NYC Protestors and leftist anarchy groups

Off Topic
1

Guys/Gals,

This is going to be a bit of a rant, but I need to get this off my chest and it could make for some interesting discussion.

I was watching a local news(NBC) program here in NJ and saw a report on the protests that are planned for the upcoming Republican convention. For some reason, NBC thought it was important to examine “urban myths” about radical leftist tactics during protests. The reporter first presented an NYPD training manual that describes tactics that have been used by violent protestors in the past. These included spraying police with urine, bleach, acid, glass etching solution etc. The reporter centered on these particular tactics and said he could find no evidence of them having been used in the US against police. Then he had on a civil rights attorney who claimed that the department is setting up a disaster by distributing this “exaggerated” literature to its officers, who are already on edge. In addition, he said this will have a chilling effect on peaceful protestors who may be scared off by exaggerated police claims and are afraid of being caught up in world war III.

Now, Im not going to go into why NBC was compelled to air such a piece(what are they trying to accomplish?), but it did make me think about where all of this is going.

I went to my computer and began searching around for info on some of the more radical leftists groups. Much of what I found lead to a group known as the Ruckus Society. Their website is pretty harmless and they say that they advocate non-violent protest. However, the melee that went down in Seattle in 1999 was largely attributed to this group. They even provided “guerilla camps” to rioters, leading up to the event.

The leader of this group was arrested in Philadelphia before the 2000 RNC convention and some of the membership had “improvised weapons, gasoline soaked rags, makeshift chain barricades and piano wire with which to trip police horses”.

Guess what? The Ruckus Society is a part of United for Peace and Justice, which is the over-arching group that has been trying to organize protests at the RNC in New York and has been fighting the city in court over the denial of permits.

While looking at this group, I found something else very interesting. On copwatch.org(a vile site in my opinion),
there is a great deal of distorted information about the Seattle riots. This probably won’t surprise anyone, but
the ACLU has been there every step of the way defending the rioters and members of the Ruckus Society.

Now, I am asking myself “how deep does this rabbit hole go?” How much support does such vehement radicalism have in this country? Is this indicative of where we are headed as a nation? What was most concerning to me is that known
domestic terrorist groups are being welcomed into the fold with all of the other protestors.

The idea that has been stuck in my head for a while now is that we have a second set of vicious enemies already here in the U.S. … the ACLU and the people they rush to defend, no matter how much of an enemy of society they are. Perhaps there will be a point where we realize this, reform criminal and civil law, stop castrating the police at every turn and stop excusing criminal behavior, even if it is veiled as free speech, but I’m not optimistic as I think this would require a massive cultural shift. Its all making me feel very insecure about the future of the country. Maybe Im overstating it…

Any thoughts on all of this?

2

From your post I feel that it’s more than just excusing criminal behaviour; it’s also showing the darker side of the liberal media. When people refer to the liberal media, they don’t mean people saying “I’m a liberal.” They refer to news articles like the one you mention which very strategically puts in leftist ideals (or defends the left). Maybe they do it so subliminally that people don’t even realize it and they stay with the belief of the “conservative media,” instead of the other way around.

3

I feel that the war on terror would be over by jow if it were not for out enemies onour own soil. Sure, there are going to be jack offs all over the world that hate you. Everwonder why many kids, kids who sleep on sofas and on stairwells are the ones throwing bricks through Starbucks windows? because if te US becomes teh shithole like the rest of te middle east tehy woudl notic a change.

4

I am in NYC. These freaks are walking around like they own the place. I yelled out the window of my SUV whenever I saw them “Bush-04”.

It’s funny they actually stand in the middle of avenues with signs and expect New Yorkers to read them or actually slow down. Hell they are lucky we don’t drive over them.

5

The hate that many liberals carry is very deep, and it’s very sad.

6

When I read shit like this in today’s news “Police said an officer needed 38 stitches for a leg wound he suffered at the scene.”; I feel like beating the hell out of every single person there.

