Peace and prosperity for all
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_1bYVMwg8k
The NYPD, brutality notwithstanding, might at least be credited for doing the opposite of quieting dissent, as their ham-handed arrest of hundreds of peaceful protesters was caught on video for the whole world to see.
Americans can only take so much abuse. These goings on in New York and Wall St. may very well break the dam holding back the outpouring of American dissent. And that would be awesome!
One week down, countless more to go for the daring dissenters from the movement to occupy Wall Street. Despite dozens of arrests, the protesters are holding strong, maintaining an indomitable presence near America’s financial heart.
Now, if you’re looking to be outraged, check out the above video that shows police corralling and pepper spraying a group of frightened females.
Ugh, that is entirely reprehensible. Absurd! The officer who did the actual spraying should be fired, and the police department deserves to be sued.
Whenever these badged bullies use unnecessary force upon activists it makes me long for the days when we view the whole police/protesters scenario like a massive Stanford Prison Experiment.
The Stanford case, if you didn’t already know, involved a 14-day study with 24 students split into two groups – half as the prisoners and half as the guards. The entire experiment was abruptly stopped after only six days as the test degraded to the point of prisoners being tortured by the designated captors.
In New York, the same situation is playing out right now. On one side, some humans have taken the role as activists, and most choose to simply exercise their rights of non-violent civil disobedience.
On the other side, some humans have been entrusted with the role of protectors – sworn to uphold the law. But, as Stanford alluded to, authorities will abuse the power they’ve been given.
So what’s the solution? Well, why not pass laws that make it mandatory for every single member from riot squads to make public a video feed of their actions. Put it all online – unaltered – open to public scrutiny.
Like the protesters on Wall Street are finding out, the 1% who control most of the wealth are scared of the 99% who want greater equality. It is imperative that we – the regular people of the world – push back against the encroaching security state, now, while we still can.
And one great way to do that is to make it really easy for anyone and everyone to police the police.
****UPDATE****
The officer who point blank maced a penned in group of young women and then slinked away has been identified as Deputy Inspector Anthony V. Bologna. Follow the link for a few ways to file a complaint.
The above video, which shows riot police dispersing peaceful protesters, is difficult to watch without evoking a sense of frustration and anger. The demonstrators don’t appear to have done anything, other than exercise non-violent civil disobedience, and they’re treated like cattle being led to slaughter.
Of course, the police forces were just acting under orders. With crowds expected to gather and watch an upcoming soccer match, the dissenters had to be cleared out to make way for cleaning crews. To hell with democracy when there’s footie to be played, right?
Still, such thuggish tactics reveal the inherent violence in the system. Civil liberties and personal rights can so readily be squashed when the voice of the people clashes with those who hold the purse strings.
A Scotland Yard police officer will be charged with manslaughter over the death of Ian Tomlinson, who was killed at the 2009 London G20 protests after being clubbed and shoved to the ground.
Tomlinson was not involved in the protests and was walking away with his hands in his pockets when he was attacked. He collapsed minutes later and died.
Had this incident not been caught on tape, it is unlikely the officer would be facing any repercussions for the abuse of power.
The moral of this story? Always film police brutality.
Regular civilians may not be trained in martial arts, have access to riot armor, or be authorized by the government to use force, but we do have cameras. And footage of injustice, corruption or police brutality can be more powerful than any weapon.
So, whenever trouble rears its ugly head, be sure to pull out your handy cell phone camera and catch it all on film.
You might not be able to stop any infractions while they happen, but your vigilance will prevent future abuses, especially as more authorities become aware of the world’s ever present lens.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSeBcKJFSFw
(Now we see the violence inherent in the system!)
In the latest attempt to squash the Arab revolt from within their borders, Bahraini officials have set their sights on scholars studying abroad.
Students in the UK, who were photographed supporting the Bahrain uprising, have been stripped of government-funded scholarships and their parents were told to call their children back home.
The students fear being arrested should they return home, and that their families might be subjected to beatings and torture from the repressive regime.
Clearly Bahrain’s oligarchs are the kind of inhumane, selfish thugs who have no place in a civilized and just world, and are exactly the kind of corruption we will be eradicating as we foster a new peaceful and egalitarian dawn.