BRUTALITY AND VICTORY
“Within five minutes into the march, we were met with a line of riot police blocking the street in front of us and the right, and all of them had batons in hand. The front of the march took off to the left in a frantic sprint and everyone followed. This set the tone for the rest of the night, as we continued to try to out maneuver the police as we were trapped several times, and continually threatened with the stalking presence of riot police and mounted police officers. At one point to escape being kettled, we ran across the corner of a small garden then through a parking lot.
Never did we feel comfortable, tension and stress were consistently present, and the hot summer-like temperatures weren’t helping our endurance. Even when we were allowed (practically forced) to travel down certain streets due to blockades we were constantly surrounded and trapped at any given moment making an emergency escape for anyone impossible in case things got bad, but nonetheless we all did the only thing we could do: march and chant our asses off.
As the march came to Washington and State St. once again protesters found themselves trapped. Several times before and often the amorphous group was conflicted in which direction to go, and at times considered turning around and going back the way they came. This time though it seemed as if they had had enough. They came to exercise their first amendment right, had been intimidated and bullied and instead of trying to outmaneuver the police would try to move straight through the police line.
At that point a shoving match ensued, but the police quickly upped the ante and started swinging their batons, beating protesters. I quickly backed up to the sidewalk as I anticipated things getting bad. It didn’t take long for a woman to emerge from the crown bleeding from the head, with blood covering about half of her face.
49 comments on the article “BRUTALITY AND VICTORY”
Displaying 11 - 20 of 49
Page 2 of 5
dravazed
The question of what constitutes "victory" is a valid and important one. Is it important to refuse to move or to go a different way than ordered by police? If so, what constitutes this importance, up to and including risking violence? Was something important gained by sitting/remaining at a place where the police began hurting people?
These are not "troll" questions. The comprehensive absence of strategic thinking and discussion leads to on-the-spot decisions without reference to any clear, stated goals. If you're going to risk injury, shouldn't there be a significant objective to justify this? "Making a point" or "showing them we're not afraid" may be enough for some folks, but likely not for others--and they don't show the way to any kind of victory.
The consistent refusal to take this seriously, isn't a virtue. I think Adbusters is not the place where this can be resolved though, due to the major trolling and also to fetishization of spontaneity by its editors.
Gary (Akoyeh) McGee
The hunger for a different society is what keeps the occupation movement going strong. The movement is a celebration of true democracy, but most people are so entrenched, so utterly enchanted by plutocracy-disguised-by-democracy that they cannot even begin to fathom such a celebration. We must remember that most people are so inured, so hopelessly dependent upon the system that they will fight to protect it. This is a kind of social or societal cognitive dissonance, the worst kind of cognitive dissonance actually. The menace of the past was that men became slaves; the menace of the present is that men become pseudo-slaves to a plutocratic regime.
Insurgency, the rarest and most courageous of acts, is seldom distinguished from rage, the most common and myopic.
Insurgency is not rage, nor is it nihilism. It is the spearhead of freedom. We need to shift the grounds of politics itself. The occupy movement achieves this. There is no doubt that we benefit from a law-abiding society. But at times like these we have a higher duty, indeed a higher responsibility, to health and life itself; and we should no longer allow ourselves to be bound by petty laws that protect those who continue to abuse and pollute our planet. Non-violent revolution is plum necessary when just laws are used to uphold unjust behavior. In the spirit of MLK, Gandhi before him, and Thoreau before him, we must passionately and compassionately disobey.
Freedom is something you do, not something you are. It is not a given. It takes effort, courage, and determination; usually in the face of those who would make you their slaves. In the same way that living healthy isn't a diet or a fad, but a way of life; revolution isn't insurrection or anarchy, but a way to maintain freedom.
http://letter-z.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-get-Power-over-Power-Capital-Munificence-and-Hero-Expiation
Anonymous
We get it Pal:
You passed Sociology 101 thirty years ago, and that make you a philosopher today.
The bottom line is that these are people who were raised to be lazy spoiled brats, and when they grew up they had no hard skills or social training on how to fend for themselves.
So, they riot, they break property and even injure their fellow citizens because they think that the world owes them a living.
Maybe 5-10 years of intense training and rehab will turn them into productive people.
On the other hand, maybe they'll be useless (or less than useless) for the rest of their lives...
Take it from there, Mr. Philosopher...
Anonymous
Just pushing in. Instead of saying that 5-10 years of intense training and rehab will turn them into productive people, do you not want to say productive "units"? For since when did the system ever care about people? Another brick in the wall more like.
Anonymous
So many 'brave' foot soldiers hiding their faces so their families won't recognize them and bring them shame, or so they won't ruin their own future career opportunities.
Actually, the real 99% are the ones paying the taxes to pay for the police to keep you in order or jail you if otherwise.
Anonymous
The problem is that the 1% isn't paying those taxes.
Maura in Chicago
The 1% pays the majority of taxes in the US. Of the remaining 99%, over 40% pays NOTHING. Focus on them.
Anonymous
Brutality? Really? Americans think police with plastic hand-cuffs and batons are brutal, in Central America, Africa and Asia policeman with automatic rifles fired on peaceful crowds are brutal. Brutality is getting tortured in prison not being taken to jail having someone pay your bail and you walk away only to show up at court and have charges dropped. Brutality is being killed in prison before there even is a trail. Americans are spoiled and don't understand brutality.
Anonymous
The U.S. Military and its domestic police forces have had a brutal and murderous impact on Americans for much of American history. Most notably effected have been those who have African or Native blood and complexions. Far behind are Americans who've fought for labor and womens' rights among many others - but with far less use of the club, whip and carbine, and more utilization of infiltration and informants. Add the false imprisonments, the most punitive laws and remedies, and innocent citizens who are beaten in the street, and the case is made that torture is in their bag of tricks, too. And don't forget the U.S. Military has had attached to it responsibility for the three most important assassinations in contemporary history - M.L. King's and the Kennedys'.
Anonymous
Right on!
And let's not forget that the US Military brought down the twin towers on 9/11!
It's been proven!
Pages
Add a new comment