Oscar for Bush:
‘Best Performance in a Coup d’etat’

r. DeMille, we’re ready for our close-ups," laughed the Oral Majority’s chair, Bob Kunst as over a thousand limousines disembarked at the Oscars site that the LAPD had assigned to Kunst and to thirty others waving "Bush Stole the Election" banners and chanting "Jail to the Thief."

Kunst was clearly elated about the site. "We couldn’t have been more central," he exulted, "and we’ve certainly got the LAPD to thank for that. We arrived early and they took us directly to THE optimum location."

The protesters were shown live on the cable channel, E ,brandishing their "Bush Stole The Election" banners. The Associated Press captured the essences of the Oral Majority’s themes and published them worldwide.

Kunst, in the wake of an energizing but exhausting day, attempted to recall the media interviews he gave:

"We had an Associated Press photographer; a BBC Cable interview; German TV Video; Los Angeles’ A.'s Ch. 56 video; La Prense TV from Spain; WGN Radio from Chicago; A photographer from a Czeck Republic paper; an interview on Portuguese Radio for Lisbon; CNN video; Japanese TV video; Sri Lanka TV video; Greece TV interview; Baltimore Sun Interview; USC LA campus newspaper photo; Bunte German Magazine Photo"

The Oral Majority protest was both seen and appreciated by celebrities that included Donald Trump, Samuel L. Jackson and Sting, "all of whom," Kunst recalled, "definitely waved at us while we were chanting. And Michael Douglas and Katherine Zena Jones, Goldie Hawn and Kirk Russell were only a stone's throw and also we got a wave from Benecio Del Toro, an Oscar winner.

"The Los Angeles Daily News gave us coverage which came from Associated Press."

"Not all the speeches were on stage," said the AP report, describing the 30 protesters and quoting their pickets signs. AP noted that Kunst himself had traveled from Miami, and described how he "held a miniature statuette and a sign reading, ‘Oscar for Bush, best performance in a coup d'etat.’ "

Kunst’s direct appeal to Hollywood’s stars was quoted too: "We're here to say to Hollywood specifically, you were very vocal against  Bush. Where are you now?"

Variety.Com wrote: "A crowd of some 50 people had gathered to protest George W. Bush's election. The group chanted, ‘Bush Stole the Election’ and waved such placards as ‘Bush Financed Hitler,’ ‘Bush Killed Democracy,’ ‘Dude, Where's My Democracy?’ and ‘Illegitimate Son of a Bush!’ "

Kunst gave especial thanks to " 8 kids who had signs that said: "Impeach Bush' and turn them over and said: "No More Bushit" and we all chanted for three hours."

A highlight, explained the Oral Majority chair, "was the flight of our ‘Bush Stole the Election’ banner plane around the Shrine prior to the stars’ arrivals. We had the full attention of everybody in the bleachers as well as the media who had to deal with this, whether they liked it or not." Countless photographs were taken of the protesters by people seated in the bleachers.

Kunst said: "Amazingly, so many standing in line waiting to get in also photographed us, besides the multitudes…we have no idea who they were...maybe fans or independent media."

The day before, Kunst had addressed the annual meeting of the Southern California Americans For Democratic Action.

"We got them to back three of our resolutions:

1. Gore Won-Bush Stole The Election!
2. Ashcroft Should Investigate Florida's Election Fraud.
3. The Democratic leadership should stop covering up the theft of this election."

"They passed these resolutions immediately," said Kunst, "and they’ll present it to the Statewide Democratic Party meeting in Anaheim next Saturday."

Oral Majority leafleted the thousands of delegates encouraging Democrats to reclaim their party and to win in 2002 with a new Democratic Congress that, Kunst emphasizes, 'Won't steal your Vote' and 'will impeach the Supreme Court members who betrayed US all.' "

"I'm exhausted and exhilarated all at the same time, not to mention the smog
I'm breathing, but still the energy is high and powerful and we are making a
huge dent, once again."

Kunst’s plans as he prepared to fly eastward to Florida, included a return next week to Daytona Beach with the Oral Majority’s "Bush Stole the Election" message.

"This time," he says "we’ll be presenting it during Black College Students weekend."

Oral Majority Online: www.oralmajorityonline.com

Jack Nichols is the author of The Gay Agenda: Talking Back to the Fundamentalists (Prometheus Books, 1996) Of Men’s Liberation: A New Definition of Masculinity (Penguin Books, 1975) and of Welcome to Fire Island: Visions of Cherry Grove and The Pines (St. Martin’s Press, 1976)

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richard
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 richard e. schiff
Richard Schiff
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