Lawrence O'Donnell on Police Brutality at Occupy Wall Street

So...
Whats the solution? Do we need another department to work as a oversight committee against the police department? some sort of citizens watch that can yank and insist, and conduct investigations on every report of wrongdoing?
Might be a good idea...but then that committee will eventually fall into corruption also...could have it a rotating chair committee, but the issue with that is whenever someone starts to truely know how to do the job, thats when its time to step down.

Frustrating really...we do need police, but the badge makes them go absolutely nuts. I think training to become a cop first off has to become much, much more difficult. it shouldn't be the defacto call to every moronic redneck whom wants to impose authority over others..typically these are the total twits of society that would be a criminal had it not been for legal criminality option open to them.

I like many cops actually, many are good people, however the system is also rampant with jacktards and corruption..and if you speak out against the blue, your life becomes a living hell...tough choice. the expression is if you strike a tiger, you better kill it..and quite often, a good cop doesn't have even remotely enough proof to kill the tiger they strike at...so best not to.

Is there a solution that is actually plausable?

And seriously folks...stop paying attention to the page 1 troll...his ats stay won't be very long lived...some people are simply attention seekers and love to derail threads moreso than actually giving an intelligent opinion...don't feed the trolls...its more frustrating for them when you simply pass by their post and not respond to em.

Originally posted by Gorman91
reply to post by OldCorp

 

It's really just local. Different communities define it differently. I haven't really yet seen something that can be called definite police brutality. I've seen crowed dispersal tactics, which are fine by me as a New Yorker.

Show me some real abuse and maybe I'll say something different. All I've seen are people crying because they got maced.

You know, you can minimize anything short of death...

What is police brutality? Well, I tend to go the opposite way..how about the police trying to disburse a legally and constitutionally authorized crowd from protesting to begin with? Violence doesn't even need to be put into the spotlight in that regards...
You cannot see a police force trying to supress the rights of the people as signs of a brutal environment?

Get shot in the eyes with some mace and then get back to us on how its not brutal treatment.

It's a good thing the brutality thing is snowballing. Makes me want to go down there and get a good old beating just make sure u get it on film I'm sure a lawyer will take the case and win me enof cash to make the pain go away. More people need to go to the protest if they want any kind difference to be made. If we keep letting this corruption spread we will never be free and the future will be doomed. If we all stand up together and make are voices heard they will have to listen but u it might take time.
The sad part is the system can't fix itself do the the influence of the corruption. Just look at who is running for office the ones the corportations like get all the publicity while the ones standing for the people have nothing no air time its so similar to the ones protesting such lil publicity and now u can see they have no rights the cops are running around with orange mesh fencing massing people up like animals isn't that illegal detainment ( i know patriot act says its legal ) Just look what they do to the people who don't want to be rounded up like animals and maced the beat them down and drag them off.

I'd like to thank Romanmel for posting that 4th video (fast food worker)--I had never seen that one before. Whether I agree with the protestors or not, and I do agree with many of their issues, but not all---imo, I happen to concur with Ron Paul, who says, "We don't have the first amendment so we can talk about the weather!".
ALL Americans have the right to protest peacefully...and should be protected by the police while doing so, not abused by (some of) the police. Whatever the motivation for MSNBC exposing this corruption, imo, it's still good that many previously uninformed Americans are being exposed to the reality of police brutality against ALL Americans, irrespective of race...

best thing on mainstream news i've ever seen besides what jon stewart did for ron paul

Originally posted by Domo1
I think it's sad more people arent being maced. Protesting scum shouldn't make the news. I'm tired of hearing about them. They need to get jobs. More need to be jailed. Maybe thy can learn how to do laundry or something productive.

Yeah. People shouldn't protest. How stupid. Just accept your fate and keep quiet because the people in charge ALWAYS have our best interest at heart and should NEVER be questioned.

If I ever get a traffic ticket I'm just going to walk in to the court room and asked to be maced for even thinking about arguing the validity of the infarction.

