New Election Thread

[Good Old Neon]

I agree. I would suggest always taking the legal high road so you look better in court though. Vilolence is just useless and defeats the purpose.

 

True, unfortunately, it is becoming clearer, to me, that in many respects, lawful, peaceful protests go largely ignored. Say what you will about the WTO protests/protestors in Seattle, and they certainly deserve their share of disdain, but they also deserve some credit for bringing a largely ignored issue to national and international attention.

[OOO]

True, unfortunately, it is becoming clearer, to me, that in many respects, lawful, peaceful protests go largely ignored. Say what you will about the WTO protests/protestors in Seattle, and they certainly deserve their share of disdain, but they also deserve some credit for bringing a largely ignored issue to national and international attention.

 

I bet if a bunch of hot protesters chained themselves naked to stuff near the convention, it would get some press. It's the best of both worlds. Nothing gets destoyed, but people take notice.

[Party @ the Moontower]

True, unfortunately, it is becoming clearer, to me, that in many respects, lawful, peaceful protests go largely ignored. Say what you will about the WTO protests/protestors in Seattle, and they certainly deserve their share of disdain, but they also deserve some credit for bringing a largely ignored issue to national and international attention.

 

That's a good point, and something America should spend more time looking at. Peaceful protesters are sitting in jail right now, some in prison for years. That scares me. When you speak out about organic foods, vaccinations, war, injustice on any level, healthy water, racism...just about anything, you could be targeted for terrorism.

[mfwahl]

Sometimes, the physical manifestation of democracy and an individual's right to express an opinion is a messy thing.

Rumsfeld?

[JUDE]

smashing windows, puncturing car tires and throwing bottles ...

>

hot protesters chained themselves naked to stuff near the convention, ...

 

 

at least on the fun scale.

[Party @ the Moontower]

I bet if a bunch of hot protesters chained themselves naked to stuff near the convention, it would get some press. It's the best of both worlds. Nothing gets destoyed, but people take notice.

 

 

That's a better option for everyone.

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

In principle, I agree

[EL the Famous]

When you speak out about organic foods, vaccinations, war, injustice on any level, healthy water, racism...just about anything, you could be targeted for terrorism.

 

but, in fairness, that's a pretty big COULD. the level of freedom of speech/expression that we still have here is pretty unparalleled.

 

and i FULLY endorse the act of nudity as an act of protest. hell, throw a nude woman through my window...as long as she's hot.

[Party @ the Moontower]

but, in fairness, that's a pretty big COULD. the level of freedom of speech/expression that we still have here is pretty unparalleled.

 

and i FULLY endorse the act of nudity as an act of protest. hell, throw a nude woman through my window...as long as she's hot.

 

I see your point on the the could be, and on the nudyness. I just believe in the First Amendment for everyone, and anyone denied this will slowly ruin it for everyone. I can't stand Phelps, but I respect his right to speak. It's important to seperate peaceful activist and violent losers, not an easy task for anyone. But, the preemptive raids were complete BS and may have sparked stupid violence and tension.No excuse for destroying property and attacking anyone though.

[ChooChooCharlie]

to be fair on the auspices of 'seeing what you want to see'...didn't they tell her a couple of times not to cross the police barricade or she'd be arrested? and then she did so anyhow? hardly antagnostic, but she hardly stood in one place either. should she have been arrested, probably not...but she didin't have to cross the line either.

The first time I heard any police ask anyone not to cross some line was after she had been pulled along and the arrest had began. I tried to watch the video again from your point of view, and have personally concluded the video is inconclusive of fault on either side.

 

Yes, because the best way to get the answers to those questions is to ask the policemen stationed on the front line of protection, and the video undoubtedly starts right at the moment she arrived at that location.

Since the arrest of the producers at least appeared to be recent, that was the best way at that time. I'm a prosecutor very familiar with filing charges, and your assumptions about inquiries into arrests is as immature as your choice of 'emoticon'. Its a bureaucratic mess and she would be fortunate to get any answers that day at all.

 

As a prosecutor, I tend to give the benefit to law enforcement, but there has been a pattern of 1st Amendment suppression at and leading up to the RNC with the raids and the reflexive arrests. I hope some credible media outlets are doing some real journalism here to find out the facts -- if they are allowed, that is.

[EL the Famous]

throw a nude woman through my window...as long as she's hot.

 

and before anybody takes that out of context and hits the report button/misogny alarm, that comes w/ a gurantee she would come through the window completely unscathed and, perfereably, oiled up in cocoa butter. w/ a box of steaks and fine microbrews. and an entire set of mint-condition batman comics.

