Pittsburgh G20

So, the G20 protesters in Pittsburgh didn't live up to the hype. If you didn't live in the Shady Side part of Pittsburgh, you didn't see anything other than police and military unless you went looking for it. Due to some work constraints, I personally didn't get to see any protesters, let alone anyone getting hit by bags of poo or urine. Pittsburgh is not a west coast city like Seattle. The natives don't have a lot of patience for tomfoolery in this city and we aren't close enough to California to pull crackpots in driving range. The most entertaining thing that could have happened would have been if the G20 had coincided with a Steeler's game. There are enough people in this city already looking for a fight that Yinzer rage would have been front and center if only the protesters could have tried to interfere with game day...

Artist rendition of what protesters vs. yinzer Steeler fans might look like.

Protesters did threaten to do a lot of damage around the city (including the company I work for), but it just didn't pan out for them. They did bust up some banks, a Boston Market, and Pamela's, which is home to some of the best pancakes I've ever had. The banks and Boston Market are big companies theoretically ruining the world, but Pamela's is a local business. Maybe Pamela's was targeted because the President has taken a liking to their pancakes and even reportedly flew them to the White House to cook breakfast. But isn't that just like stepping on a pretty flower because someone you don't like loves daffodils? We all want to enjoy delicious pancakes, anarchists or government storm troopers alike.

President and the First Lady enjoying Pamela's.  I have the same look on my face when I eat there.

Which brings me to a question that lots of people around here have been asking...Why do protesters think smashing up someone's city and/or hitting people with urine and poop is going to make people come over to their way of thinking?  Oh, now that you have damaged the place I work and closed down travel to where I want to go, and tried to destroy places I like to go, in the town I live, and hit me with human feces, I see your point about global economics?  This type of action actually reinforces the rest of society's belief in the need for cops in riot gear.

Furries: Significantly less of a drain on society than most G20 Protesters

Here is my theory. Protesting this type of meeting isn't really about getting your message out. It really is about getting together with other like minded folks and meeting other people with the same freak as you do. I saw it last month at DragonCon and also in my outside-looking-in observation of the yearly Furry Convention (Anthrocon) here in Pittsburgh. Instead of liking Star Wars way too much or liking to get your groove on dressed like Tony the Tiger, these folks hate the way society is going and like meeting other people who don't look at them like they have a tattoo of Barney Rubble on their forehead when they discuss "the Man".

Plus, don't we all like to have a little adventure in our travel? Maybe a little danger? Well they are guaranteed both when they come to an event like this. Next year, they'll be sitting with a beer in their hand telling stories about how they almost got arrested, got hit with tear gas, or hit a cop in right the face with a rock. The difference is, of course, that society doesn't pay when the Furries enjoy animal passion after the Anthrocon Masquerade (although the cleaning staff at the Westin might). When millions of taxpayer dollars (somewhere in the neighborhood of $10-20 million actually) are spent because you are douche bags, or people are exposed to disease from your bio-waste, or businesses spend thousands of dollars to repair their buildings, it is a whole different story.

I'm sure a lot of protesters are actually out there because of their passion for their cause. Good for them standing up for what they believe in. Just keep it classy and maybe the world will listen.