Vienna Waits for You

President Bush is scheduled to visit Vienna on the 20-21st of this month and the Austrians are preparing to meet him. This rooftop by the Naschmarkt (“snack” market) is only one part of what the locals have planned for the extremely unpopular leader. Democrats Abroad are also going to be there, along with Cindy Sheehan and other activist organizations.

The organizers state up front that the protests aren’t anti-American, saying that US citizens are paying for the Bush administration’s war politics just like the rest of the world. (My flimsy translation.) The city of Vienna will be pretty much under lock down for the time of the visit, with streets and businesses closed for the duration. Sorry, your kaffeehaus won’t be compensated for loss of income, Herr Ober. (Think WTO, Seattleites.)

I’m sorry I’m not going to be there to stand in solidarity with my compatriots abroad.