War Resistance Arrests Rise

War Resistance Arrests Rise

www.opednews.com

“There are large numbers of new people being arrested,” notes Cohen-Joppa, “most typically saying, ‘I have tried everything else from writing to voting, but I have to do more to stop this war.’ The profile of people arrested includes high school teenagers to senior citizens, mostly people under 30 and over 50.”



Anti-war arrests are significantly under-reported by mainstream media. For example, around the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq in March 2008, most news stories wrote that there were 150 to 200 arrests nationwide. Cohen-Joppa and NUCLEAR RESISTER report there were over double that number, well over 400, many outside the cities where regular media traditionally look.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Anyone want to take bets of the numbers we'll be seeing when these maniacs ram through their profiteering venture in Iran? Not to mention all of the "Acts" floating around in Congress right now. I think we're going to be seeing some alarming numbers in the coming months and years...

I can just hear the war-mongers now..."Good"...lol

There have been over 15,000 arrests for resistance to war since 2002. There were large numbers right after the run up to and invasion of Iraq. Recently, arrests have begun climbing again. Though arrests are a small part of anti-war organizing, their rise is an indicator of increasing resistance.

Since 2002, the NUCLEAR RESISTER has documented anti-war arrests for protestors each year:
2002 – 1800 arrests
2003 6072 arrests
2004 2440 arrests
2005 975 arrests
2006 950 arrests
2007 2272 arrests
2008 810 as of May 1

www.opednews.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

What state are you in?
I've been sharpening my pitchfork and getting extra torches ready.
But it'll have to wait a week, scaffold fell and my shoulder hurts.

The problem with this is that it is well known there are a ton of war protesters who want to get arrested. People are trying to relive the glory of protesting Vietnam. They get off on fighting "THE MAN" by protesting, and do whatever it takes to get arrested so when they go to court they can use it as a forum to spread their message.

I worked in a state capital building for a while, and as a state capital it makes no sense that people would use it to protest the war - they did. And lots of them got arrested on a regular basis. Why? Because they were doing things like slashing tires, and blocking people from entering buildings in the complex - for the later, they only got arrested after the police politely asked them to stop doing that 5 times.

This is a classical example of anti-war sensationalism...

[edit on 20-6-2008 by ALightinDarkness]

reply to post by ALightinDarkness


GLORY?!?

Has it occurred to you that 70% of the ENTIRE POPULATION is against this war, and an even higher percent opposed to military action against Iran? Are these people all "seeking glory" too? As this article states, "voting" and writing letters has been an absolute joke-We are non-relevant to these people dictating policy and sacrificing thousands of lives to fullfill their greedy agendas. Wake up man.



[edit on 20-6-2008 by DimensionalDetective]

reply to post by DimensionalDetective


Yes, people want to relive the glory of protesting Vietnam. Since 2003, the media and a large group of people have been hell bent on turning this into Vietnam, because it was cool. People yearn to be a part of something seperate from their normal lives, and fighting THE MAN is cool - especially if you can make the news doing it. And whats more fun than getting yourself arrested and using the trial as a forum to spread anti-war propaganda? There are people who do this for a living. I know a few of them. They get on every single bandwagon when it becomes cool to protest something - it doesn't matter what it is. They are professional protesters.

I am against the war, but not because it is trendy and cool to do so. I have been against the war since 2003, not because its trendy to hate Bush, but because this war spends my money and I don't like the government to spend my money - or anyone elses - except when it is absolutely necessary. But I do not buy into the anti-war propaganda. I know it would be easy to do so - I could join into the hate filled rage and hand wringing on ATS and get a ton of stars and flags - but I just have to think for myself.

Originally posted by ALightinDarkness
Yes, people want to relive the glory of protesting Vietnam.

You're right about that. There are a lot of people that were teenagers/young adults in the 1960's, and this is their way of re-capturing their youth; their "Glory Days." Check out the pics; lots of old timers you know were there protesting Vietnam.

'___': Let the Sixties Die!

you fight the good fight op.
its never an easy one.

we protested in Montabello for the 3 amigos.
and they(the government) hired cops to dress up like protesters
and cause violence so that the rest of the cops had a reason to attack the protesters.
thank god that some really cool people exposed them before they could cause any damage.(it was all over the news and youtube)
the Quebec government even released a statement and apology for
doing it.
if I can find it I will post it.

the powers that be a CROOKS , CRIMINALS amd MURDERERS

You know what's funny is usually these anti-war protests ending up doing more harm then good, because now once everbody worldwide is entranced by the brutality of force through state, they question their own mind state. The stage is set and all they have to do is call in some ex-military cops to reinforce those constituional rights, enslavement doesn't come cheap.

