By all indications, 1968 was one of the most divisive and violent years in our civil history. The infamous Chicago Police Riot at the Democratic convention was the low point, and you'd think we'd learned something in the last 40+ years.
But apparently not. Not when the Oakland Stasi police thugs use tear gas to break up a nonviolent protest, not when the uniformed minions of the 1% will rain destruction onto the head of an Iraq War veteran, giving him serious -- critical --head injuries.
From all accounts (except those by the police themselves, of course) it is evident that the attack was completely unprovoked, completely unwarranted, and completely unconstitutional.
Notice that it occurred in the early hours, around 4 AM. There was a reason for that. That's the time when the human body is in recharge mode, when its defenses are down and its energy at a low ebb, and its mind is all cobwebby and easily confused.
That's the time of day when the air is full of noisy floodlight helicopters criss-crossing over the Black ghettos and Latino barrios of East Los Angeles. That's the time of day when the Gestapo made its raids on unsuspecting German citizens. That's the time of day when the Stasi made its brutal attacks on East Germany's "enemies of the state".
In short, that's the time of day when every fascist authoritarian government in the world makes raids on its own citizens.
Something stinks in the city of Oakland. It also stinks in Atlanta for the same reasons as Oakland. It stinks in Maine because some fascist would-be assassin threw a chemical bomb into Occupy Maine's kitchen area, and before long it will likely stink in every city that has been "inconvenienced" by The People, who are taking the constitution seriously enough to try to exercise some of those rights that are given lip service by the system and its mouthpieces but are really held only in the abstract. When it actually comes down to someone exercising that right to peaceably assemble and petition for a redress of grievances... Uh, not so much.
This will get worse before it gets better. And what kind of crank are the cops smoking, to think that stomping on the protestors will do anything except create more protestors. And will it take an American Tiananmen Square with unarmed demonstrators facing down tanks before the rest of the 99% "get it"?
I hope not, but all indications are that we are going that way. I urge everyone to find an Occupy site near you and head on down. First learn how to protect yourself against tear gas, and then take some supplies (cash, food, blankets, warm clothing and toilet paper are always good) for the people, hang around and talk to them, join the movement. We can't all spend the night in sub-freezing temperatures, but we can help those who can.
Let's all go do it this week, next week, and every week after while The People are there.
Oh, and one last thing. If a cop starts hassling you, be sure to get his badge number. If he starts hitting you, repeatedly scream out his badge number so others will know who is hitting you.
Jeez, these are skills I kind of thought I wouldn't need after the 60s were over. Guess I was wrong.
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