You know what they need is flash fog for the flash mob, like this: http://videosift.com/video/Car-alarm-smokes-burglars-out

Lock the doors, kill the lights, turn on a strobe and a guarantee you they would all be on the floor crawling around until the police showed up with a paddy wagon;)

Is this what is going to lead to a real police state? Security cameras in the hands of government instead of just civilians?

I can see the merchants insisting on a camera system downtown and an increased police presence.

The shadow side of cheap media -- in the hands of folks with good intentions, good is done. In the hands of folks with bad intentions, bad is done.

http://www.philebrity.com/2011/06/27/the-way-we-live-now-flash-mob-robberies-flash-mobberies/

Clockwork Orange, my god it reads like Clockwork Orange.

Good call, whoever did the bannination.

>> ^bobknight33:

And you wonder why ....

“It's tremendously anxiety-provoking and fear-provoking when a large group of people engage in a criminal act."

Whatever. Assault rifle > flash mob.

That is blatantly racist speech. We don't have siftquisitions anymore, so take up your case with the admins.

In reply to this comment by bobknight33:
And you wonder why blacks are still call the n word.

Still mad you have to share a water fountain?

In reply to this comment by bobknight33:
And you wonder why blacks are still call the n word.

>> ^digitalbombdog:

This guy deserves for a flash mob to rush up and join in.


Alright, alright... take it to the Jefferson Memorial.

Too soon?

This guy deserves for a flash mob to rush up and join in.

>> ^bmacs27:

As for Jefferson, if people flash mobbed his bed chambers, he'd most certainly ask them to leave. It's manners. If they refused, as these kids did, by yelling "you hate freedom, you hate the constitution" at him, you better believe there would be some Jeffersonian body-slams.

he'd probably shoot em actually. he was infamous for dueling.

*EDIT* sorry, confused him with jackson

The validity of the law classifying memorials as "nonpublic" is potentially a legitimate question. However, there are legitimate ways to question it (say through representation) and illegitimate (say by picking fights with cops). If people showed up at the WH, in numbers, at midnight, you better damn well believe they'll get what's coming to them. You have to understand the nerves of a law enforcement official (particularly in DC). They can't know your intentions. There are times and places that other constitutional mandates, such as to provide for national security, trump the first amendment. If you don't believe me, see my sift here. Also, please don't shoot back with "deserve neither." Like you point out, it's more complicated than simple aphorisms.

That's why we have courts. The courts have repeatedly upheld the constitutionality of the law in question. Frankly, that the arrests were so physical had more to do with the attitude of the demonstrators than the cops. Refusing a lawful order repeatedly won't end well for you. They asked the demonstrators to leave nicely. The kids refused. When you disobey the law, as it is currently written, especially after being peacefully warned, reasonable states employ physical force. Saying that arrest is "violence" again over simplifies law enforcement. Those protesters knew what they were doing the whole time. Frankly, the force employed was the minimal force necessary to enforce the law. No weapons were used. Oscar Grant this wasn't.

As for Jefferson, if people flash mobbed his bed chambers, he'd most certainly ask them to leave. It's manners. If they refused, as these kids did, by yelling "you hate freedom, you hate the constitution" at him, you better believe there would be some Jeffersonian body-slams.
>> ^cosmovitelli:

Understood. The question is whether there should be such a law, and what a reasonable state would do if it were challenged. Presumably the same thing applies to thousands of spots, like the front of the White house. What if a couple of dozen people turned up there and silently flash mobbed it with a little peaceful jigging for 10 minutes? Do you want to see them violently attacked and arrested? Do you think the white house PR staff would ever dream of letting that happen? This is not as cut and dried as you guys would like to think. As for respecting Jefferson, does anyone really think the dude would have said anything other than let them get on with it?

>> ^smooman:

>> ^cosmovitelli:
Smooman you should live in Singapore you'd love it. The government don't like people making a mess with gum so if they catch you with any they put you in jail for year.
Needless to say, their streets are spotless and their memorials are peaceful. And their people are repressed and want their gum back.

if jailtime for chewing gum anywhere and being arrested and consequently released with no charges for dancing in one particular spot is the same thing to you, then perhaps a lobotomy is in order because you are certifiable


If you can't see how letting people get body slammed for abstract localised unspecifiable silent body movements can't lead to getting dragged off to jail for dropping gum then you need to start hiding your gum.

>> ^bmacs27:

There is a law against organized demonstration in the memorial.. ..You just aren't allowed to co-opt that space for political purposes, period.


