Family Guy writer arrested at Occupy, exposes the big ugly

[kpete]

My Occupy LA Arrest, by Patrick Meighan

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2011

My Occupy LA Arrest, by Patrick Meighan
My name is Patrick Meighan, and I’m a husband, a father, a writer on the Fox animated sitcom “Family Guy”, and a member of the Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Santa Monica.

...........................

It was horrible to watch, and apparently designed to terrorize the rest of us. At least I was sufficiently terrorized. I unlinked my arms voluntarily and informed the LAPD officers that I would go peacefully and cooperatively. I stood as instructed, and then I had my arms wrenched behind my back, and an officer hyperextended my wrists into my inner arms. It was super violent, it hurt really really bad, and he was doing it on purpose. When I involuntarily recoiled from the pain, the LAPD officer threw me face-first to the pavement. He had my hands behind my back, so I landed right on my face. The officer dropped with his knee on my back and ground my face into the pavement. It really, really hurt and my face started bleeding and I was very scared. I begged for mercy and I promised that I was honestly not resisting and would not resist.


My hands were then zipcuffed very tightly behind my back, where they turned blue. I am now suffering nerve damage in my right thumb and palm.

..................

............... Now let’s talk about a man who was not arrested last Wednesday. He is former Citigroup CEO Charles Prince. Under Charles Prince, Citigroup was guilty of massive, coordinated securities fraud.

.......................

But back to Charles Prince. For his four years of in charge of massive, repeated fraud at Citigroup, he received fifty-three million dollars in salary and also received another ninety-four million dollars in stock holdings. What Charles Prince has *not* received is a pair of zipcuffs. The nerves in his thumb are fine. No cop has thrown Charles Prince into the pavement, face-first. Each and every peaceful, nonviolent Occupy LA protester arrested last week has has spent more time sleeping on a jail floor than every single Charles Prince on Wall Street, combined.



http://myoccupylaarrest.blogspot.com/?mid=5490
vhttp://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/12/07/1043087/-Family-Guy-writer-arrested-at-Occupy,-exposes-the-big-ugly-?via=siderecia:

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Fire Walk With Me]

2. Please do not talk like that. Outrage itself, unified public opinion, is the catalyst for Change

and it is growing, and growing, and will not be stopped.

[Vincardog]

3. I hope so. I am not advocating anything. I have just seen people pushed too far before.

[PatrynXX]

31. For some reason

I feel like when I read that I'm watching for a fistful of dollars when someone really steps on Eastwoods shooting hand...


think there is a lawsuit there. why the cops think this is a worthwhile expense is beyond me...

[badtoworse]

4. I understand your outrage and agree, but...

...I would have expressed it differently. I think you're skating close to the line.

[lbrtbell]

68. Maybe that line needs to be skated closer to

The police are doing this because they know the protesters are peaceful. If there were armed protesters (re: Tea Party) around, the cops wouldn't think they were so tough.

Occupy Phoenix was peaceful while armed vets were protecting the protesters.

I'm not advocating violence, just saying that letting the bully beat you to a pulp never achieves anything. You either have to fight back legally or physically.

[RainDog]

5. he's brave to put himself on the line

and he's right that the real criminals are in penthouses.

[zeemike]

6. It's because the police attracts people who like to punish.

And the authoritarian personality loves that kind of work an enjoys punishing those who don't conform.

[caseymoz]

29. Moreso when the legislatures and courts give them so much leeway.

Maybe they wouldn't attract those personalities if they were required to be professional and take real consequences when they brutalize and violate somebodies rights. A city administration that allows this has no excuse. The federal government has no excuse when they don't bring police officers up on charges because of this. Especially when the evidence is overwhelming.

[dotymed]

49. Sadly, when citizens refuse to allow the brown shirt tactics

from being applied to them with no reason, they are charged with additional phony "crimes." The court readily prosecutes this bogus "criminal" activity and the cops are encouraged to perpetuate the cycle of violence.

[newspeak]

77. there are some police who actually believe they are there to "protect and serve" the public

however, some at the top doing the hiring love them some lower IQ sadistic cretins. I would love to see those who are applying for any law enforcement position must have at least a BS in sociology, psychology besides law enforcement training. And, extensive psychological evaluation and only the higher scores in intelligence shall be hired. No "good old boy" network, "no hiring those with less IQ." And, with these requirements, police are paid a higher wage.

They want thugs, they want those who will hurt americans and love doing it in some law agencies. Those at the top make the requirements.

[dotymed]

80. I agree. I have known some police that are very good people.

Also, I think that many join the force wanting to make a positive difference. Sadly, IMO they often change due to the reality of the police "CYA" culture or become disillusioned and quit.

