The first day - I was inclined to side with the police. Considering the rioting and looting, I was biased. (Also had not heard about them not releasing the officers name - or it was VERY "below the radar" compared to the other stuff going on.) I still think the looting and rioting was idiotic and stupid.
But that was only the first day - since then - it's been peaceful protesting. Some jackholes like the Black Panthers making demands and threats, sure. But the people on the street have been PEACEFUL since then. And the utterly ridiculously over-militarized police response is completely over the top and out of line. Making the whole town a NO-FLY ZONE? WTF? APCs? Lines of ARMORED police training their guns - NOT tear gas dispensers - Automatic weapons(!!!) - DIRECTLY at masses of people who are clearly unarmed and NOT looting? (Okay - they're not using standard bullets. But they're not using rubber bullets either, from what I've heard - apparently they're using wooden bullets!)
Manhandling reporters in restaurants and arresting them illegally - and not charging them with anything (other than the unspoken "contempt of Cop")? Okay - so it was Huffpo and Washington Post reporter - I don't respect their organizations or consider Huffpo "real" news - but that DOESN'T goddamn matter! They are reporters doing nothing but their jobs protected by the 1st amendment!
NO. This MUST NOT STAND.
And just in case you think it's only me - and not the majority of conservatives out there who think the same way - I assure you, many on the conservative side have been ALARMED at the militarization of the police in this country for years now. There are plenty of blogs and opinion posts I could find over the last half-decade and more talking about this.
So this is not a conservative/liberal issue. This is a clear sign of tyranny. This is a test to see how far the government can push things before we resist and fight back.
But that was only the first day - since then - it's been peaceful protesting. Some jackholes like the Black Panthers making demands and threats, sure. But the people on the street have been PEACEFUL since then. And the utterly ridiculously over-militarized police response is completely over the top and out of line. Making the whole town a NO-FLY ZONE? WTF? APCs? Lines of ARMORED police training their guns - NOT tear gas dispensers - Automatic weapons(!!!) - DIRECTLY at masses of people who are clearly unarmed and NOT looting? (Okay - they're not using standard bullets. But they're not using rubber bullets either, from what I've heard - apparently they're using wooden bullets!)
Manhandling reporters in restaurants and arresting them illegally - and not charging them with anything (other than the unspoken "contempt of Cop")? Okay - so it was Huffpo and Washington Post reporter - I don't respect their organizations or consider Huffpo "real" news - but that DOESN'T goddamn matter! They are reporters doing nothing but their jobs protected by the 1st amendment!
NO. This MUST NOT STAND.
And just in case you think it's only me - and not the majority of conservatives out there who think the same way - I assure you, many on the conservative side have been ALARMED at the militarization of the police in this country for years now. There are plenty of blogs and opinion posts I could find over the last half-decade and more talking about this.
So this is not a conservative/liberal issue. This is a clear sign of tyranny. This is a test to see how far the government can push things before we resist and fight back.