Understood. The question is whether there should be such a law, and what a reasonable state would do if it were challenged. Presumably the same thing applies to thousands of spots, like the front of the White house. What if a couple of dozen people turned up there and silently flash mobbed it with a little peaceful jigging for 10 minutes? Do you want to see them violently attacked and arrested? Do you think the white house PR staff would ever dream of letting that happen? This is not as cut and dried as you guys would like to think. As for respecting Jefferson, does anyone really think the dude would have said anything other than let them get on with it?

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

Semantics has absolutely nothing to do with it. How could you even get that from what I wrote? I'm talking about laws and ordinances that cover a thousand silly things, trying to strap down all of the vagaries of human behavior. >> ^longde:

So you agree with the spirit of the law, just not the semantics?>> ^dag:
Yes frivolous, like this:
-- no eating peanut butter sandwiches at national monuments (to prevent peanut butter sandwich sit-ins)
-- All hats worn at national monuments must must be less than 12" higher than the crown of the head. (to prevent big hat protests)
The strategy of legislating the vagaries of human behaviour in minute detail is dumb, and yes bad for democracy and liberty. If people are causing a disturbance- stick with disturbing the peace.
>> ^smooman:
>> ^dag:
A greater reluctance of the state to pass frivolous laws the restrict the liberty of the people. That's all.
i just really really really wanna know in what ways is the law frivolous to you?
whats frivolous to me is the insistence that we be able to dance where ever the fuck we want. If you just have to dance to express yourself, thats cool, and im down with that, you can do that on the steps, then come inside, check out the memorial. but the rest of us that rather like our quiet reflections done without some jackass doin a jig.
btw, i have this unique way of expressing myself through defecation, so next week im getting a flash mob together to go to the memorial to leave piling steamers to stick it to the man for telling me where i can and cant expressionistically shit. We'll even clean up afterward so there's no mess. we're not hurting anyone

So you agree with the spirit of the law, just not the semantics?>> ^dag:
Yes frivolous, like this:
-- no eating peanut butter sandwiches at national monuments (to prevent peanut butter sandwich sit-ins)
-- All hats worn at national monuments must must be less than 12" higher than the crown of the head. (to prevent big hat protests)
The strategy of legislating the vagaries of human behaviour in minute detail is dumb, and yes bad for democracy and liberty. If people are causing a disturbance- stick with disturbing the peace.
>> ^smooman:
>> ^dag:
A greater reluctance of the state to pass frivolous laws the restrict the liberty of the people. That's all.
i just really really really wanna know in what ways is the law frivolous to you?
whats frivolous to me is the insistence that we be able to dance where ever the fuck we want. If you just have to dance to express yourself, thats cool, and im down with that, you can do that on the steps, then come inside, check out the memorial. but the rest of us that rather like our quiet reflections done without some jackass doin a jig.
btw, i have this unique way of expressing myself through defecation, so next week im getting a flash mob together to go to the memorial to leave piling steamers to stick it to the man for telling me where i can and cant expressionistically shit. We'll even clean up afterward so there's no mess. we're not hurting anyone

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

Yes frivolous, like this:

-- no eating peanut butter sandwiches at national monuments (to prevent peanut butter sandwich sit-ins)
-- All hats worn at national monuments must must be less than 12" higher than the crown of the head. (to prevent big hat protests)

The strategy of legislating the vagaries of human behaviour in minute detail is dumb, and yes bad for democracy and liberty. If people are causing a disturbance- stick with disturbing the peace.
>> ^smooman:

>> ^dag:
A greater reluctance of the state to pass frivolous laws the restrict the liberty of the people. That's all.
i just really really really wanna know in what ways is the law frivolous to you?
whats frivolous to me is the insistence that we be able to dance where ever the fuck we want. If you just have to dance to express yourself, thats cool, and im down with that, you can do that on the steps, then come inside, check out the memorial. but the rest of us that rather like our quiet reflections done without some jackass doin a jig.
btw, i have this unique way of expressing myself through defecation, so next week im getting a flash mob together to go to the memorial to leave piling steamers to stick it to the man for telling me where i can and cant expressionistically shit. We'll even clean up afterward so there's no mess. we're not hurting anyone

>> ^dag:

A greater reluctance of the state to pass frivolous laws the restrict the liberty of the people. That's all.

i just really really really wanna know in what ways is the law frivolous to you?

whats frivolous to me is the insistence that we be able to dance where ever the fuck we want. If you just have to dance to express yourself, thats cool, and im down with that, you can do that on the steps, then come inside, check out the memorial. but the rest of us that rather like our quiet reflections done without some jackass doin a jig.

btw, i have this unique way of expressing myself through defecation, so next week im getting a flash mob together to go to the memorial to leave piling steamers to stick it to the man for telling me where i can and cant expressionistically shit. We'll even clean up afterward so there's no mess. we're not hurting anyone