Day 10 - New York - the 1st 2016 Presidential Non-Debate

Democracy in action at Hofstra University - First 2016 Presidential Debate - Dr. Jill Stein not invited

If you don't believe our democracy is in trouble, you weren't with the American citizens trying to express their free speech last night at Hofstra University on Long Island. They came to peacefully express their concern for $15 an hour, the climate, Black Lives Matter, LGBT rights, many other issues and, of course, to question why Dr. Jill Stein was not on the debate stage. We were herded by hundreds of men with guns into a small area, perhaps a half-mile from the debate hall. I'm guessing (I wasn't close enough to confirm this) the debate auditorium is one of those buildings on the far horizon in the photo above.

It was necessary to park at least 2 miles away and, after walking at least a mile, to be faced with this long, purposefully slow line to go through airport-type security screening with scanning machine, emptying pockets, etc. - all to make sure the people in the auditorium a half-mile away from the demonstration point were safe! 

If you had a backpack (to carry water, cell phone, etc.) you needed to throw it in the garbage or you couldn't enter. If you had a pet dog, no enter.  And, of course, dangerous selfie-sticks and e-cigarettes were verboten. There were many groups with senior citizens but they were not allowed to bring in coolers with water. Bathrooms were not provided at the demonstration point; you had to return to a purposefully distant point a half-mile back to access a porta-potty. No water was available on a warm New York night. And, when you finally left the demonstration point, dehydrated, you were not permitted to simply retrace your steps. Three more long blocks were added to return to your car.

Our hero, Jill Stein,  came to Hofstra earlier in the day and was escorted off campus by more men with guns. Instead of being arrested and shackled to a chair for 8 hours (as she had been 4 years earlier), Jill chose to speak on social media during the debate and this morning, on DemocracyNow.org, to answer the questions Trump and Clinton answered the night before. (See my youtube video: Jill Stein: Shackled!)