There seems to be a difference between the type of person drawn to the profession now, than those of 30 years ago. However when I think back on the police violence of the '60's, I seem to disprove my idea. Must be just age...

[Fantastic Anarchist]

57. You have to have some sadistic personality traits to be a copper.

Not saying all of them, but a vast majority have that personality trait. And the institution itself is rife with abuse and corruption.

[zeemike]

74. It's not just the sadist...look up authoritarian personality disorder.

That type of person does not necessarily get pleasure from inducing pain in others...it is just that he can't empathies with the person in pain and wants to punish those the deviate from the social norms...and they enjoy having the power to do that.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

79. I've read Altemeyer's work.

Fascinating stuff. I've also read The Authoritarians and RWAs and their deference to authority.

[Warren Stupidity]

67. No this is because it is deliberate and nationally uniform policy.

Our local police departments are trained and indoctrinated to act exactly the way they are acting. That is why you see exactly the same behavior, the same weapons, the same tactics, the same star wars storm trooper uniforms everywhere. They have been preparing for the next round of urban unrest since the 70's. We are totally naive and unprepared for the shit storm of authoritarianism that is going to come down on us.

Be brave, be fiercely committed to nonviolent civil disobedience, but understand what is going to happen.

[athenasatanjesus]

7. Remember that time we got arrested and brutalized at occupy LA.

Hmm that clip wasn't as funny as usual.

[Initech]

10. I'm waiting for a joke... Nope. Not there. Not there either. Not there either.

:spray:

[RufusTFirefly]

8. Former US Poet Laureate Robert Hass was one of the casualties of police violence last month

He was clubbed with a night stick up in Berkeley.

Hass made a wonderful observation about the media's preferred use of "baton" to describe the weapon that police use to club peaceful protesters, pointing out that "baton" conjures up innocuous images of sensitive orchestra conductors and perky majorettes instead of thugs wielding what amounts to a small baseball bat.

[Fire Walk With Me]

11. That's why I attempt to call them "truncheons" whenever I'm able.

[daleanime]

51. That better....

saps, clubs, there's got to be the right name for those disgusting little sticks.:grr:

[aquart]

86. Good. Don't let them choose the language.

[Initech]

9. This is more exciting than that time I rode the washing machine!

[GaltFreeDiet]

12. Unfortunately, the worst has yet to come.

I'm an agnostic yet I pray that the worst doesn't happen.

[greyghost]

13. Be prepared, it's going to get A LOT worse. eom

[oldhippydude]

84. in another forum

a while back i was accused of being a freeper.. for making the observation that a "kent state scenario" is pretty much inevitible, given in the context that the movment is portrayed.. fortunatly ows has remained non-violent... however you can bet that when the chips are down, some authoritarian cop, will cross the line of deadly force..

the is entirely an observation, not a wish..

[greyghost]

94. You can bet your bottom dollar that one or more cops will. eom

[defendandprotect]

25. We've let this go too long because so many didn't want to deal with it -- 11/22/63 was when

our government was transferred from the people to fascists --

also called elite/capitalists!

And our president was assassinated in a way that warned all others -- !!

It was a hugely powerful coup -- obviously involving parts of the military and

certainly the CIA -- but it could not have happened without their having the

protection of the presidency/Oval Office.


Those Democrats who tried to investigate were soon targeted by the RW and tossed out

of Congress --


How many journalists knew what was going on but decided it was too dangerous to fight

back. How many broadcasting network owners knew what was going on and cooperated?



Even today it's startling to realize that no matter how many times we'll hear that

"it's a RW press/megaphone for RW" that people still don't understand how the corporate-

press is part of the agenda -- part of protecting the cover ups!

[shanti]

28. nailed it

:thumbsup:

[Enthusiast]

38. Nailed it.

[kpete]

55. a large part of my brain

thinks you have something there...

peace, kpete

[The Doctor.]

62. Just like election fraud.

The news won't report on the blatant election theft in FL and OH because the people sitting in front of the cameras want to keep their jobs. In some cases, I'm sure it's for the sake of doing some good rather than being fired and doing none.

Regretfully, that's exactly the position Obama is in.

[JDPriestly]

89. +1000

[Fantastic Anarchist]

59. It's going to happen ... and we have to be ready for it.

Praying will do nothing. Preparing will do much more.

They're intent, besides just simply being sadistic, is to provoke a retaliation from Occupy - then, they'll have their excuse to shut it down politically and physically. That's what they're hoping for.

[spooked911]

14. powerful account.... the 30 tons of garbage part got to me-- as my conservative

FB friends were crowing about that

[Fire Walk With Me]

17. You'd have to google to confirm this but I'd heard that cops told LA #Occupiers

that they could return for their stuff. Or something similar, as was done to valuable properties at Zuccotti/Liberty.