Originally posted by ALightinDarkness
I worked in a state capital building for a while, and as a state capital it makes no sense that people would use it to protest the war - they did.

Where are people supposed to protest against the war, if not in front of a state capital building?

Take the fight right to the steps of government buildings, right in their face.

The USA government clearly does not listen to its population. They perpetuate war, when the majority of their population don't want war. Why bother voting, when all you get is war-mongers who do what they wish with such blatant disregard for their population?

Originally posted by tezzajw
Take the fight right to the steps of government buildings, right in their face.

And it is because of this "FIGHT THE MAN!" mentality that no one takes anti-war protesters seriously. Obviously, protesting the war in front of state government is a ridiculous place to dramatize and try to get yourself on the news. If you want to go "FIGHT THE MAN", atleast go to DC or get infront of a federal building. The state government could care less about your need to feel trendy and be seen on foreign policy.

The only "in your face" talking that is going on when people are protesting at the wrong place is people laughing at those who pull this kind of non-sense. I'm against the war, and I still think its funny.

Originally posted by tezzajw
The USA government clearly does not listen to its population. They perpetuate war, when the majority of their population don't want war. Why bother voting, when all you get is war-mongers who do what they wish with such blatant disregard for their population?

Wrong. If the government changed policy every time the public opinion polls swung in one direction, there would be no government left. American public opinion has little logic behind it - its fueled by radical emotions and the media. The media manipulates and propagandizes American opinion so much that they can cause a shift in opinion constantly - and they do - whenever public opinion doesn't fit their agenda.

reply to post by ALightinDarkness


Yes well, I wasn't a hardcore protestor until my brother went over there. Ive always been against the war, but when I realized that no one else seemed to care I felt I had to do more than just say that I'm against the war. Things are different when you havesomerhing to lose, it is obvious you have littlle personally at stake here. dont sell our efforts short just because you've never had to take a stand on anything, at any risk.

My brother and I are both immigrants to this country, we love America. Because of this, my brother felt it is his duty to protect and defend this nation. At a potentially great sacrfice, he has two daughters, and a wife at home. There is no glory here, only sacrfice. The sooner you get that the sooner you'll understand why we do what we do.

Deny ignorance.

reply to post by projectvxn


Just because I don't share in your sensationalist and radical preferences does not mean I somehow have nothing to lose. I don't feel the need to go around and talk about how 2 members of my family are in the military and have served and are serving in Iraq. That is what you get for assuming, shame on you.

If you want to join the hordes and relive the glory of Vietnam, be my guest. Do not assume that because other people do not do the same that your somehow more involved. Its easy to be a radical protester, its harder to actually do something about it.

Look, I don't care what people do. Go protest, go scream, raise up your signs, be angry, write letters, call congress, call the President, whatever floats your boat. But there is an anti-war propaganda machine that is entirely political, and it has nothing to do with being legitimately against the war - its entirely based on politics. In this case, the propaganda machine makes it look like somehow war protester arrests are going up and this is unusual - ignoring that many war protesters want to be arrested and will do everything possible to get arrested. This is reality. I know reality is not popular when it comes to things that do not agree with the hive mind on ATS, which is why I'm going to get slammed for this.

Deny ignorance.

[edit on 20-6-2008 by ALightinDarkness]

Yes, and somehow youre original in saying this? Shame on you for assuming the only thing anti war people want is some sort of political clout. When all I want is the end of this crminal war. Simple as that.

Originally posted by projectvxn
Yes, and somehow youre original in saying this? Shame on you for assuming the only thing anti war people want is some sort of political clout. When all I want is the end of this crminal war. Simple as that.

Its not original, but the way you reacted it seems like you've never heard of it before. Which is to be expected, since you seem to be part of the propaganda machine.

Please learn the meaning of words like criminal. Just because you don't agree with it doesn't mean its criminal. And phrases like that are a perfect example of why people don't take radical anti-war protesters seriously.

[edit on 20-6-2008 by ALightinDarkness]

reply to post by DimensionalDetective

Originally posted by DimensionalDetective
Has it occurred to you that 70% of the ENTIRE POPULATION is against this war, and an even higher percent opposed to military action against Iran?