I do not understand why you have to be so disrespectful to an officer trying to do his job. They’re hate runs so deep that they hurt a police officer. That’s seriously fu**ed up!

I hope the person that did this sits in jail for a long time and becomes someones bi**h!

7

Oh come on, sure there are fucked up people out there… you can’t go around painting everyone with that brush. You folks are just plain ignorant.

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[quote]vroom wrote:
Oh come on, sure there are fucked up people out there… you can’t go around painting everyone with that brush. Yquote]

Tell me vroom - which type of protester is going to make the evening news? Surely not the peaceful ones. The media is the one driving these dog and pony shows. “If it bleeds, it leads” - and the press is always on the lookout for a gusher.

I think the leftist elitist media is the one holding the paint brush you speak of.

9

vroom name calling again I see.

10

Michael Savage has been talking about this whole topic…ACLU…liberal radicals…(red diaper doper babies!) on his show AND in his book “The Enemy Within”. Seems hes not so nutso after all!

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Zeb, why do you characterize everything as an insult or an attack? Painting everyone with the same brush is indeed ignorant.

Sorry if you don’t like to hear it… but don’t blame me for it.

12

[quote]vroom wrote:
Zeb, why do you characterize everything as an insult or an attack? Painting everyone with the same brush is indeed ignorant.

Sorry if you don’t like to hear it… but don’t blame me for it.[/quote]

vroom,

See my post regarding your comments on another thread.

13

JD430
Post a link about the Ruckus Society being responsible for violence. Otherwise, I’m calling bullshit.

The Ruckus Society does goofy shit like sending out hordes of people dressed up as Santa Claus during Christmas time (to make people think about the over-commercialization of Christmas).

Nobody is going to throw urine or acid on cops in NYC, or any of the other garbage tactics you mentioned. Get a grip on yourself man!!! If the election is getting too intense for you, go back to jerking off to internet porn, and check back witrh the grown-ups on November 3rd.

Today, hundred of mothers pushing strollers crossed the Brookolyn bridge, in a protest against Bush. Oh my God, those dangerous mommies and their Bush-bashing!!!

50% of the people in this country are against Bush, and they are your friends and neighbors and your co-workers, not a bunch of bombthrowers. Get your heads out of your asses. This November, when Bush loses, some of you guys will be totally clueless about how it could have happened… after all, everyone voting against Bush is a urine throwing radical, right???

I notice the ACLU gets slammed a lot, but please explain why did Rush Limbaugh run like a whining pussy to get the ACLU’s help in his drug-abuse case? I guarantee if somebody in the government started messing with your civil rights, you’ll want the ACLU on your side too.

14

The more i think about this thread, the more idiotic it seems. The protestors in New York this week are going to overwhelmingly be MAINSTREAM Americans.

"A poll released Thursday said 81 percent of New Yorkers approve of lawful demonstrations during the convention, and 68 percent approve of nonviolent civil disobedience. Nearly all disapprove of violent protests, the Quinnipiac University Poll found.

Eleven percent (!!!) said that they would take part in protests this weekend or during the four-day convention."

Two prominent groups who will be picketing the convention this week:

OFF-DUTY NYC POLICE AND FIREFIGHTERS.

Think picketing policemen will throw acid on other cops?

Guys, you’re not supposed to drop the dumbells on your head!!!

15

Lumpy,

I don’t know who they are but to call the protestors “main stream Americans” is wrong.

How many main stream Americans have ever protested anything in their lives? Come on Lumpy these people are ultra liberal fanatics who are filled with hate!

16

[quote]ZEB wrote:
Lumpy,

I don’t know who they are but to call the protestors “main stream Americans” is wrong.

How many main stream Americans have ever protested anything in their lives? Come on Lumpy these people are ultra liberal fanatics who are filled with hate![/quote]

ZEB,

I have done my small share of peaceful protesting. Yes, against war, for gay marriage and off course in support of hateful ultraliberalism. :wink:

I was in the BIG protest (~1 million people) in London last year against the war. No weapons of mass urine there, except for the contents of the thousands of babies’ nappies being carried around by their worried moms and dads, but I might have been shielded off from the mayhem by the group of hate-filled quakers I walked with.

