Picketing Reminders

If you've read the FOP flyer, signs will be provided. We'll leave the phrases and wording to the boys at the Hall. We know they'll want to get out a serious message, so play by their rules. We can't see them objecting to a few "cute" signs carried by family members who show up. Something like "My Daddy needs a Contract" will almost guarantee your kid face time on TV and will bring home the point that we've been trying to raise families in this city for the past two years while the aldercreatures and their staffs got large raises and the other unions got better than average offers in return for ten years of labor peace.

A question:

• We heard families and other supporters are welcome. Are they responsible for their own transportation? If they are, bring quarters or parking cash. Don't give the TMA's an excuse to ticket and tow your family sedan.
  

And a bit of advice:

• Have a few video cameras around. The City will be filming and the last time we rallied, a number of people were more than a little casual about violating the First Amendment at the behest of the Administration.
• The on-duty guy is always right, administratively speaking. He might be 100% wrong in terms of First Amendment Rights, but don't doubt for a second that J-Fed and his underlings will throw the off-duty under the bus.
• Rules and Regulations will conflict with First Amendment Rights on occasion and until someone takes a test case all the way to the US Supreme Court, the Rules and Regulations will take precedence.
  

Rely on the FOP guys there to make statements, defuse volatile situations and sort out conflicts that might arise. We need a decent showing. And we need those who show to be decent.