>> ^Fletch:

>> ^Jerykk:
If a protest involves hordes of people marching in the street, blocking traffic and generally being loud and annoying, I don't really consider that "peaceful." It may not be violent but it's entirely disruptive and hinders people's ability to get where they need to go and do what they need to do.
You can try and justify the disruption by saying that it's the only way to get attention but really, you would only say that if you agreed with the protestors. If a bunch of people marched on the streets because the MSRP of Twinkies was raised by 5 cents, would that protest still be "justified"? A disruption is a disruption, regardless of motivation. If the protestors in the video had permits and conducted their activity in a genuinely peaceful manner, I seriously doubt there would have been any police intervention.

You only see what you want to see. The only people being disruptive and blocking traffic in this video are the cops and their fucking horses.
And who said you have a right to life without "disruption" anyway? You gonna call the police when that asshole won't stop talking in the movie theater? You going to just keep your mouth shut and walk away peacefully when that cashier overcharges you for your Twinkies? Maybe your idea of protest is standing quietly on some street corner, permit in pocket, holding a sign. It's not my idea of protest (not any more), and if disruptions bother you, stay home and veg on VS all day. Just remember to be quiet and keep your opinions to yourself, because I feel they are disruptive, and they bother me.


Flawed analogies. If you're telling someone to quiet down in a theater, you are directly addressing the person you take issue with. If you tell a cashier that he overcharged you, same deal. Nobody aside from the people directly responsible for your grievances are affected. Conversely, when you block traffic so you can protest against police brutality, who are you actually affecting? The cops will show up and do what they get paid to do. Bystanders, on the other hand, get screwed.

If you want to protest police brutality, do it where only police are affected. Like a police station. Don't do it in the middle of a business area where you're just impeding people's ability to live their lives. If you're so self-centered that you're willing to promote your agenda at the expense of everyone else, don't surprised when people get irritated. And when these people have body armor, guns, tazers, tear gas, pepper spray, riot shields, etc, things probably won't end well for you.

Let me drop this live grenade onto water from high enough that the impact is like dropping it onto soil.

That'll end well....

As a biker, I've had people try and run me off the road for no reason at all. And by no reason, I mean me minding my own business while casually riding to work. At one point, I had a car full of thugs try to side swipe me because I gently honked my horn when they didn't leave from a green light after about 10 seconds. This same group of thugs followed me to the parking lot where I worked and 3 of them proceeded to get out of said care with what looked like tire irons and a baseball bat. If I hadn't been legally concealing a fire arm at the time things likely would not have ended well for me. As it was they decided it was a better idea to return to their car and drive away.

Things like this are why, even though I hate that I have to, I am always armed when riding in unfamiliar areas.

This can't possibly end well.

>> ^probie:

Conclusion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5omfPvr8hY


Thank you for the link! Great story with a happy ending [except for poor Yogi] ... all's well that ends well =o)

>> ^dystopianfuturetoday:

That said, can America still be considered a democracy at this point?


Last time I checked you still had mostly free and fair elections. There are some idiosyncrasies in your electoral system that aren't great*, and there's a definite problem of way too much corporate lobbying, but I think, on balance, you're still a democracy.

I give you a C-. must try harder

* you should really fix that shit. It lead to dubya being elected and that clearly didn't end well.

http://lyrics.wikia.com/Dan_Mangan:Basket

We are young
We have years ahead maybe
We might fall in love
Fall apart
Fall apart
Before it ends
Well we should try to start

So I'll go but I'm telling you I don't wanna go
Could be stuck here and happy

So there's a puzzle I work on endlessly
And I've got the sides and all the corners
But there's a space
Yeah there's a space
Lost some pieces I can't replace

So I'll be but I'm telling you I don't wanna be
Just a wasted puzzle piece

We are old
And our son took the dog away
And fair enough, guess we're tired all the time
All the time
And you know dogs they need ample time outside

So I'll stay but I'm telling you I don't, I don't wanna stay
So I'll brace myself against the wall and hope to God that I don't fall
My bones are worn, my hip won't hold
I used to be so young, how did I get so old?
Won't you take my cane and hold my hand
You're holding onto all I have
Just a basket full of memories
And I am losing more each day it seems
But if I can make it to the street
I'll steal a car or a bike whatever there is to steal
And it might get cold I just don't care
I'm going 'til I'm getting there
I'll ride my steed all through this town
'Til I have looked and I have found
Your peaceful memory
Won't you return to me?
Won't you return to me?

>> ^charliem:

Hes had such a fast rise to the top, it almost feels too fast.....how is he going to be able to sustain it? I mean, mental health wise?
Stories like his usually dont end well


Unfortunately, that's true. But from what I hear, he is (still) a super nice guy.

Hes had such a fast rise to the top, it almost feels too fast.....how is he going to be able to sustain it? I mean, mental health wise?

Stories like his usually dont end well

Isn't "excessive" what we are pointing out here?

She was drunk off her ass, seated on the ground, handcuffed, barefoot.

He kicked her in the head when he could have taken a step back and solved the problem. And as the prosecutor pointed out, if he was concerned for his safety, why didn't they put her in leg manacles?

Excessive. Period.

{I'm not turning into blankfist, I swear.....]


>> ^GeeSussFreeK:

Usually on the side of victims for things like this, but she kicked him...he kicked back, game over. Excessive, perhaps, unprovoked, no. You don't kick police, unless you want to eat pavement...which she did. Don't want to get kicked in the face, then don't play the physical card game with a man twice your size with boots while your in handcuffs on the ground, it doesn't end well for you.

Usually on the side of victims for things like this, but she kicked him...he kicked back, game over. Excessive, perhaps, unprovoked, no. You don't kick police, unless you want to eat pavement...which she did. Don't want to get kicked in the face, then don't play the physical card game with a man twice your size with boots while your in handcuffs on the ground, it doesn't end well for you.

What can I say, I'm a class act.

In reply to this comment by marinara:
nice

In reply to this comment by gwiz665:
My thought process:
5 seconds in: There's an asian, the title includes "surreal" and "octopus". I know where this is heading. Takes off pants.

13 seconds in: Mmmm.

38 seconds: getting impatient.

on to 2:30 ish: skipping ahead, skipping ahead

2:36: alright, here we go...

end: Well there was hardly any tentacle rape there. -_-

nice

In reply to this comment by gwiz665:
My thought process:
5 seconds in: There's an asian, the title includes "surreal" and "octopus". I know where this is heading. Takes off pants.

13 seconds in: Mmmm.

38 seconds: getting impatient.

on to 2:30 ish: skipping ahead, skipping ahead

2:36: alright, here we go...

end: Well there was hardly any tentacle rape there. -_-

My thought process:
5 seconds in: There's an asian, the title includes "surreal" and "octopus". I know where this is heading. Takes off pants.

13 seconds in: Mmmm.

38 seconds: getting impatient.

on to 2:30 ish: skipping ahead, skipping ahead

2:36: alright, here we go...

end: Well there was hardly any tentacle rape there. -_-

The control was very impressive. These are people who are trying t have their say after seeing their friends at the hands of sickening police brutality. I'd have been fucking raring. This was a statement of intent if ever I saw one.

"You are not dealing with a load of silly kids who you can bully. We're here, and listen, we're organised and controlled and not going away".

I wish them the best of luck. I'm struggling to see how the Occupy movement is going to end well, but it's about time it happened.

One last thing, to the Americans on this site, this just isn't being reported in the UK. None of my friends knew anything about this (at least until I showed them). It feels very wrong.