Olbermann interviews marine veteran who shamed police

Originally posted by Unknown Soldier
But it wasn't, it was about POLICE BRUTALITY!

He said he was there over the police brutality taking place... but if he was there for OWS then more kudos.

He didn't claim to be there in opposition to police brutality. He was there as an OWS protester. He claimed that his behavior in the video was over police brutality, yet in it, very little of his argument is about brutality.

reply to post by Wolf321



Cool story bro! I see you trolling... since Pawn Wars is a legitimate source let me have the experts at pawn stars weigh in!

reply to post by Unknown Soldier


WIN

reply to post by Unknown Soldier


I guess the discussion is done, since all you have been able to contribute in your recent posts are your photo zinggers, and zero substance. Maybe one day you can learn to talk with grown ups.

reply to post by Wolf321


Everyone understands it is your opinion that this Marine was not dressed appropriately and was out of character.

Moving on...
Other marines at the protest, I saw in another thread on here (I will source later since I'm on my iPhone) that Marines from C-Birf were also in attendance, apparently they were met with mixed emotions but in my opinion it makes me feel good the Marine Corps is involved and from my understanding from a friend in the unit they were there for everybody. I hope more Marines continue to be a positive face at these protests.

To quell any questions about their behavior and uniforms, black polo shirts and khaki pants, marine demeanor "We have a PR rep to answer your questions."

Originally posted by Wolf321
reply to post by Unknown Soldier

 

I guess the discussion is done, since all you have been able to contribute in your recent posts are your photo zinggers, and zero substance. Maybe one day you can learn to talk with grown ups.

You are a fairly decent debater but now you in return have resorted to trolling and insults.
And just trying to support your lost argument with semantics, BS.and ole number 4.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

There is a big picture if you would open your eyes. America is at a crossroads and trying to marginalize a growing discontent with trivial BS and namecalling isn't going to stop this movement. Truly a quest for truth from a system based on lies.

It's a brave new world or soon will be.

Originally posted by Brotherman
Other marines at the protest, I saw in another thread on here (I will source later since I'm on my iPhone) that Marines from C-Birf were also in attendance, apparently they were met with mixed emotions but in my opinion it makes me feel good the Marine Corps is involved and from my understanding from a friend in the unit they were there for everybody. I hope more Marines continue to be a positive face at these protests.

To quell any questions about their behavior and uniforms, black polo shirts and khaki pants, marine demeanor "We have a PR rep to answer your questions."

Glad to hear that! The more positive representation of military and veterans in the protests, the better.

reply to post by whaaa


I too tend to agree with you that America is at a point of great change either way I may add. I think with more diversified people vets to chefs this can bring about positive change with differing walks of life, it truly is a strange period to be alive anywhere

Originally posted by whaaa
...trying to support your lost argument...

I disagree. No one was able to validate with any reason the heroism or behavior of the Marine in the incident.

There is a big picture if you would open your eyes. America is at a crossroads!

Perhaps, but that is not the issue of this thread.

It's a brave new world or soon will be.

I remember that book. There were ordained classes and a planned society. I worry that just such a thing may occur.

Originally posted by Wolf321
reply to post by Unknown Soldier

 

I guess the discussion is done, since all you have been able to contribute in your recent posts are your photo zinggers, and zero substance. Maybe one day you can learn to talk with grown ups.

While I respect your right to say what you want, I disagree with your spin and portrayal of this Marine , myself and the other Marines that have since posted have found no fault with the Sgt and have found your answers to be illogical and unreasonable. When dealing with unreasonable people some (myself included) become emotionally involved , this causes the debate to deescalate to where we are now. I rarely tell someone that their "opinion" is wrong, because by defination it is impossible to have a wrong opinion. But I feel very strongly that your reasoning is flawed and in my opinion this makes your opinion invalid. You have the right to say what you want, we have the right to disagree. FIDO

reply to post by EyesWideShut


So then we will have to disagree on this Marine.

May I ask you a personal question then?

As a Marine veteran, if you were at these protest and saw what you perceived to be an innocent woman get punched by a cop, would you stand by and do nothing or merely complain?

Additionally, if you personally saw cops walking around doing nothing, would you yell at them criticizing them in a confrontational manner?

edit: I am not considering dress or appearance in my questions. I tend to think that the Marine at the topic would not have had as much impact had the uniform not been present, and had that been the case my opinion of him would be the same.

reply to post by EyesWideShut


Your post reminded me of that old Marine saying, " We protect and respect your right to say what you want, but we reserve the right to punch you in the face if we disagree"

reply to post by Wolf321


I was arrested once for stopping an undercover cop dive tackle and beat a guy for pissing in a bush I was ghosted by his buddies and tackled myself as I was calling dispatch to confirm his identity as he presented no badge. I was found guilty of disorderly conduct in court, as a marine vet that's how far I would go to intervene in police injustice, to add another bit of two cents police would be less necessary if citizens of the world could better police themselves.

Originally posted by Brotherman
that's how far I would go to intervene in police injustice

Kudos for that. More people should.

police would be less necessary if citizens of the world could better police themselves.

