Now is a nasty repeat of the past

[unhappycamper]

Now is a nasty repeat of the past
by Ed Kociela | May 6 2007 - 9:20am

It's all familiar ground, bloodsoaked and stained.

Protesters are being beaten in the streets. A sitting president lies through his teeth while his vice president fills his pockets. Our children are dying on a far-off battlefield.

But, who's to care?

Not the chicken hawks like the president and his president of vice, who dodged the war 40 years ago. Not the Congress, which has betrayed the people they swore to serve.

This is all so 1968-ish all we need is a political convention in Chicago where they beat the opposition to death, then claimed their votes from the graveyard.

The film footage from last weekend's marches -- particularly in L.A. where the cops in heavy armor severely beat a crowd of Hispanics who were only asking for a fair shake -- was akin to the police abuses that led to Kent State in Ohio, where National Guard soldiers opened fire on a crowd of students in 1970, killing four. Only this time, the cops were swinging batons and firing rubber bullets into crowds that included women and children. Little children.


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[Jackpine Radical]

1. Before Chicago '68, in common parlance the word "Pig" only referred to

a common species of farm animal or, metaphorically, to a greedy person. After that Convention, the word had acquired a third meaning. Indeed, all that tear gas & the clubbings today are reminiscent of '68, '69....

But I must say that demonstrations are dangerous places to be, and it is not right to bring young children there. Do what you want as an adult, but at least don't bring your small child into such a place. They coul end up traumatized and emotionally scarred forever becuse their parents tried to use them to make political points. So, folks, Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite, but please, no infants at the barricades.

[lazer47]

2. If your children have to be afraid, then YOU better be afraid

[Jackpine Radical]

3. Yes, of course. My point is that domestic insurrection is not a game.

A necessary activity, maybe, but not a game. I myself was shot in Vietnam and clubbed on the streets of Madison during the demonstrations. I had no illusions on either of those battlefields that I was not in danger.

[lazer47]

4. I spent 3 tours in that same same country, then you should already

know that when the time comes, that rebellion whether against an Idea or for an Idea has no age limit or age group, and when it happens it is inevitable that somebody is going to get hurt

[Jackpine Radical]

5. Sure, but in the meantime I think it's irresponsible to take a kid

to an event that may end in tear gas & beatings or worse.