Protesting the DNC
# Kim du Toit - Only The Police... - a South African policeman demonstrates incorrect gun handling technique, grossly incorrect. Hehe. [kimdutoit]
# Kim du Toit - True Then; True Now - commentary on Jefferson's "Tree of Liberty" speech, which I had never seen more of than that sentence. Repeated here for your reading pleasure. [kimdutoit]
Wonderful is the effect of impudent & persevering lying. The British ministry have so long hired their gazetteers to repeat and model into every form lies about our being in anarchy, that the world has at length believed them, the English nation has believed them, the ministers themselves have come to believe them, & what is more wonderful, we have believed them ourselves. Yet where does this anarchy exist? Where did it ever exist, except in the single instance of Massachusetts? And can history produce an instance of rebellion so honourably conducted? I say nothing of it's motives. They were founded in ignorance, not wickedness. God forbid we should ever be 20 years without such a rebellion. The people cannot be all, & always well informed. The part which is wrong will be discontented in proportion to the importance of the facts they misconceive. If they remain quiet under such misconceptions it is a lethargy, the forerunner of death to the public liberty. We have had 13. states independent 11. years. There has been one rebellion. That comes to one rebellion in a century & a half for each state. What country before ever existed a century & a half without a rebellion? & what country can preserve it's liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon & pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots & tyrants. It is it's natural manure
# Your Truly at The High Road - Should drugs be legalized? - my next post in the thread I linked to yesterday.
Well said Cordex. I wasn't really trying to convince anyone with my post of last night. Just stating where a couple of years of thought on the subject has wound up, and letting off a little steam. I'm a mathematician by training. I wrote proofs for a living in college. Now I program computers. I'm good at logical thought. I'm not real good at getting along with people who don't think, nor am I good at following rules that make no sense.
One of the reasons our government does so well at what it does is that it's really good at inventing new words that make obvious criminal behavior acceptable to people who ignore that man behind the curtain.
Call it a tax or asset forfieture, and theft is OK.
Legislate a "crime" into being, and kidnapping is OK.
Call it "the draft", and slavery is OK.
Call it a licensing or regisration fee, and bribery is OK.
Call it a zoning or environmental rule, and eliminating all but the empty shell of property ownership is OK.
Call it war, and mass murder is OK.
# Sierra Times - Sagebrush Saloon is about the only active place left at Sierra Times. But I didn't realize just how active it was until I visited there today. I've been following Henrietta's daily links on the home page to one story of interest there, but there are quite a few folks other than Henrietta who post. Far out! [sierra]
The Sagebrush Saloon has 1722 members with 21575 posts in 4527 topics.
# Parker T. Pettus - Skating the Democractic Convention - maps and photos of skating routes around Boston. Don't miss his photos of Fleet Center and Free Speech Zone. They've built an outdoor prison, under an elevated highway and called it a "free speech zone". There is also a blog. [whatreallyhappened]
# Black Tea Society - Maps of Boston for the Democrat convention on Monday-Thursday, July 26-29. Linked from Mr. Pettus' site. Driving around Boston is gonna be a real pain. They're closing the big roads into the city. Check out the BTS Calendar of Events and Convergence Against The DNC pages if you want to participate in unlicensed protest (the A.N.S.W.E.R. protest below has a permit) next week (personally, I plan to stay far away from Boston). Their logistics page also looks useful, especially the legal section. From Dealing with Cops:
Scenario II: "Snatch Squads"
This is a very common scenario in protest situations. The police will target specific individuals for arrest, often sending out "snatch squads" into a crowd to seize an individual targeted for arrest. The scenario is often easy to spot, and can easily be remedied by quick, organized collective action. If you see the police pointing at you or another person, loudly announce the fact. Make sure everyone in the area is aware of the situation. The targeted person must be protected. S/he must get into a crowd, embedded in the center of a locked mass. Others should get in the way of the advancing police. This can be done in a relatively low-risk manner. Trip and fall down in front of the police. Get in front of them and ask silly questions: "Hi there, what's the weather like this afternoon?" "Excuse me, do you have the time?" etc. Obstruct their vision; block their view of the targeted person. Create a diversion that might allow for the targeted person to alter their appearance and disappear into the crowd. Generally, this low-risk approach will remedy the situation. However, once the police have a hold on the targeted person, things get more involved.
Often at this point, a tug-of-war over the targeted person occurs with the police. Be careful. It is never a good idea to physically touch the police, although light contact often occurs at this type of engagement. Yell for help, get as many people involved and aware as possible. Barricades and other obstacles such as bikes can be helpful if the situation is maneuvered in such a way that the obstacle is in between the targeted person and the police. Human barricades, soft-locks, etc. are also useful. Lock arms around the targeted person. Be aware of the people on the ends of the line. Police like to target the rear and ends of a line. Obviously, this type of engagement is a higher risk level than simply blocking the vision of the police. This is considered a moderate risk engagement. Be creative, fast, and effective. Protect your comrades.
Scenario III: "Liberation/De-arrest"
This is an extremely high-risk procedure. If done correctly, it works. If done incorrectly, it is likely to result in serious repercussions. You must be able to quickly assess the situation and decide on whether or not to attempt a de-arrest. Things to take into consideration are the weight of the consequences. Is your comrade being arrested carrying something that will trigger ridiculous charges? Is it worth the risk? Is your comrade of a foreign nationality or here illegally? What are your chances?
If you decide to proceed, the general scenario of an arrest has various stages. The police stop, physically restrain the person, and eventually place the person in handcuffs and take him/her away. Any de-arrest must be done before the handcuffs are put on. Basic martial arts knowledge is helpful, or at least a basic knowledge of various holds and how to get out of them (specifically if the person being arrested is going to try to get out of a hold).
When de-arresting, everything must happen quickly. Whether freeing yourself from a hold or assisting someone else to get out of a hold, follow through in the same direction you are facing. You do not have time to physically turn around.
The basic idea of an assisted de-arrest is a hit and run. This scenario is specifically when the person being arrested is on the ground with one cop on his/her back. Two people are required to complete this de-arrest in addition to the person being arrested. The first person needs to knock the cop off balance and off of your comrade's back. The first person should cross his/her arms over his/her chest and hit from the side. The second person needs to pick your comrade up off the ground and get him/her running. This is a one shot deal. Regardless of whether or not you are successful, you do not get a second chance. ONCE A DE-ARREST HAS OCCURED OR BEEN ATTEMPTED, THE PEOPLE INVOLVED ARE DONE FOR THE DAY! ALTER YOUR APPEARENCE AND GO HOME! YOU MAY NOT BE SEEN IN PUBLIC AGAIN!
Liberation can be successful, but carries the risk of massive consequences. Liberation is most effective when all points involved are ready and react without hesitation. It is easier to do this if you attend a training or practice doing it. As always, be safe, and be aware of your surroundings.
# International A.N.S.W.E.R. - Protest the Twin Parties of the War Machine - they're holding protests in Boston on Sunday, July 25 and in New York City on Sunday, August 29. I'm no fan of A.N.S.W.E.R.'s communist politics, but I'm glad to see protests against the two-headed Boot-On-Your-Neck Party. [whatreallyhappened]