Maybe. Has it occurred to you that only a tiny fraction of 1% of the population actually participate in these protests?

And as has been noted, many of these protestors *want* to be arrested, for their own reasons.

crim·i·nal Audio Help /ˈkrɪmənl/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[krim-uh-nl] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation –adjective 1. of the nature of or involving crime. 2. guilty of crime. 3. Law. of or pertaining to crime or its punishment: a criminal proceeding. 4. senseless; foolish: It's criminal to waste so much good food. 5. exorbitant; grossly overpriced: They charge absolutely criminal prices. –noun 6. a person guilty or convicted of a crime.

Bush has engaged in a secret propaganda Psy-Op on the American population to sell his stupid greedy war:

www.abovetopsecret.com...
www.youtube.com... Part 1
www.youtube.com... Part 2
www.pbs.org...

The President lied, distorted and fabricated nearly everything about Iraq pre-war intelligence:

www.publicintegrity.org...
news.aol.com...
www.cbsnews.com...
www.newsweek.com...

The Bush Administration has lied to us about what we're doing to people overseas. He has instituted secret torture facilities in Eastern Europe, and one not so secret at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where, unlike the Eastern European Prisons, we have documented evidence of torture and death caused by duress under torture and inhumane environments to people who are considered "Enemy Combatants" even though a large portion of these people are not combat operatives, terrorists, or anything of the like. It is civilians, Middle Eastern Journalists, and dissidents who were held without any sort of due process, and are still being held, illegally:

Gitmo News;
Edit, ATS thread with CNN Source:
www.abovetopsecret.com...
rawstory.com...
rawstory.com...
www.time.com...
www.nytimes.com...

Secret Eastern European Prisons;
www.washingtonpost.com...
www.crooksandliars.com...
www.cnn.com...

Then there's war profiteering, and war crimes and total mishandling and mismanagement of funds in Iraq. Those FUNDS ARE COMING FROM OUR POCKETS, as well as causing an environment of war crimes such as Black Water:

War Profiteering;
www.amnestyusa.org...
www.publicintegrity.org...
democrats.senate.gov...
www.alternet.org...
www.businessweek.com...
www.sourcewatch.org...
www.atimes.com...
www.democracyrising.us...
www.chicagotribune.com...


Black Water USA War Crimes facilitated by the Bush administration goading the Justice Department into granting them immunity from prosecution. The Head of BlackWater USA has very close ties to the WhiteHouse and is also a leading member of the ultra-right-wing Christian Coalition(Which is hardly Christian in practice but I digress.);

www.independent.co.uk...
blog.washingtonpost.com...
www.democracynow.org...


All the things listed in this post are CRIMINAL ACTS.

I am not part of any propaganda machine as you posit. And I am aware that protesters often get out of hand, cause property damage, and often get arrested for reasons unrelated to the protest itself(I wouldn't argue against that), But protesting is something that is inherently American, it is part of the fabric of our democracy, and outlined in the Constitution. As long as people follow the constitution and the law while protesting then there shouldn't be a problem right?

Please don't accuse me of things that you have no basis for. It is disrespectful and adds nothing to the conversation.

[edit on 20-6-2008 by projectvxn]

They are arresting because the protest are small, but take large portions of population to inundate Washington and then you will see real paranoia coming from our own corrupted government.

They will scatter and hide like rabbits on the first hole they can find, I wish to see them been run out of the country by the population masses, like the cowards they are.

People has forgotten how much power we really have given to us by our Constitution.

reply to post by projectvxn


Your hatred for Bush does not change the facts, nor does made up youtube videos or wacko, left-wing nut job blogs (Seriously, dailykos? I laughed out loud). You should stop getting your news from known propaganda sources. The VERY FEW legitimate non woo-woo sources you had only made vague general accusations - as the liberal media does. The war is duly authorized by the Congress, and it is within the President's authority to execute it. Your dislike of it - and mine, for that matter - does not make it criminal.

There is a difference between an unjust and criminal war. The war is unjust - most wars are, by the way - but it is not criminal.


[edit on 20-6-2008 by ALightinDarkness]

Originally posted by ALightinDarkness
reply to post by projectvxn

 

There is a difference between an unjust and criminal war. The war is unjust - most wars are, by the way - but it is not criminal.


[edit on 20-6-2008 by ALightinDarkness]

If it was under false pretense...then YES IT IS CRIMINAL...
HIGHLY CRIMINAL.... and should be treated as such