I couldn't agree more.

Originally posted by Wolf321
reply to post by EyesWideShut

 

As a Marine veteran, if you were at these protest and saw what you perceived to be an innocent woman get punched by a cop, would you stand by and do nothing or merely complain?

In all honesty I'd try to distract the guy then I'd get his badge number and testify in court to what I saw. I do not condone getting hands on with sworn law enforcement officers , I'm not the type that most people wanna roll around with so I probably would have been shot rather quickly , I don't think I'd be much help to the woman or my wife and kids If I'm at room temperature. Then the headlines would read "Crazy Marine Vet grabs officers gun" or some spun variation thereof. If it was a civillian hitting a woman he would have been subdued , been there done that. What would you have done?

Additionally, if you personally saw cops walking around doing nothing, would you yell at them criticizing them in a confrontational manner?

If by "walking around doing nothing" you mean trying to quell a nonviolent protest by intimidation and by "yell at them criticizing them in a confrontational manner" you mean using my command presence to assert authority nonviolently to express my personal opinions I'd probably go with my gut and do what I felt needed to be done.

NYPD's finest thugs protecting the bankers and serving an ass whipping to innocent protesters !


Also featuring Sgt Thomas and Rage Against The Machine

Originally posted by EyesWideShut
What would you have done?

In a mass protest situation, I wouldn't have engaged in a fight directly with the cops, but I would have tried to position myself between the cop and woman, drawing his aggression and taken the interfering charge. I know I wouldn't stand a chance of obtaining a badge number in that situation.

If by "walking around doing nothing" you mean trying to quell a nonviolent protest by intimidation and by "yell at them criticizing them in a confrontational manner" you mean using my command presence to assert authority nonviolently to express my personal opinions I'd probably go with my gut and do what I felt needed to be done.

I have never seen or heard of a nonviolent protest being quelled by intimidation. Maybe that is the true difference in our interpretations. I don't equate a cops presence or appearance to an attempt to quell a nonviolent protest. And by criticize I meant to make unfounded accusations.

reply to post by Wolf321


Talk is cheap, ever had you and your friends beaten by cops with mag light flash lights?

I have, I have seen Police capable of great good an much bad. With this protest no different should the game change. However I have seen many many police brutality situations. Of course you will deny all evidence and footage you all ready have. Where a cop is punching a woman in the face you will claim he is helping her get her cat out of the tree. Your MO is clear as well as redundant. Your credibility?

Shot to Hell

good night

reply to post by JustMike


Another thing people may not have noticed about him trying to be compliant with the uniform code as inactive is that he made a point when speaking at the cops and protesters that he used his right hand on the left side of his shirt making sure those medals stood out for those cops and everyone else to see. It was very symbolic.

This guy, Sgt. Shamar Thomas, is indeed a real marine. I didn't doubt that when I saw the original video, but apparently others did.

He was not dishonorably discharged from service.

He committed no crime, and in fact did the opposite by speaking out about crimes being committed. Crimes that were committed by the police, against the citizens that they are hired to "protect and serve". Stop pretending like you haven't seen the girls get pepper sprayed or the woman being dragged INTO the bank to be arrested (huh???) or the many people who have been just punched in the face... all of these videos have been posted here on ATS and elsewhere across the internet.

Sgt. Thomas said that he first went to the OWS protests on the 5th of October. The video that I saw (from here) was posted to youtube on the 16th. At the start of the video, it seems like when he first starts talking, it is in response to something someone said. I presume it was a cop because his response was directed at one person, and it turned into a message directed at a group of cops. Perhaps after being at the protests on at least two different occasions, and seeing the multiple videos online that show the police assulting people, whatever comment was made was enough for him to "lose his cool" and start yelling at the group of police. Maybe. I can't say for sure. I'm not him. Just makes sense to me.

And we don't know that "he did nothing when he saw a woman punched in the face". He may have. He may have not. He may have had a thousand or so people between himself and the woman when it happened. So drop that too.

Now on to the issue of the uniform. Or, excuse me, the way he behaved himself in uniform. Seems to me like he behaved himself like a human being, who is rightfully angry about the many injustices we see in the world today. He was not violent, and he got his point across. Those police heard what he said - and they couldn't do a thing about it. Not just because he's not some 150lb guy, but because they haven't been trained to deal with a soldier from their own country standing up to them and telling the naked truth about what they've been involved in. They were in shock, and didn't know what to do.


And don't tell me they weren't involved, or that we "don't know" if they were involved. They're there, in their police uniforms. And until they arrest the other police who have been caught on video assulting unarmed citizens, they are involved.

I am a "civilian" and I figure if more military types could think for themselves like Sgt. Shamar Thomas, we'd probably have a better chance at taking our country, and our world back from the mass murderers in control now. And if they want to wear a uniform in the process, I don't care if they button their tops or iron their pants or shine their shoes or whatever. It doesn't matter to me.

I figure if a Marine is joining the people to stand up for what's right, and his top isn't buttoned up, there must be more important things on his mind.