This photo was not taken in Egypt. This photo was not taken in Syria. This is the front of the Oakland YMCA where marchers took refuge from CS gas. Reportedly, even a pregnant medic was batoned.
What was the march about? Seeking to enter a long vacant convention center to convert it to a community center. The reality is that there are more than enough buildings to have housing for everyone, schools for everyone, quality daycare as needed, and clinics – if people came before maximum profit and reasonable profit of the kind discussed by Adam Smith in Wealth of Nations was enough to satisfy our elite 1% – or rather.1%.
Anyway, back to Oakland – did you know the addiction to over whelming, unneeded force is so well known as to the Oakland police force that they are at risk of federal takeover. You don’t have to take my word for it NewsOne has been reporting on this aspect, that Oakland has been brutalizing its citizens for a decade, long before scapegoating Occupy: http://newsone.com/nation/associatedpress3/oakland-police-face-federal-takeover-due-to-excessive-force/
Don’t you get tired of photos like this coming out of Oakland
I sure do get tired of this stuff. It is Bizarro World where FEDERAL takeover of a police force might actually be an improvement, even with all my concerns about the NDAA.
Anyway, if you want to stand against this kind of deadly force being used against peaceful marchers, including folks with kids in strollers, and have the inclination to stand up, be counted, and let Oakland know you don’t buy the official spin, come on down to Copley Square and be there by 7:00 PM. Here is the detailed information: http://www.occupyboston.org/2012/01/29/action-solidarity-sunday-occupy-oakland/
As of now, it is unclear whether there were 50 arrests or 200 arrests, and whether those arrested were huddled in the YMCA to avoid the CS gas (and then arrested for felony tresspass) – or “kettled” and arrested. How many civilians were injured is not yet being reported, if it will be reported at all.
Citizen journalist videos are coming out now, as well. See Video from Oakland on January 28, 2012
Citizen journalists video clips from yesterday in Oakland –
It remains true that as citizens of the United States of America we will only get improvements we work towards and will continue to have the worst government we tolerate.
I still remember Jon Stewart saying, “What is Wrong with Oakland” – it does take two to tango, as my mother always said.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/27/jon-stewart-occupy-oakland_n_1035550.html
Partial Update
When I have the full list, I will do a further update. My native Detroit took to the streets, as did neighboring Toronto, and at least 22 others. Per one interviewed Oakland participant, entire families were “kettled” and children hit and targeted with rubber bullets near the YMCA – Again, as Jon Stewart said, “What is wrong with Oakland” – could it be the joint military/police exercise held recently with the Oakland Police left a desire to use all those goodies they received??
http://www.livestream.com/occupyboston
No tear gas. Patience from the police, and music is, at least briefly, once again heard in Dewey Square.
Does this garner support?
America has been using the American flag for flagrantly commercial purposes for decades. Here are some other photos of how the flag is used:
When I was a Boy Scout, in the early sixties, and was taught how to respect the flag, the use of the flag as clothing was JUST AS VERBOTEN as burning. Protesters were arrested during Viet Nam era for using flags as bandanas and embroidered on blue jeans.
I suggest that you direct your indignation at the crass commercial desecration of the flag before you get too worked up by a half-dozen adolescents. Given most adolescents today, I suggest that ANY involvement in the political process, even if offensive, is preferable to the total apathy practiced by all too many young people.
I would, frankly, prefer to see teenagers burn the flag than wear it on a pair of sneakers. Your mileage may vary 🙂
Here’s another photo of the same event that very few outlets are showing (via the excellent bagnewsnotes):
If part of you’re point is how unfortunate it is when the media pushes a deceptive (but convenient to their ends) narrative, it’s strange that you seem to be trying to perpetuate that which you decry.
This looks like a small group of teenage boys posing for one another’s cameras, JohnD.
Public gatherings bring out all kinds and apparently, some teens showing off for one another. Your point? Just as most police, hopefully, are professional and would not baton a pregnant medic – hopefully – thousands were peaceful and a few were theatrical louts.
Again, your point? My guess is there are thousands of pictures from 1/28/2012 in Oakland. I don’t condone flag burning.
Do you condone arresting journalists, using rubber bullets on kids, and CS gas on peaceful marchers? Just asking. I gave you my response to a picture of some louts you claim, but cannot prove, was taken at Oakland.
and 5 crazies carry Obama/Hitler posters, then what?
The picture of the Occupy Oakland protestors burning an American flag was on MSNBC and it was taken when the protestors broke into Oakland City Hall.
My point was you were presenting one side of the story as if the occupiers were completely faultless and never break any rules. My secondary point is the Occupy protestors continue to lose public support when they can’t control some of the crazies who are part of this bigger group. My last point would be to let others feel how the demonization of small group of people who are associated with a larger group is unfair… much as has happened to the vast majority of Tea Party protestors who have never said Obama was Hitler, have never made a racially insensitive remark and are regular people as opposed to plants.
As to your other questions, yes I do condone the use of force on groups of people who do not obey authorities. When you drive home from work tonight, try a little civil disobedience and speed and then when the police try to pull you over, drive faster and don’t stop. When they finally detain you, tell them you were just protesting the speeding laws.
I’m still waiting for your outrage over the many images showing flagrant desecration of the flag that I offered above. Could it be that you deem such desecration harmless except when it expresses ideas you disagree with?
It appears to me that your concern is with the expression of sentiments you disapprove of, rather than any deeply-held esteem for the flag.
but I clearly can see a difference between someone burning a flag compared to some fashion statement of using a flag pattern for a bathing suit or other garments. Now if you showed someone making toilet paper out of flag patterns then yes I would say that is totally disrespectful.
And again, part of my point was the Occupiers mistake of how something like flag burning not helping their support from regular people. I was not protesting their “right” to burn a flag, not matter how repulsive an act I think it is.
This is a good read.
http://networkedblogs.com/tiQ7f
Yes, I am more concerned about civil liberties, and income inequality, and 43% of the children in Dorchester qualifying as impoverished, and 25% of mortgages being underwater than provocateurs who do not, in fact, represent the Occupy movement.
In addition, you keep setting up “straw men” and knocking them over. You say I have said things like that Occupiers are flawless and faultless – I have never met a single human being who is flawless and faultless – including ME.
Where is your concern for the destruction of the bill of rights, NDAA, Citizens United, and the total lack of planning for a sustainable future, just for starters? You can come up with provocative photos and so can I – but at least I am working for a better future for all, not for a small group crouching on a pile of wealth like greedy dragons who are content to eat our young.
I’m worried that in 15 years, the revenue needed in MA to cover the costs of state pensions and healthcare will burn up 100% of the state budget. There will be no money to fund any of the programs. Is the Occupy movement concerned about that at all?
I retract my remarks about you saying Occupiers are faultless, you never said/implied it. However I think many others have implied groups such as Tea Party protestors are racists because of the actions of a very few nut-bags. People try to portray the entire movement as crazies due to one or two guys with terrible posters. I was trying to say the Occupiers had some bad players too.