About Riots

[Cr8Joi]

I think this student is doing a good job of moving consciousness in the direction of connection. The cops don't realize that they support a system that oppresses them too. People have more in common than they do differences.

[Transmissionwould]

Firstly, protesters will never end a war, so stop jerking off. Secondly, without police (and weapons to protect themselves) there is anarchy. That's pretty much the definition. So either go back to 1977 London, or get a real job.

[Planeman3]

the guy who was talking he has no idea about the milatary

[iacoly07]

those cops showed up with weapons specifically to hurt people who were there to oppose a war that has claimed over 600,000 lives so far, and they used them on us, cause they wanted to, and i'm sure they enjoyed it, thats what these "people" live for. as well as hating the institutions they are a part of i also hate them each as individuals

[iacoly07]

anyone who takes up weapons for the purpose of patrolling communities to enforce the status-quo (authoritarian capitalist exploitation,racism,poverty,pa­triarchy,ecocide,ect.) with violence and coercion cease to be of 'the people' and are a separate institution held over and against 'the people' and unlike Iraqis or others that are dehumanized, cops CHOOSE to be cops, they do it cause they like it, and in doing so they dehumanize themselves

[iacoly07]

asking a cop to put down their weapon and engage in some kind of dialog is like asking a turd to flush itself. They are completely brainwashed and cannot be reasoned with, the only thing they understand is a rock in the face.

[Acumensch]

Brad, in all seriousness, that would clearly be an act of fascism.

[larkydozer]

I love how this "enlightened" student speaks authoritatively about knowledge he cannot possibly possess. Smug declarations which utilize racism as cudgel to beat on whole institutions (in this case, the military) are neither coherent, nor are they backed up with facts. Racism exists everywhere around the world down through history and that's one of the reasons it's hard to use it as an empirical explanation for anything.

[leedo2502]

Jesus kid I was getting misty there for a second

[jrdubeau]

Deep down, or not so deep down, protesters actually WANT the police to throw gas at them, or use some other measure of force because it creates more sh!t to protest about, or whatever they do to b!tch about it. I'm sure some of you don't see this, but it's true, believe it or not. They want a scene

[queny2]

Thats right, the protesters aren't concerned with the war in Iraq at all ,they just have a boundlessly masochistic tear gas fetish. Plain as the nose on..hang on can't see it for the gas! Nice of the cops to break the rules helping them out I guess.

[lampajoo]

You're right, but then the cops actually WANT to throw the gas...so it's a big orgy of idiocy. There are plenty, maybe all protestors who go to "protests" for the wrong reasons, but young guys just go into the military for the money and to work off some deep down, or not so deep down, desire to kill people for fun. Every human is flawed, the difference is whether or not a person kills or hurts others because of those flaws. The soldiers and cops fail the test, protesters don't.

[magira66]

I am on your side but when I joined I was only barely 17, lived in a rooming house for drunk old men and washed dishes for my money. I only had a GED so I could only go in the Reserves (luckily). I was in a hospital motorpool and never wished to see combat and luckily never did. The cops are pawns like us and most are not villians as most soldiers are not.

[magira66]

We do know that men in a mob act differently than they do individually which explains alot of excessive force in protest situations. Along with fatigue. Offer the cops a cold can of Coke it couldn't hurt.

[crucialaRtz]

Good try, keep it up! Also, how about going into police bars and dialogue-ing?! Deployed, they cannot talk, off-duty, another story. We can also try tactics where we collectively reward/celbrate "good cops" and ignore/shun bad cops. Also, wust understand chain-of-command structures and meta tactics which tool both cops and citizens (and radicals). Studying history of COINTELPRO is a good start.

[lampajoo]

I was at a "cop bar" once and I saw a guy get his ass handed to him, and almost beaten up or arrested, because he accidentally walked in on a cop in the bathroom and wasn't sufficiently apologetic. A good idea, they are people, but it's dangerous! (especially when they are drunk, make sure to knock first)

[magira66]

Sounds like bikers. Why hang out in cop bars anyways? Maybe he really thought the guy was messing with him. Maybe he was. You said he got his ass handed to him. The cops here in the city will beat your ass if you mess with them. I just do not screw with them and I advise others to be respectful but they do see alot of pointless crap every day some are probably hard cases.

[dashmurdock]

'Atta boy Charlie: well spoken.

[Mafia0000]

I think all hippies are gay, but this is probably the best footage on this incident

[minorgrey]

There are some really great shots in this. Good job to the camera operator.

This message is needed more as well. I've seen so many protests where everyone turns on the cops and the message is lost. A protest should be used to air your grievances, not bash cops. Kudos to the young man.

[billbacon]

Well done!

[lsrscreen9]

Amen, Charlie, Amen

[free484]

people like cops are dehumanized by their institutional role

[forREALpeaceandorder]

Only in YOUR mind. In reality, they are very very human. They love, laugh, cry, care, dream...just like everyone else.  You are the one that dehumanizes them, not their role.

[free484]

i noticed that you just got an account on march 11(4 days ago), did you just sign up to smear the tacoma protesters?

[Liface]

Bullshit. If you had actually been at the protests you'd see we'd been trying to get through to the real emotions of the police for weeks.

[beatsforthemind]

post continued...

"The culture of this protest is one in which neither of us is supposed to acknowledge each others humanity." The clash of protesters and police is often akward and, in the case of the Tacoma Port, sometimes violent, which detracts from the debate over what is happening. To me, this is what nonviolent protest looks and sounds like. I recommend listening to what is said.

[raibanubba]

agreed, this is a heavy video. we do need to acknowledge everyones humanity. i dont think that means not standing up for ourselves and not exercising our own power... i just think if we try to remember the humanity and to "love our enemies" even while we "riot" then it will manifest in the outcome and appearance.

[raultalbot7]

Crappy speech by a liberal douche-bag. I doubt the cops listened (I know I didn't) and the only thing they appreciated...was the overtime pay.

[143tbone]

Okay, now we're getting somewhere. Talk to these cops. After all they have kids at home and they are just trying to pay the bills. I'm sure they're very conflicted but in G.W.'s America they don't have many options do they? And you kids that are out there insulting these guys, well, think twice about what you are accomplishing.

[forREALpeaceandorder]

Well said, thank you so much.

[143tbone]

I have to say though that these cops over-reacted in a big way. But it was probably their superior officer who gave the order and whoever that was, was very wrong. And even if one of those kids did toss a barricade, it couldn't possible have hurt one of those cops. They look like they are better protected than our troops are. And what's with that?

[raibanubba]

it all of our american, it was already pretty screwed before G.W. anyways. he is a scapegoat and that needs to stop so we can all take responsibility!

[lampajoo]

So you're saying they beat people up and kidnap them...FOR MONEY? OH! Well why didn't you say so already? they're doing what they do for *money*...I see, well, let's get out of their way then. pfffff... no one told a bunch of meat heads with no skills to get married and have kids such that they only way they can survive is to be cops. They need to go to college if they want to make a decent living and if they aren't smart enough to do that then they shouldn't be breeding.

[Pratchettgaiman]

This is a good speech

[forREALpeaceandorder]

Good job buddy. That is the way to peacefully protest and to actually get your message out there. You are one of the very few I have seen do anything productive. If all protestors were like you...change could actually occur. You made your point well. Those cops listened, I know most appreciated what you had to say, and some even agreed. You are an example to all the other so called "peaceful" protestors. You made your point without hate, rage, vulgar speech or defiance of law. Kudos.

[Liface]

Agreed. Good job C-note!