Confusion in Las Vegas, August 2007: The Democratic National Committee will meet in Las Vegas from August, 23-25th at Paris and Bally's Las Vegas hotels. But the DNC's online registration form is as confusing as their vision for America. They can't get the location/s quite right, and they get typically nutty with demographic into. To wit:
The DNC is calling the gathering the "DNC American Majority Partnership Summit," but registrants are instructed to ask for a "DNC Joint Summit" room block. Well, which is it? The "Partnership Summit" or the "Joint Summit?"
Location confusion abounds, too. In one paragraph, the DNC tells us that the location will be at "Las Vegas Bally's and Paris Hotel, 3645 Las Vegas Blvd South." One address? The following paragraph
Event Date & Location: August 23-25th, 2007 Las Vegas Bally's and Paris Hotel, 3645 Las Vegas Blvd South, Las Vegas, NV 89109 (877) 603-4390
Paris and Bally's are separate hotels, but they refer to them as "Bally's and Paris Hotel," as though they are one. Paris is located at 3655 Las Vegas Blvd South. Bally's is located at 3645 Las Vegas Blvd South. Okay, they're next to each other. But they have separate addresses.
Hotel Room Block is located at both Paris and Bally's Las Vegas hotel. Call 888-266-5687 and ask for "DNC Joint Summit" room block. The room rate is $159 per night.
Ah, "both Paris and Bally's Las Vegas hotel." This acknowledges that they are separate, but someone needs to turn on the grammar check function of their word processor and make "hotel" plural.
IS "LGBT" AN ETHNICITY?
The DNC seems to think so. The online registration form includes the following question: Demographic Information (select all that apply):
Shouldn't it be "Pacfic Islander American?" (What if you're from an island in the Atlantic Ocean or Indian Ocean?) Or "Caucasian American?" Why is LGBT in there? Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transgendered is not an ethnicity. Nevertheless, if they're going to include it, shouldn't it be "LGBT American?" How about "Other American?"
Apparently nobody has informed the DNC that "there's no such thing as race."
The next question asks registrants whether they are "Male" or "Female." Wow, that's exclusionary. I'm sure that some of the "T" folks in the LGBT category might want to check "Other" for this question. And shouldn't it really be "Male American," "Female American?"
DNC's form also asks registrants (Registrant Americans) to select which events they will attend. For example, on Friday morning and afternoon, do you plan to attend:
Where is the "Caucasian American Summit?" Or the "Native American Summit?" Or the "Asian American/Pacific Islander American Summit?" Or the "Atlantic Islander American Summit?" Won't those folks feel left out, disenfranchised, shunned? On Thursday, by the way, there will be a "Women's Leadership Summit Caucus," but shouldn't that really be called the "Gyno American Leadership Summit Caucus," and why is there no "Andro American Leadership Summit Caucus" for Democrats who are poisoned by testosterone? What about the "T" folks, who are neither? Shouldn't there be a "Transgendered American Leadership Summit Caucus?" More disenfranchisement, more exclusion, more division. More confusion.
Then there is the problem with "leadership." Those attending the conference who just foot soldiers for the Democratic Party will certainly feel excluded and belittled by the fact that they are not "leaders." Isn't "leader" an elitist term? Will these leaders be elected or appointed? If they are elected, will it be by the membership? If so, then that would actually be a form of republican governance.
How ironic. A truly democratic body would have no "leaders." Everything would be decided by a vote of the full body. Self esteem is challenged, as well, since those who are not "leaders" will likely feel inferior. Do the Democrats really want to risk disenfranchising members who have been made to feel that they are somehow not as good as others?
Perhaps some smart ass attendee will raise these questions in Las Vegas. Perhaps they will get good answers before they are ejected from the event.
Perhaps some smart ass attendee will raise these questions in Las Vegas. Perhaps they will get good answers before they are ejected from the event.
ReplyDeleteDid I just hear you say, "Road trip: Vegas?"