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Last Updated: Oct 16th, 2008 - 13:33:17 |
Local activists working under the name Recreate 68 expect to march on the Democratic National Convention 10,000 strong but with the turnout for last week's meeting I find that very doubtful.
Long-time Denver activist Glenn Spagnuolo co-founded R68 and spearheads the group's efforts. Spanguolo has most recently been involved with disrupting recent Denver Columbus Day parades. This information is available online as well as where the R68 group meets- Thursday evenings at the Gypsy House Cafe.
I walked into the basement of the coffee house and saw about 20 people sitting around on chairs and couches in a circle talking to one another in hushed tones. I sat next to a young couple who engaged me in conversation even after identifying myself as a reporter. But when we began to go around the circle and say who we were things got ugly.
There was another reporter there from the Westword, who immediately apologized for his story that had run in the "Statesman" criticizing the group and associating their efforts with drug use. Some of the people had no idea what he was talking about but others did and there was a brief discussion as to whether this reporter should stay. He was allowed to stay. Then it was my turn.
I identified myself as Rob and paused, taken back by the warm reception the other reporter had been given I was unsure if I wanted to identify myself as a reporter. And as the lady next to me took it as a cue to continue, ethics took over and I stood up addressing the group as a student reporter and a journalism student at Metro.
I was immediately asked if I would be quoting anything. Not unless I could interview someone I said. Was I taping anything or was I wired? No and no. I tried my best to smooth out the room and assure them I was cool. But announcing myself as a reporter to this group felt like I had slit my wrists in a group of sharks. All of a sudden, they could smell me and the two people I had been easily conversing with now avoided eye contact with me and shifted uncomfortably in their seats creating as much distance as possible. I sat down sweating despite the many oscillating fans and AC.
The night's agenda was written on a dry erase board. Half a dozen people talked about concerts and secret camps being held over the next few weeks and handed out flyers.
Then it was Spagnuolo's turn. He sat in the big blue velvet couch against the wall and had been whispering with the people around him jotting things down in a notebook. He stopped and addressed the group with his eyes first. He was pissed. Apparently last week's media training had been a disaster with only a couple of people showing up. And that evening's message was clear- do not talk to the media unless you have received the proper training, thus further crippling any chance I had for an interview. But I had so many questions I wanted to ask like, how is it possible to organize people who are encouraged to have their own agenda? And did they expect people coming in from out of state to help? But a more pressing question at that moment was why were the two reporters being asked to leave the meeting? Although, I was told they would let me know when I could come back down. As we walked up the stairs the other reporter told me they were discussing strategy and we may leak it out, so not to hold my breath. He had done this before. I waited for an hour and then left.
Recreate 68 wants to use the power of the people and from all the media attention given to the group, I was expecting a packed house of hyped up radicals excited to go out and change the system. But what I found was a group struggling to find power and people.
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