li>\n
          10. Ran into traffic; didn’t get home until around 7<\/li>\n
          11. Sad days ahead<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            Pictures I’m In<\/h2>\n

            Searching through the internet, pictures of the DNC and protest around it; I’ll keep track of photos I find myself in here:<\/p>\n