wow this thread sure has had a lot of posting without much progress. . . even though j wonder is nowhere to be seen!
uncanny
people are mixing up their perceptions on this issue imo. the crowd-controlling actions taken by law enforcement are being treated as a symptom of our corrupt government's march toward total control over every aspect of our lives. it's very easy to make such a shocking accusation and post up videos of someone being arrested or gassed to drive the point home, but that's at best ignorant if not disingenuous, and at worst willfully deceptive. it's sensationalism that does no one any good at trying to figure out the truth of what's actually going on.
so what's going on? it's obvious that there is oppression, but oppression of what? that's the question and that's where one's opinion on other perceived government oppressions can muddy the waters. so what is it; is peoples' right to speak and be heard being oppressed, or is it oppression of unlawful expression -- to the point where other peoples' lives are unnecessarily infringed upon -- of that right? i maintain that we will not know until protests are carried out in a self-dignifying way rather than a self-aggrandizing way, but as long as there is a clear path for lawful protest with abundant avenues to get the message out and be heard i will have to assume that the problem is not with the law, but with the protesters; that it is oppression of an uncivil method rather than oppression of civil rights.
you can talk until your blue in the face about this or that government conspiracy but it won't change the fact that we ample opportunity to express our civil rights without infringing on the rights of others, and that therefor we are absolutely empowered to get whatever message out which we feel is important without inciting displays such as this which, if anything, take away from our intended message. still think protesters don't incite anything? i'll have to respectfully disagree and continue enjoying my life with all the freedoms you say i'm losing. i'll make up for it by lauding the better stories you have to tell when we meet up at the fema camps