Many LA #Occupiers did indeed clear their spaces of valuables. Those who had somewhere else to go, that is.

[pinboy3niner]

30. The Times reported it was 25 tons, and L.A. didn't even send it to its recycling program

All 25 tons went to the landfill(s). :(

[Rex]

15. Welcome to the U.S. Police State. Sorry

you had to discover it the hard/painful way.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

16. Huge K & R

Enough of the abuse.

[teewrex]

18. The more shit like this that happens, the more pissed everyone

will get and just reinforce the movement. I have faith in the people

[OwnedByFerrets]

19. The biggest Kick and Rec I can give

[defendandprotect]

26. +1 -- Kick --

[joshguitar]

20. n&r /nt

[lonestarnot]

21. K & Fucking R!

[femrap]

22. Human pigs

deserve pain.

[MsPithy]

23. Something tells me that brutalizing a writer

on a popular and rebellious TV show, will come back to bite the cops in the ass.

[defendandprotect]

36. ... and so unnecessarily cruel and brutal ---

sad to read it --

reminds me of the German Gestapo who would abuse people and then go

home and play with their kids!


:hi:

[uponit7771]

43. +1

[Fantastic Anarchist]

61. Was thinking the exact same thing ... and even comment elsewhere in this thread.

Gestapo is the first thing that came to mind.

[MrMickeysMom]

44. I think we can predict this well!

The Family Guy's nerve damage won't stop any scripting of it.

Funny how COMEDY can best portray an unfolding TRAGEDY!

[defendandprotect]

24. Face it -- Prince isn't in jail because people like him OWN our government and elected officials ...

that's how simple this is --

Any cop who did what was done to Patrick Meighan should be in jail --

Their filthy effort of pretense to suggest that people are "resisting" is sickening --

Again -- police who behave as this one did should be in jail!!

[valerief]

27. Big Kick!

[xchrom]

32. Recommend

[Lugnut]

33. K&R!

This is outrageous. :grr:

[ooglymoogly]

34. Folks like Patrick Meighan, who have the power of the soapbox

and the bullhorn of comedy are the most powerful forces to reckon with for this movement.

The junk yard dogs of the 1%, aka the police, do harm to them at their peril. By their actions, they deserve neither respect, nor honor. They have become the enemy of the people.

[defendandprotect]

35. Keep the OCCUPY threads kicked -----

imo we all need to stay connected with OWS and know what's going on --

And I'm saying the obvious because right now we have a big distraction going on

with DU3 --

Our nation is in dire straights -- we have millions of citizens suffering --

this is the important stuff!!



:hi:

[Enthusiast]

37. Kicked and recommended!

Quite a contrast. Just what we would expect in a fascist society.

[pa28]

39. K&R ^^

[The Wizard]

40. It is incumbent on the President

to order the National Guard to protect the OWS citizens protesting corporate corruption protected by government complicity. The President has an obligation to protect Americans and the Constitution from all enemies both foreign and domestic.
If he fails to do this he has abrogated his oath of office. The police, at the behest of corrupt bankers/gangsters, have cast themselves as enemies of the American people. President Obama must step into the breach.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

63. Good luck with that.

Waiting for part of the PTB who are involved with the heist to come and rescue from those who are protecting them, is a fool's errand.

We are the ones who are capable of doing something; no one else. If we stand by and wait for the benevolent rulers to rescue us from their enforcers of their right to loot the country, then, I'll see you in 50 years discussing the exact same thing we're discussing now.

If you want that future discussion to be about something else, then we are the ones who will rescue ourselves.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

64. Nail - Head

:thumbsup:

[Fantastic Anarchist]

65. I have my moments. :)

Thank you. ;)

[defendandprotect]

95. +1 -- but last I saw Obama "stepping into the breach" it was to back oil drilling/BP ....

and Arctic drilling -

Don't see this corporate president will be worrying about OWS protesters --

rather he'll be worried about protecting the "Wall Street" which is throwing

money at him once again!!

[drm604]

41. K&R

:kick:

[newspeak]

73. meanwhile, on the rant on faux news

a caller calls in (there have been a few with the same meme), about the wall street protestors, how they don't even know what they are protesting and they should just grow up. Apparently, taking their cue from their favorite right wing nutso talking head--repeating the same shite just like a damn dead brain zombie. And maybe those who don't know what is really going or don't want to rock the boat because they still have a decent job should get a clue about how monied interest influences policy over the interest of the people, how some on WS and the banks have screwed millions of people and countries and should be held accountable (and that doesn't mean a handslap) and how those tax cuts for the rich and obscene have done nothing for this country, but allowed more wealth disparity and lowered our wages.