And if I learn to "do laundry" I'd know I deserved to be maced for starching someone's collars when they asked me not to.

Damn traitors, questioning those nice guy money traders integrity. Tase and mace 'em all and let God sort 'em out!

The protesters are doing everything all wrong! It is obvious that peaceful demonstrations are not going to work! The protesters need to come together in numbers! I say get a good twenty/thirty thousand+ protesters together, and then storm Wall Street! It is only then that they’ll realize how pissed off American are! Only then they’ll listen! A couple hundred protesters coming together to take on the NYPD, it like bringing a knife to a gun fight! Drastic times bring drastic measures! I know that 2 wrongs don’t make a right. Either way, you to need to step up to the plate, or go home! Do you really think you are going to make a difference otherwise? Sometimes you have to stand up to the bully, and fight back any way you can! Sometimes it takes more than a few silly words to make the difference! Having a hissy fit isn’t going to get you nowhere! Instead of sitting back and watching your friend(s) get beat up and arrested by the police, why don’t YOU fight back? Again, it’s all about the numbers! If you look at every other country that took the initiative to stand up to their corrupt government, they did so in numbers! A few people aren’t going to accomplish anything! I also noticed in the demonstrations, that there were only 1 or 2 leaders out of the bunch! The rest are just a bunch of followers (kids) going with the flow! I think most of the kids are just doing it because they think it’s “cool”! Do they really know what they are demonstrating about? If it’s really that difficult for you to fight, then find other ways of making the difference. IE: call your representatives, vote, outreach, etc..

reply to post by SaturnFX


well I recently got shot in the eyes with ferrofluid. That was fun.

Fact is it's a different mentality. Besides the fact I don't have any real context as to who started what first, the city does have the right to disperse crowds that are disrupting business. I won't say that's good, I'll say that's just the local climate. If these guys were tea baggers, they'd probably be treated a lot better. It's preference. Truth be told, I don't like left leaning protesters. New York tends to be some kind of blue dog democrat mixed with tea baggery. I read those signs from this event, and I don't see that.

Personal bias really. I admit it. But the city has a right to act when it sees fit to. I don't usually speak in stereotypes, but this sort of action didn't happen to the tea baggers. I'm biased to say the protesters started it.

reply to post by KySc5


I saw this the other night on tv. It didnt surprise me to see that cop walk up and pepper spreay that woman in the eyes just because he could. Isn't this what we call assault? I hope she sues the City of New York and gets 50 million bucks, maybe that way the mayor will dig into these criminal cops' asses and fire them.

As far as i'm concerned i don't trust any cop. That whole "protect and serve" line is a load of bullsh*t. Who or what are the protecting and serving? It aint us! Oh i know, they are protecting and serving the corrupt and criminal U.S. federal government from people who peaceably protest.

All them sheeple should all in one swift move tackle them $@# %@&! hells pawn, rage freak idiots (cops) hold them to the ground , zip tie there slimy little hands and feet.. And toss all there weapons into the river. And let them lay there own feces and piss for a few of days,
Spray em with water twice a day , so they can drink a little .
And so the rest of the street dont smell there stank!

wishful thinking I know.. but they COULD !!

I just don’t know why these kids sit back and watch their friends get beat up and arrested by the police??? talk about having good friends there to watch your back! What a joke! Do you really think that videotaping all of it is going to make any difference? If you are going to fight for something, than you need to grow a pair and fight! If not, then quit your bickering! You all look like a bunch of crybabies otherwise…!

reply to post by Fractured.Facade


Absolutely. I also have noticed that they go after the women far more than men, which I think is some tactic to get the men either to rise up against them for it or to get them to back down to keep the women "protected." The cops don't get it that many women today are fully capable, ready,and able to defend themselves so that trick just isn't gonna work.

reply to post by KySc5

Wow, that was the best 9 minutes of television I've watched all week. That guy hit the nail square on the head, he is officially one of my favorite corporate media reporters/journalists. There's been lots of talk about how the media is ignoring these protests as well as the police brutality, but this guy spends almost 10 minutes completely blowing the lid off of police corruption in this country and how things like this are an everyday occurence.