[austrya]

[Wendy]

... and i FULLY endorse the act of nudity as an act of protest. hell, throw a nude woman through my window...as long as she's hot.

oh, that's a great idea. Let the woman be arrested for indecent exposure and spend the rest of her life on a sex offender list. But as long as you got your oogle in, bonus dude!

[Good Old Neon]

smashing windows, puncturing car tires and throwing bottles are a great way to rally against something...if that something is the evils of windows and/or tires.

 

i don't disagree w/ mr. savio as an ambiguous whole, but will say if the 'machine' in question is my innocently parked automobile that has no involvement in a political convention being held by folks i'm actually opposed to myself...fuck that. eat a tear gas canister, you mook.

 

personally, you can give me an accountant who can keep my money in check. anybody who thinks throwing a rock is an effective way to encourage a change in direction, other than the direction i'll be headed to kick your ass/stop you from fucking up my stuff...deserves whatever they have coming to them.

 

lawlessness, regardless of intent, is still lawlessness. i appreciate that it isn't acceptable practice to throw a brick through my window when something the administration does pisses somebody off.

 

 

True, but like I said

[EL the Famous]

oh, that's a great idea. Let the woman be arrested for indecent exposure and spend the rest of her life on a sex offender list. But as long as you got your oogle in, bonus dude!

 

you really think I'M going to press charges on something like that?! she'd have full amnesty. or diplomatic immunity. or whatever.

[JUDE]

Some things are worth more, or are more important than a piece of glass or a car or a tire, etc. My guess, is that up until things got a little dicey, many of the RNC attendees spent much time mocking and poking fun at the funny looking protestors, perhaps now that they

[caliber66]

Tell that to the poor schmuck who just spent 8 hours making sandwiches at Erberts & Gerberts and comes out to find his 97 Corolla just got trashed by some defender of the first amendment. I'm sure he'll feel much better about it

You don't understand. Everyone in Minneapolis is supporting the RNC, and by proxy, THIS ADMINISTRATION. Who gives a fuck (sorry, mods) about their property? Their stuff is nowhere near as important as the point the protesters are making. That point, of course, being that breaking shit is FUN, DUDE!!!!

[Good Old Neon]

You don't understand. Everyone in Minneapolis is supporting the RNC, and by proxy, THIS ADMINISTRATION. Who gives a fuck (sorry, mods) about their property? Their stuff is nowhere near as important as the point the protesters are making. That point, of course, being that breaking shit is FUN, DUDE!!!!

 

That was not my point at all.

[John Smith]

WTF? I was just looking at the tv guide for tonight, ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, CNN, MSNBC all have the RNC on tap for tonight. SOme more than others, however FOX has nothing scheduled while Fox News has what appears to be their regular scheduled programs. I'm sure ORieley and Hannnity will focus on the protestors arrested and they are probably broadcasting from up there, but still whay don't they want to show their preferred party's convention? My Guess is that they don't twant their viewers to see it as it is, but would rather they see it through the dizzying spin only Fox can provide.

[Party @ the Moontower]

This adminstration suddenly cares about those devastated by Katrina, people who still do not have homes, education, healthy water, toxic clean-up, jobs, etc, and the Republicans are using this to their RNC advantage. It makes me ill to see McCain and Bush acting as though it is top priority now. Help is still needed from August of 2005.

[Tweedling]

True, unfortunately, it is becoming clearer, to me, that in many respects, lawful, peaceful protests go largely ignored. Say what you will about the WTO protests/protestors in Seattle, and they certainly deserve their share of disdain, but they also deserve some credit for bringing a largely ignored issue to national and international attention.

If your peaceful protest is going unnoticed then you aren't doing it right. It seems a little childish to think, "Hey, no one is noticing me! I need to break the law so someone pays attention." I have a 6 year old who does the same thing. And come to think of it, he pisses and moans when I bust his butt for it. Very similar......

[bobbob1313]

Your point is fuck the people who are hurt while these dudes throw their bitch fit.

[caliber66]

That was not my point at all.

That's as much as I take from it. There is no way in my mind that a group advances its cause by destroying random people's private property. As far as I'm concerned, the protestors broke shit because they felt like breaking shit.

[Party @ the Moontower]

WTF? I was just looking at the tv guide for tonight, ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, CNN, MSNBC all have the RNC on tap for tonight. SOme more than others, however FOX has nothing scheduled while Fox News has what appears to be their regular scheduled programs. I'm sure ORieley and Hannnity will focus on the protestors arrested and they are probably broadcasting from up there, but still whay don't they want to show their preferred party's convention? My Guess is that they don't twant their viewers to see it as it is, but would rather they see it through the dizzying spin only Fox can provide.

 

Excellent point!

[Guest Jules]

My Guess is that they don't twant their viewers to see it as it is,

which is what?