I am reviewing the Bikes against Bush Campaign that occurred live, during the Republican National Convention, in NYC during 2004. The protest was interactive. The participants used wireless Internet enabled bicycles that were rigged with custom-printing devices. The messages were printed with water-soluble chalk on the sidewalks of the city as the volunteers rode their bicycles. The chalk naturally away within fifteen days, so it should not be considered graffiti. The text messages came in live, via the net, and each rider had the final choice of what which would be used in the project. No profanity or obscene language was used in any of these. There was only one “printing” bike, but other cyclists rode in support.
Apparently the creator/activist, Joshua Kinberg, was under surveillance during the protest. He was later charged and spent five months in court. The case was eventually dismissed around the time that George W. Bush was being inaugurated for his second term. It was a bittersweet victory for Kinberg.
I think this is a very provocative way to protest one’s political views. Since the messages were printed all over the sidewalks, it is inevitable that thousands of people will read them on their respective journeys. The messages plant the seed that get the average joe thinking about the issues important in any upcoming election. Hopefully, this will stem valuable conversations and debates between people from all parties. This was a very socially conscious protest aimed at encouraging people to look into the reasons why Bush is not fit to run this country. I bet it was a lot of fun to do too.
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