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Not on their dime, protesters say

Cost of war, inauguration prompt tight fists

By Eric Weslander, Journal-World

Thursday, January 13, 2005

As a color guard from Fort Riley marches in President Bush's inaugural parade and the state's Republican leaders travel to watch the party, Harry Shaffer will be back in Lawrence not spending "One Damn Dime."


Shaffer, an 85-year-old Kansas University economics professor, is one of the unknown number of people across the country expected to take part Jan. 20 in "Not One Damn Dime Day." The idea, being spread by e-mails and Web sites nationwide, is to protest Bush's inauguration and the war in Iraq by ceasing all consumer spending for a day.

No trips to Wal-Mart. No gas. No groceries.

Some Internet critics have labeled it "slacktivism," and even Shaffer isn't convinced the protest will change many people's minds. But he said it's important to use all means available to protest what he considers an unnecessary war.

"You have to go where your heart is, and mine is in peace. Just show it in as many possible ways as you can, I believe," said Shaffer, who got news of the protest by an e-mail sent from a friend in Lawrence. "If only 25 percent or 30 percent of the population does it, it will have an impact."

Shaffer said there was no way the protest would hurt the U.S. economy because people would buy what they needed the day before and after the protest. The goal is to make a statement, not grind the economy to a halt, he said.

At the Downtown Barber Shop, 824 Mass., barber Jay Amyx wasn't too worried about a drop in business should the masses decide to participate.

"All that means is that Wednesday and Friday are going to be really busy for us if everybody holds out," he said. "I think only about 10 percent of people will even consider it."

photo
Mike Yoder/Journal-World Photo
KU economics professor Harry Shaffer plans to participate in a nationwide protest: "Not One Damn Dime Day." He and others across the country are vowing to not spend any money Jan. 20 as a form of protest of the war in Iraq.

Even the Internet organizers who are helping spread word of the spending boycott aren't sure where the idea originated, according to the Web site notonedamndime.com. Kansas GOP Chairman Dennis Jones, who's leaving Monday for the inauguration party, said he supported protesters' right to get their message across but called the idea "silly."

"Are these people going to turn off the heat in their houses? Are they not going to drink anything?" Jones asked. "If they're engaged at all in American life, they're engaged in consumerism. This is just another instance, to me, of left-leaning liberal symbolism that is really meaningless."

Jones said he expected to be "shocked and awed" by the inauguration, borrowing a phrase from the beginning of the Iraq war. He views Bush's winning of a second term as a historic occasion and said it was time for Bush and Republicans to get down to the business of governing.
text USinfo.state.gov: President Bush Inauguration, January 20, 2005
text Not One Damn Dime Day
text Unprecedented security planned for swearing-in
text Feds tell Washington to foot security bill
text Inaugural fund-raising hits $18 million (01-08-05)
text Inauguration to be top-dollar affair (12-29-04)


"You don't do that by some kind of symbolic protest gesture," he said.

The cost of the inauguration has been estimated at $40 million.

Lawrence resident Nancy Cayton Myers, who learned of the "Not One Damn Dime" protest from an e-mail from a friend in another state, says it's an avenue of protest for people who feel helpless or aren't able to go to rallies.

"I feel like this is a good way for the average person to protest economic policies such as the tax cuts that have pushed the tax burden down to the middle-income folks," she said. "I believe that even the small things make a difference."
State connections
Kansas connections to the presidential inauguration:
• Nine horses and riders from the Fort Riley Commanding General's Mounted Color Guard will represent Kansas on Jan. 20 in the 1.6-mile inaugural parade down Pennsylvania Avenue. Fort Riley officials said that, as far as they know, they're the only group from Kansas that's been invited to perform during the pageantry.
The color guard also rode in Bush's first inaugural parade.
"It's an honor for them to participate," Fort Riley spokesman Jeff Coverdale said.
• State GOP Chairman Dennis Jones and other party leaders will attend.
"This will be my first one," Jones said. "I expect to be shocked and awed."
Jones also will attend the Republican National Committee's winter meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday in Washington.
• Events Jan. 20 include nine inaugural balls. Kansas will be represented at the "Freedom Ball" at Union Station, grouped with Alaska, Alabama, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, and the Diplomatic Corps. Both Florida and Ohio have their own balls.
http://www.ljworld.com/section/citynews/storypr/193087