After my first post about boycotting GA I thought I was done with the subject, but it seems that I'm not.
The people who say that those of us who want to boycott GA are being upset over nothing; that there are real issues with GA that we need to be talking about instead of ones that deal with civil liberties/security issues. And anyway....all sorts of people go through that port to go on their cruises so the screening people are probably more sensitive than most. Do I have the argument right?
Maybe it's just me, but I think something needs to be pointed out: THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CRUISE AND A CONVENTION.
The cruise LEAVES the port at 4:00 (in most cases and in most ports). No matter what time you enter the port, you are going to be getting on a boat that will LEAVE at 4:00. It is not the same with a convention center. A convention, by necessity, means a lot of going in and coming out. So pardon me if I feel it wrong that I would have to show identification EVERY time I want to come back into the convention center.
I will give those who say that every thing will be ok a point; other conventions have been there with what seems to be little problem. I don't hesitate to point out that the Convention and Visitors Bureau isn't going to be the most forthright if there have been any problems. Have we talked to some of the other conventions to get their impressions?
I agree that there are other GA issues that we can talk about. I work my ass off on two jobs to save enough money to go to both GA and my District meeting every year, so I'm all for working on those other issues. But I don't think that just because there are other issues to resolve about GA that somehow we shouldn't continue to discuss this issue for this GA. If this makes me a sh*t-stirrer, so be it.
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""Do I have the argument right?""
Not in my case.
The thesis of my argument is: Talk about the issue all you want, but you're wasting your time.
Because of the port, the Department of Homeland Security is imposing this restriction. Not Ft. Lauderdale, not the convention center, not GA.
You can protest all over Fort Lauderdale, you can write angry letters to the convention center, you can boycott the business meeting of your church.
It will change exactly zip and you will be irritating people who had nothing to do with this decision and undoubtedly hate it too.
If you want to protest to the people who actually made this decision, write to:
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, D.C. 20528
Or better yet, get the same effect by not bothering because DHS doesn't care that we're having a church service. They will want to check IDs anyplace that connects to the port.
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