It is intolerance like this that led to the killing of innocent students at Kent State by National Guardsmen May 4, 1970. Ohio Tin soldiers and Nixon coming, We're finally on our own. This summer I hear the drumming, Four dead in Ohio. Gotta get down to it Soldiers are gunning us down Should have been done long ago. What if you knew her And found her dead on the ground How can you run when you know? Gotta get down to it Soldiers are gunning us down Should have been done long ago. What if you knew her And found her dead on the ground How can you run when you know? Tin soldiers and Nixon coming, We're finally on our own. This summer I hear the drumming, Four dead in Ohio. Neil Young
If you're talking to me and labeling me "intolerant" (and you aren't necessarily), let me tell you've I've been to several peaceful, orderly protests. Civil disobediance is one thing. Shutting down essential services and hurting people who not only have nothing to do with the war but also even agree with the peaceful philosophy is poorly conceived. Maybe I'm wrong. Perhaps Bush and Cheney are sitting back, saying "Wow, all the downtown San Francisco bus routes were inoperative today. Also, if we were there, and we ate veggie burgers that we liked to bake at home, we would be SOL because B-Bob's favorite co-op is closed! Damn! ... Okay, call off the attack." Seriously, if I am "intolerant" for pointing out the obvious problem here, illuminate me. How is keeping me from teaching kids helping anybody? How is clogging the streets of the nation's most anti-war city helping anything? For every sincere protestor I've seen today clogging things up, I've seen one who obviously relishes taking the day off from work. I am sorry to sound so right-wing, but it's the honest truth. Some of these people are truly full of hate, and I can't sympathize with fighting hate with hate. That won't help anything. Want to do something worth while? How about support your fellow citizens, protest in an orderly fashion, keep writing to your elected officials, and don't toss your damn vote away next time you have the chance (whoops, sorry for that zinger, greenies )
The way I see it, their professors will probably know something is up when they show up for class the first time this semester.
Are there just so many anarchists out there? I think it is time now for the Democrats to distance themselves from the kind of wanton disruption of society. The divide line on this issue is not between parties, but between society (and all democtratic (small d) politicians against anti-social behavior.
UT students, staff protest war Crowd distributes instructions for civil disobedience By Tony Plohetski AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF Thursday, March 20, 2003 At the University of Texas, a crowd of more than 1,000 students and staff members began protesting the war at around noon Thursday. The crowd walked to Guadalupe Street and many sat down. Yellow slips of paper describing how to conduct civil disobedience, including where protesters could place themselves to best avoid arrest, were distributed. The leaflets feature the names of lawyers who can represent protesters if they are arrested. The crowd, gathered in front of Tower Records, heard from UT Professor and longtime activist Bob Jensen who told them that the war will ruin millions of Iraqi lives and destroy that country. "This war has nothing to do with the so-called liberation of the Iraqi people," Jensen told the cheering crowd. "And we say no." http://www.austin360.com/aas/news/iraq/0303/20utprotest.html
You're such an ahistorical jerk, treeman. That was only about 30 years ago, you know. Your parents might remember it. That is, if you had parents. I have a distinct suspicion you may have congealed.
Gosh, we're on Spring Break at UTA. I feel so horrible that I can't get up and walk out of class in protest. And I just know that UT-Arlington is behind this whole war, too. As for Kent State, I tend to think the shooting of students by National Guardsmen during what was supposed to be a peaceful protest on the grounds of an educational institution is a tad bit different than shooting at people who break in to military bases with the stated aim of doing damage to communications equipment. But hey, if I were a terrorist, I'd probably hitch a ride with these guys and see what I could get done for my cause while the chaos was brewing on the military base, especially knowing that the MPs might think twice about shooting these protestors for fear of being immortalized in song and all that. I kind of suspect that if my form of protest was to drive really fast past the checkpoints at the FBI building in Washington in an effort to disrupt operations there, they might well shoot at me, too.
I'm out in San Francisco this week on business, in an office building at the corner of Market and Embarcadero. I actually pulled an all nighter last night, and left the office at 7am local time, only to walk out of the building and see about 6 news trucks, 100 policemen with riot equipment, literally 100 police motorcycles, and 5 or 6 police paddy wagons. Then I looked over and saw the herd of protesters in an "organizational meeting". These people have gone out all over San Francisco BLOCKING intersections and all cars/trucks from passing through. The number of police devoted to watching after them and taking many (over 300+) to jail is astounding. It's really a shame that a city has to devote a HUGE amount of police power to baby-sit these protestors and make sure they don't cause even more trouble. I am certain this only pisses more people off than they convert to their side. I would also agree with previous logic presented on this board that labels the protestors more anti-Bush than anything else. Some of the signs I saw were "WE LOVE SADDAM" (???? what a joke!!) and "F4ck Bush". And what's with the goofs who lock their arms together with this cylindrical locking sleeve - the FIRE DEPARTMENT has to come and cut it. What a WASTE of their time and money!! I also agree 100% with Trader_Jorge's description of these people. DO THEY BATHE???? The shorts and knee-high yellow and green tube striped tube socks seem to be the fashion of choice, as well. Camouflage and tie-dyed shirts also are everywhere...
Well now, if the protestors in my city bother bigtexxx, then I take back everything I've posted above. Where's my sign when I need it! Anyway, here's an even more horrible idea for how to win people to your point of view: Calling Earl on the Peace Phone! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- San Francisco protesters stage a 'vomit in' Bay City News Thursday, March 20, 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 08:41 PST -- In a unique form of opposition, some protesters at the Federal Building staged a "vomit in,'' by heaving on the sidewalks and plaza areas in the back and front of the building to show that the war in Iraq made them sick, according to a spokesman. Many of the approximately 300 protesters demonstrating at the building at 450 Golden Gate Ave. attempted to block building entrances. Seven anti-war demonstrators were arrested at mid-morning as they sought to block a group of about 20 federal employees and other visitors seeking to enter the building, Department of Homeland Security spokesman Ron Rogers said. Rogers said all seven were charged with creating a disturbance and two were additionally charged with resisting arrest.
The protestors moved from UT to the Capitol and started marching down Congress Ave tonight when police decided they had enough. In less than an hour, police in riot gear with tear gas dispersed the crowd.
What the heck are you talking about??? I don't recall seeing any politicians taking part in this. What about the celebs? I doubt they are getting ready to sneak into military bases. These are crazy people on the fringe. This is like me saying, damn, the Republicans should distance themselves from militias.
Yeah I've seen lots of protests tonight. While some have been peaceful, others (Philly, Chicago, Australia) have been of the "I'm for peace and I'm going to prove it by throwing this brick at you!" variety. Trying to overturn a politician's car (Australia) and heaving bricks and rebarred concrete at cops (Philadelphia) strike me as being rather counterproductive to the whole "peace" movement. Plus the San Fran protest blocked so many streets to "make their statement" that firefighting units had trouble reaching calls due to detours and/or units from further away being called in. If your going to protest, fine it's your right. But if it causes property damage and the endangerment of fellow citizens or law enforcement officials, you deserve to spend the night (at least) in the pokey.
Well, the Republicans should. Many dems participated in anti-war rallies before the start of the war. The pols are not in the stupid street blocking follies, but they are not condemning them either. They need to clearly state that "These are crazy people on the fringe" so as not to be guilty of association. I want to see a strong Democratic Party that would provide a watchful eye on the Bush administration and inject creative ideas into the public arena. But the Dems today regard Al Sharpton as a "serious" candidate. The "Democratic wing of the Democratic party" would only bring historical disasters for them in '04.
