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Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic I have to be as critical of these YouTube videos as I am of Fox and MSNBC. Because everyone has an agenda. And while we deride people for believing everything they see on TV News, I think it's important to apply the same critical thought and skepticism to the videos we see on YouTube.
Everyone has an agenda.
Originally posted by LadySkadi
You two are missing a critical point: you are looking at college/university students, in most cases... these are not people out trying to start a "civil war" or public unrest, they are out to voice their opinions... it wasn't meant to be a fight.
Originally posted by platipus
when was police brutality not in America?
Before I reply to your post, let me start by introducing myself.
This is my first post although I have watched these forums for a couple years. I will be very open with you all and tell you that I work in a management position with a Federal Law Enforcement Agency. I am very open minded and also feel that there are many dangers facing our country that you all clearly see as well and discuss. I admire the spirit that you all display in your concern for our country's well-being.
That being said, I take great offense with the above-quoted post. Your sweeping generalization of all law enforcement officers as being jack-booted thugs is the kind of rhetoric that only shows how narrow-minded you are. You generalize us all to be power-hungry monsters, yet you disregard the dangers we face and the sacrifices we make to protect those that we serve. Am I saying that there aren't bad apples? Off course not; that would be ignorant on my behalf.
Your words only make our jobs harder. You encourage confrontation with law enforcement with your remarks, then cry foul when you see the results. You can never imagine the headaches we endure to protect those that need it, yet you have the luxury of Monday-morning quarterbacking everything we do. You can spend hours replaying a video that supposedly captures someone's rights being violated without having to make a split-second life or death decision or knowing the context of the encounter. Are there videos which do show excessive use of force? Absolutely. And of course, those are the ones that are spread around the internet like wildfire. You may never see the video of the officer that is shot and killed just because of the uniform he wears; never hear the audio of that video as he pleads for his life and cries our with his dying breath. You never see the video of his supervisor having to tell his wife and children that their husband and father will never be coming home. Yet we are all monsters...
Your words disgrace those officers who have given their lives to protect those that could not protect themselves.
I had to get that off my chest. I'm sure my first post, coupled with my stated profession will make me anything but popular here. I see that your post was given several stars, so obviously there are many here that feel the way you do. To all of you I can only ask this; like any other group, avoid stereotypes and generalizations and think about the farther reaching effects of you comments. While I cannot speak on behalf of the entire Federal Government, I can safely say that we are not here to harm you. I have taken an Oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States of America and I can tell you that we take that very seriously.
Thank you for your time.
the people gathered in Schenley Plaza appeared to be doing little more than playing games or standing around talking.
Police began to surround the park about a half hour into the protest. The police encircled the plazas in lines that were about two or three officers deep.
Police vehicles and school buses delivered more officers to the area.
The police brought in a Long Range Acoustic Device, which sends piercing noises or spoken messages in aimed directions.
By that point, around 200 people had gathered in the plaza and surrounding area.
Some people were heard saying, “Let’s get out of here.” Others started to scream, “This is what a photo-op looks like.”
By 11 p.m., a helicopter was hovering over Forbes Avenue near the William Pitt Union.
Officers declared the gathering an “unlawful assembly” and told people to disperse or risk going to jail.
Originally posted by JWH44
Your words disgrace those officers who have given their lives to protect those that could not protect themselves.
Originally posted by AllinTheMind89
Unbelievable..... I never heard ONE thing about this (though I never watch any MSM news, or television for that matter)...
While researching this, I found this piece written by a student. I found it very interesting and sickening at the same time.
Armored Police Seize University
Originally posted by jimmyx
ok i'll take a stab at this
1. at other rallys like this, there have been private businesses that have had their street side property damaged. and not all have been big corporate sites.
Originally posted by jimmyx
2. because of this, police have been tasked to take control of these streets that are being used by the protesters
Originally posted by jimmyx
3. you obviously have leaders of protest, that egg on other protesters that they have rights to disobey police instructions. this gets the protesters angry, and some confront the police in a physical manner.
Originally posted by jimmyx
4. more protesters feeling emboldened by a few, ratchet up their physical presence by throwing things, or actually pushing against the police line.
Originally posted by jimmyx
5. the police knowing that in situations like this in the past, violence has escalated quickly and police have gotten hurt.
Originally posted by jimmyx
6. fearing possible escalation, that could end up in many getting hurt or even killed, the police crank up the shock and awe, to near manic level.