UC Davis Pepper Spraying officer, Lt. John Pike
There is no explanation for the following actions by a police officer, other than sadistic brutality. How different are his actions than the Roman Gladiator who brandished the sword to the blood-thirsty crowd prior to plunging it into his defeated opponent? [Problem: the crowd was not blood-thirsty or in agreement] How different is his act then the bull fighter who waves his sword to the crowd before finishing-off the innocent bull? And, how different are his actions than those of the racist thugs who relished beating young black people at restaurant counters in the U.S. South during the early 1960s? Ultimately, his actions are no different from the southern crowds who probably cheered as racist murderers threw ropes over three limbs while others drug a horrified black person (men and women) up for the lynching show.
HUFFINGTON POST – Occupy Wall Street
WASHINGTON — On Friday, a group of University of California, Davis students, part of the Occupy Wall Street movement on campus, became the latest victims of alleged police brutality to be captured on video. The videos show the students seated on the ground as a UC Davis police officer brandishes a red canister of pepper spray, showing it off for the crowd before dousing the seated students in a heavy, thick mist.
After centuries of seeing the good that comes from protest and civil disobedience, I find it unfathomable that the authorities still feel behavior such as the video spraying of peaceful protesters is effective.
Looks like Tahrir Square to me!
University of California-Davis official have indicated they will undertake a review of the spraying. The University Chancellor Linda Katehi, said she feels the video of the pepper spraying ,”is chilling”. It is being reported some university faculty are demanding Katehi resign as Chancellor for authorizing the actions against the peaceful protesters.
Update: 99% Legion is Awakening
There are two disturbing trends that have now been brought to national attention. This is a nation of bullies and a nation that doesn’t give a flying fuck about children.
Catholic adoption services bullied IL state legislators into GIVING them money despite the fact that they refused to comply with State law. IL said fuck you. Catholic adoption agency disbanded rather than comply.
The denial of the abuse of those children at Penn State is pervasive at every level of our society. The coaches, players, the students attending the school, the JUDGE who let Sandusky out on bail, etc.
Christians across this nation are actively preventing anti-bullying measures at SCHOOLS where CHILDREN go to LEARN.
Joe Walsh, Teatard from IL, has openly proved that he doesn’t give a shit about his children by being well over $100,000 in arrears for child support. The result? His CONSTITUENTS also don’t give a shit and are still supporting him. In addition, Joe Walsh continues to BULLY the Occupiers. He is a sociopath who was even given an award from the Family Research Council.
And in the streets of the US, peaceful occupiers are being regularly pepper-sprayed to get them to move. REGULARLY.
This nation is seriously culturally defective. Anyone who believes otherwise is simply not paying attention.
This an election year and the nation’s Republican Party refuses to help pull us out of our serious recession. This proves that an entire swath of the country’s voters are part of the overall trend to bully, not give a shit about children, and at the same time say otherwise.
America, you don’t fool me.
Words and prose for the ages, Scott. Very well done!
I am an Australian on-looker who is absolutely appalled by the heavy handed actions against these peaceful demonstrators.
It looks to me like the 1% are not afraid to use thuggery to silence their critics. When people are holding what is clearly a non-violent and peaceful protest they are exercising their right to free speech in a legitimate way. When those who are criticised can call on riot police armed with pepper spray to silence the dissent then not only does it look as if the 1% have an army but it also looks as if freedom of speech is dead. Unfortunately that army is made up of people in the 99%. What surprises me is the casual way in which this officer perpetrates violence on those he has more in common with than those who asked for the eviction. The 1% have done wonders in turning us against one another, in fomenting tensions, resentments and jealousies amongst us.