My point is: People have a right to demonstrate and most people who do, are peaceful. Check it out once, make use of your inalienable democratic rights - don’t just talk down on citizens who make use of their rights. It is essentially against the values you stand for - and it just isn’t helpful in a discussion. Ah, and yes, I must admit it is kinda insulting, too.

Makkun

17

makkun:

So, why do you think you are a “mainstream American”?

Furthermore, we will see how “peaceful” these folks in NYC will be.

18

[quote]ZEB wrote:
makkun:

So, why do you think you are a “mainstream American”? [/quote]

ZEB,

I don’t. Because I’m not even American. :wink: My point was that many people who go protesting for something are “normal” people. To make that point, I gave you an example. It is true though, that many “mainstream” citizens in many western countries don’t seem to be able to get their collective asses of their couch and make use of their constitutional rights. That is sad.

I also objected to your view that everyone who will go there to protest is an “ultra liberal fanatic who is filled with hate!” My criticism, which you have not yet addressed with an answer, is that you seem to deny that these people have a legitimate reason to protest - but they make use their right given to them by your constitution and laws.

I understand you see yourself as conservative - that would mean embracing and preserving certain values and rights - including the ones given to these protesters. If you believe in freedom, the rule of law, etc. you should not prejudge them, even if you do not agree with their views.

That is a very valid point. I am sure there will be some who will not agree to the same principles of peaceful and lawful protest. That is part of every bigger gathering of people, and it is the reason why police will and should be present. Hoping that both sides will act responsibly and following a policy of de-escalation, I presume the American citizens present will behave up to the standards they set upon themselves and others.

Makkun

19

Having been seen many of the recent protests here in Washington, I have to say that most of the people protesting are laughable. First off most of them dont know their head from their ass, and dont understand at all that they are in a hodgepodge of people protesting a radical, and somewhat contradictory mix of things…let alone understand how the people next to them are actually protesting something that goes against what they are protesting. Having seen what they do to pro-life people or other supposed right wing causes, is down right scary considering these people supposedly hold the freedom of speech so highly. That said, I am not and will not be suprised when a small percentage of these people exibit violent tendencies. Just look at International Answer and their funding and their causes. Right now they have posters up all over D.C. that say they will bus people for free to NYC to end the occupation (Here’s the kicker), in IRAQ, Palestine, Korea, the Phillipines and Haiti…fucking hilarious. I stole one of the signs and now have it up at my desk in the office, and i am thinking i might try and flag a free ride with them to NYC since I am want to go to the convention…if I do, a 5 hour bus ride with these degenerates should be high in the unintentional comedy rating.

20

Zeb, Bril, Lumpy,

I listened to NPR the other day and they had on New Yorkers who were proud that they were going to give misinformation out to the delegates. They are going to give them misleading directions and will print false maps.

Wow!!! Aren’t they brave?!? Aren’t they creative?!? Aren’t they tough?!?

NPR reported this without comment. Imagine if there were Conservative groups doing the same thing in Boston.

I know, it would never happen, Conservatives go to work during the day and don’t have four or five days to waste. However, just imagine it.

Bril, I would love to see a T-man in the midst of those degenerates!!! You would stick out like a sore thumb. You would make them trully uncomfortable. First of all, you bathe. Second, your arms are over eight inches around. Third, you have a job.

I have absolutely ZERO sympathy for the people who go to these events and become violent. Anyone who hurts a policeman or other citizen because they want to get on television, or are mad because they don’t know their father, etc… should be severely punished.

I have no problem with people who want to march peacefully. It is their right. You are right, Bril, most of these people do more harm to their “causes” than they do good. Let them march!!!

For the most part, I will be laughing,

JeffR

P.S. Hey Lumpy, DanH, RSU, are you going to go to New York this week?