This is the kind of stuff that the media should be covering, police departments paid for by the people abusing their power. I applaud this guy for trying to wake some people up and show them the ugly side of our society.

Originally posted by earth2mayavision
reply to post by Fractured.Facade

 

Absolutely. I also have noticed that they go after the women far more than men, which I think is some tactic to get the men either to rise up against them for it or to get them to back down to keep the women "protected." The cops don't get it that many women today are fully capable, ready,and able to defend themselves so that trick just isn't gonna work.

edit on 28-9-2011 by earth2mayavision because: to add clarity

I know everyone is different, but I couldn't sit on the sideline and watch a women get man handled like that! I have got in many fights in the past due to a men getting physical with women! I have won some and lost some! And even ended up in jail because of it! I have a great deal of respect for women! And for a man to physically touch women is a line no one want’s to touch when I'm around! Which of course begs to ask the question....”Why do most of these guys demonstrating stand there and watch the women get physically abused?? Physiologically, men are stronger than women. (Most women anyways). I guess guys don’t have the respect they once use too! This is only my opinion of course…

reply to post by Propulsion


Well unfortunately the majority of people have been brainwashed against your ideas. The law is corrupt. The cops break the law and can do what they want. If you try to prosecute them legally, they always win. If the system does not work, and it has been fairly attempted to go down the legal avenue, then what other alternative to taking them on properly do the people have? But unfortunately, this is also against the law. And unlike the cops, you will suffer if you break the law. Anyone who takes the law into their own hands is an evil vigilante, or worse, a terrorist. The public are brainwashed against terrorists and the word only needs to be connected to a person, group or event, and the public will despise it.

The cops are working on behalf of the government, who work on behalf of the corporations and banksters. They are the enemy of the people not just of America, but the entire world. We need to rise up against them and take back what they have stole from us - our rights, liberties, freedoms and resources. Peace cannot work, by design of the system. The system has been deliberately rigged so that all real threats to them are completely illegal.

reply to post by Domo1


gee, I love the picture of your cat, DOMO 1, ...although, I doubt the cat was very happy to be wearing makeup and clothes.....but your words are always ridiculous.....so....since you seem to be so disgusted with everything on ATS....do us all a favor....leave your picture with us, but take your comments back to huffington post or some such drivel....you'll be appreciated there....

reply to post by Firefly_


yes and it's called a REVOLUTION

I think the cops are worse than the gangs they attempt to control in our urban areas. They're just a gang with a badge and a uniform, they will take every opportunity to let you know that they are the alpha, this is their turf.

"this is what a police state looks like"

reply to post by KySc5

Yep, MSNBC is to 'OccupyWallStreet' as FOX News is to the 'TeaParty'. While one group is hijacked by Conservatives, the other group is hijacked by the Progressives.

'OccupyWallStreet' protestors will be used by the Democrats, so Obama can rally enough people to win the 2012 election. Get ready. 'OccupyWallStreet' activists will have a few new slogans. 'Yes We Can", "Hope and Change", and "Win the Future".

Congrats to the 'OccupyWallStreet' protestors. You now belong to the Progressive Democrats.

If police can use pepper spray and it's OK, then why can't protestors use pepper spray?? You can't use the "To keep the peace" excuse anymore. You shouldn't have to "keep the peace" at a peaceful protest! It use to be a peaceful protest till the thug LEO dressed in white decided to pepper spray everyone on the other side of the police barrier! So now you can't even have a peaceful protest anymore? No No No we don't live in a police state everything is just fine you're just in a bad dream. Where is Fox News and all the other media in all this? Hiding and reporting what they are told to report as usual about puppies and cool aid. Seriously everyone in mainstream media is ignoring this.