62 Days Till The 2008 Election
"Freedom In America"...
More Than Just Title Of A Hit Country Song
It's one thing for the police to put on a display of force to control the idiots of anarchy trying to stir up trouble at the RNC Convention in St. Paul. It's another thing to arrest credential journalists trying to get information on what is happening to their fellow journalists. From what I've been reading about these protests, if you are out of the specific protest boundaries and the police are moving you back with night sticks, etc., they aren't taking time to check press credentials. The policy of the RNC security operation must be "take them down now and ask questions later."Part of me thinks these reporters and camera people must think their credentials give them some kind of Superman protection. If you notice, reporters gets killed and maimed in war zones. I'm guessing the police aren't handing out business cards that say "Welcome to Minnesota Nice."
Lest we forget, there are thousands of cops from all over getting paid extra to wear riot gear and test out state of the art crowd control weapons and tactics. I'm not sure how the local Twin Cities media is reporting this. I haven't seen any of them doing up-links from the riots.
The video below must have been shot down along Shepard Road. My guess is the protesters or trouble makers are trying to go up Cedar to get near the Excel Center. Obviously, they aren't welcome. Anybody know when these protesters come from?
I can't really tell what causes the police to start firing the smoke bombs into the crowd. Obviously, they aren't going to let the bullshit get too close for comfort. It looks like the tactics are working to keep the idiot fringe away from their destination.
The footage below is very disturbing. You see the pain and agony that some protesters receive for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. However, I have no idea if they are in off-limits areas -- probably -- and what they are protesting. Breaking store front windows is bullshit. I believe the point of this video in to give some sympathy for the protesters. But there is no narration and maybe they are getting what they deserve.
As St. Paul Mayor Coleman said, "This is a time for people to engage in proper political dialogue ... we will continue to allow that to happen in the city of St. Paul. We will send a very loud and clear message to those who choose to break the law and endanger the safety of others. We will pursue you, and we will not let this stand."
Peaceful protest is one thing. Unchecked violence and mayhem in the street is another. Are the protesting the two-party system? I've been told the Republicans are responsible for the Iraq war. It seems to me that a large number of Democrats voted to go to war. Hindsight and excess might make good political rhetoric, but I don't by it. Democrats who voted for the war in Iraq where either for it or didn't do their homework...maybe they were too busy watching the polls or prostituting their ethics for campaign contributions.
The other thing these anarchists or idiots do is make the Democratic Party look bad. They think they are making the Republicans look bad, but I don't see it that way. Likewise, if you think the St. Paul Police are in charge of crowd control at the RNC, you've been watching too many episodes of Mayberry RFD.
Watching these and other videos makes my skin crawl. It crawls because of the protesters and it crawls because of the police actions -- especially against the reporters and camera people.
Well that's it for tonight. Unlike a few thousand idiots wearing bandannas over their face, I have to get up and go to work tomorrow and help pay for the taxes going to pay for the upcoming police brutality lawsuits and the jail food for anarchists. It's times like this that one's pride of being an American slumps a bit.
4 comments:
Fairly put, Sunny.
Personally, I think that the level of lawlessness and violence on the part of the protesters is inversely proportional to the size of their groups. The smaller (or "fringyier") the group, the more lawless they must be to get the attention they crave.
The cops, on the other hand, are worried about critiques and second-guessing in regards to their response. Like the protesters, they have been planning their tactics for at least two years, and do not want to appear unprepared for this craziness.
Bottom line: This is all meaningless political theater. The real revolution (or not) occurs in November, and a lot of things can happen in the interim.
RK:
I do think it will be quite an interesting race. I suppose Obama and the Dems had their week last week and this week it's the GOP's turn. I really think the choice of Palin paints the Obama camp into an interesting corner. I've noticed for quite awhile that the Democrats don't seem to be able to dish out the same crap that the Republicans have dished on them.
I'm more impressed with Obama's and Palin's experience than I am with Biden and McCain. What have they actually done for the past 30 years? Do politics by day and sell their ethical souls by night.
I hope someone does a scientific study to check the post-convention temp and the level of methane gas with what it was before these conventions. The hot air created in the past two weeks will surely be enough to convince the Republicans that there is something to global warming.
Reverse the GOP ticket and we would have a really interesting race. Obama and Palin both are young, talented, and confident. Both represent previously marginalized constituencies. And each espouses a different view of America's future.
Biden and McCain are both old school "good ole boys" who bring nothing new to the table. The least you can say is that both understood the wisdom of hitching their wagons to new and upcoming politicians.
RK
I'm with you on the "good ol' boy" network of Biden and McCain. I wonder how long ago McCain slipped on the "maverick" label. Was it for a one shot deal that has become more of a nickname that has taken on folklore proportions.
Maybe the Democrats need to forget about MCCain's POW history. That doesn't necessarily qualify you to be President. Nearly 30 years in Washington doesn't make you a maverick or an agent of change. What is his real record? What does he have to show for his stay in Washington? What change can he attribute to himself specifically?
Phalin wouldn't be the first vice president how helped get the top of the ticket elected and then found herself doodling uselessly in the VP office. Right now she's a bright, flashy object dustracting everybody away for the reality of what McCain actually is. No doubt the reporters digging up Palin's past will unearth a few nuggets that won't shine so golden for her.
Experience doesn't necesarily equate to being a leader. Obama has a variety of interesting important experience as does Panlin. It's interesting how the Republicans jump so quickly on the press for doing their job to dig into her background. If anybody doesn't think that it's newsworthy to discuss the fact that the VP candidate has a pregnant, unwed 17-year old daughter and a five month old bady with Downs Syndrome in her arms they obviously haven't listened to Rush Limbuagh or Hannity or the other conversative talkies.
Palin can light up the one-issue light bulbs that make up the Republican base: guns, pro-life, small government, lower taxes, etc. etc. But can she tap into the swing voters that decide the elections. We've heard the Republican choir sing this week, but we'll see how their voices hold out when the post-convention hangover sets in.
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