We pay our taxes, we pay for those damn sadistic police who should have never been allowed in law enforcement and we who pay their salaries, are apparently now the enemy.

[Corruption Winz]

42. Nothing is right about this, except the price. The right price always keeps you out of prison. nt

[MrMickeysMom]

45. Recommended and smelling the anger grow!

I can see a small scene on FG where a newspaper headline is being read with a picture portraying Mr. Meighan's face ground into the payment, titled, "Overtime angers Peace Officer!"

I think we will continue to see the anger expressed by those police as they morph into more grotesque bully pawns with no other gainful employment during a RIDICULOUS class warfare.

[Mosaic]

46. It's Insane, the USA has gone insane

I think most of us should expatriate. Start googling for ex patriot web sites, get informed and let's get the heck out of this hell hole.

[L. Coyote]

48. No, countries do NOT go insane. People are the actors, people have options and agency

Start Googling where the 1% hide their money and figure out how to tax them instead.
Start Googling where the 1% get tax breaks and figure out how to tax them instead.

The hell hole is in your mind, and Google won't get you out of that hole.

[StandingInLeftField]

83. Yes, countries do go insane.....

.

[myrna minx]

47. K&R n/t

[Huey P. Long]

50. occupy

[SHRED]

52. "begged for mercy"?

I will bet those pigs loved every minute of the begging.

[gtar100]

53. This is so out of balance with justice. The abuse by the police is way out of line.

The police lose big when they lose our respect. They may feel in control now, but they forget that it's never over. And if history continues to repeat itself, they have chosen the wrong side to protect. They have chosen the criminals.

[redqueen]

54. It makes me sick that the real criminals are untouchable.

"Law enforcement" is a disgusting, tragic joke.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

56. Of course, this doesn't get any MSM coverage at all.

Must not expose the Gestapo style tactics of America's armed and violent police forces.

[The Doctor.]

58. Drown them in lawsuits.

No class actions, just one individual lawsuit after another.

Drown them in trials-by-jury. No pleading to reduced charges, just one jury trial after another.

They must be drowned as a result of giving badges to animals.

[qb]

60. I look forward to the Family Guy episode that shames the fuck out of the pigs & their commanders

who are responsible for this outrage.
:mad:

[tblue]

66. I hope so, but it plays on Fox,

so they may keep a tight yoke on him. I hope you're right that this will come out in one of their episodes. That was my first thought.

[noiretextatique]

69. just what i was thinking: don't fuck with writers

I cannot wait to see that epiisode

[Eric J in MN]

70. We should change our arrest-system.

After someone is arrested, the cops should be required to bring him or her before a judge within an hour.

Under our current system:

"I was put on a paddywagon with other nonviolent protestors and taken to a parking garage in Parker Center. They forced us to kneel on the hard pavement of that parking garage for seven straight hours with our hands still tightly zipcuffed behind our backs. Some began to pass out. One man rolled to the ground and vomited for a long, long time before falling unconscious. The LAPD officers watched and did nothing."

[villager]

71. More of the utter, complete failure of the Villaraigosa administration

n/t

[Dr Rise]

72. FUCK THE POLICE!

Some good cops better start standing the fuck up for us!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Fire Walk With Me]

81. One good cop has, check this video:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=385&topic_id=637387

Welcome to DU! :toast::hi:

[truebrit71]

75. Totally disgusting...sue the fucking pigs...

...it;s the only way they'll learn..

[Deep13]

76. Fucking Nazis. nt

[Bozita]

78. a toon fitting the occasion ...

[newspeak]

82. that needs to be sent to every police department

in the country.

[midnight]

96. Perfect..

[GeorgeGist]

85. Thank Obama ...

for looking forward.

[rhett o rick]

87. Obama owns this. He prosecutes medical marijuana dispensers and food stamp abusers and allows Wall

Street to walk. He turns a blind eye to the terrorism being inflicted on his own country.

[JDPriestly]

88. Thanks for posting this.

Let's make this viral.

Shame on the police officers. Why don't they pick on someone as brutal as themselves.

I'm not an anti-police kind of person, but I trust this report. I have heard the same facts from other sources.

[TNLib]

90. I wonder if the police are being instructed to behave this way

It could just be a mean cop. But there are way too many of these kinds of stories and images.

[Laelth]

91. Kick for exposure. n/t

-Laelth

[Marnie]

92. Mr. Meighan

Many thanks for your article and your willingness to allow it to be published and published on a very liberal site.

It is the honesty of people like you that will vastly enhanace the potency of the OWS message,

[Huey P. Long]

93. .