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19. NATO Protests - Chicago
Mon May 21, 2012, 05:45 PM
May 2012

I'll say it … I'm embarrassed.........I'm disappointed. I came to Chicago expecting an opportunity to protest NATO’s presence and intervention in countries far removed from the “security” of those nations belonging to the NATO coalition. Instead, I saw obvious attempts to provoke the police, outright misrepresentation of the facts - by “reporters” and my "fellow" marchers (who "claimed" to be attacked by the police - but actually sustained injuries from objects thrown by the raucous and unprovoked crowd).

There are serious issues to be discussed and resolved - yet in Chicago, I saw a group of my fellow "activists" presenting little more than overly dramatic hyperbole-laced rhetoric. Few were even able to describe the reason for attending let alone engage in any real discussion of the issues in an intelligent manner.

I'm disappointed and a bit ashamed of those few who attended the marches and rallies. There was nowhere near the 15,000 ~ 40,000 people we were led to expect. Who decided that to be effective in presenting our “message” we HAD to be confrontational…we HAD to call the police names…we HAD to throw liquids and debris to get attention….

I still believe that the very existence of NATO and America’s deep involvement in that organization is wrong for many reasons. But my Chicago experience has awakened me to another threat….one that may even transcend the evil of NATO…the treat of ignorance, anarchy and disrespect.

Sorry, that doesn't fit the preferred narrative here. 11 Bravo May 2012 #1
Thanks for this perspective, wndy. elleng May 2012 #2
How convenient. Leaving off the first shot showing this asshole Egalitarian Thug May 2012 #3
Hey, feel free to add that nobodyspecial May 2012 #5
The police didn't wade into shit. The march was over, there was an agreement between organizers. . wndycty May 2012 #6
If you had a point to make... Wait Wut May 2012 #92
The city stereotypes itself. I lived there many years and nothing has changed at all. n/t Egalitarian Thug May 2012 #127
Listen to these guys for once. That whole 1968 thing was just a left wing myth. Zalatix May 2012 #128
Chicago in 1968 was a set up by agent provocateurs of the right ProudToBeBlueInRhody May 2012 #136
That was over 40 years ago. Wait Wut May 2012 #141
Well said. Those nutters who say history repeats itself need to adjust their tinfoil hats! Zalatix May 2012 #142
Waste of tinfoil Wait Wut May 2012 #143
Yup, things change, you tell 'em! Zalatix May 2012 #144
Oops. Can't watch vids at work... Wait Wut May 2012 #145
I was born and raised there. Wait Wut May 2012 #140
. facetious_badger May 2012 #148
It is a difficult and often dangerous job, that's what they sign up for. Egalitarian Thug May 2012 #150
. facetious_badger May 2012 #152
Prepare for incoming nobodyspecial May 2012 #4
You know a cop got stabbed by a protester on Saturday, but of course the defenders will defend that wndycty May 2012 #8
Oh, they don't have to defend it nobodyspecial May 2012 #10
Who here is going to defend a cop getting stabbed? What a ridiculous projection that is. n/t EFerrari May 2012 #14
I thought you might sense you were defending the other acts of lawlessness . . . wndycty May 2012 #26
Boy, how disgusting is that. n/t EFerrari May 2012 #59
she was? where was that? HiPointDem May 2012 #121
I'm so glad jehop61 May 2012 #73
Did not hear that. Do you have a link? midnight May 2012 #133
of course facetious_badger May 2012 #155
Not in the pic are corporate employees and owners in their offices high above all this. Laughing, jtuck004 May 2012 #7
Huh, what? wndycty May 2012 #9
so this photo means it's okay for that other cop to punch the protestor? CreekDog May 2012 #13
The cops were defending themselves. Did you notice the cop who had the wood broken over his head. . wndycty May 2012 #16
That cop was being pushed into the crowd by his colleagues. EFerrari May 2012 #63
well you're defending what another cop did by what a picture of a different cop shows CreekDog May 2012 #93
I agree with you, wndy frazzled May 2012 #11
Where would we be without the police escorting us around our own cities, negotiating our rights EFerrari May 2012 #12
DO you know why the folks were escorted? wndycty May 2012 #15
Because protesters are too stupid not to play in traffic? EFerrari May 2012 #18
You watched a live stream while I was in the middle of it. . .sure I will take your fucking word. . wndycty May 2012 #27
Even more impressive. Union Scribe May 2012 #32
SO you think the quality of seeing something on a live stream is much more accurate. . . wndycty May 2012 #33
You are absolutely right! randome May 2012 #34
Watching on several livestreams and NOT seeing protesters attacking cops speaks many truths. Fire Walk With Me May 2012 #40
Again I keep hearing that second hand and live streams trump what I saw with my own eyes. . . wndycty May 2012 #43
You saw that, and I did not. I saw this, and you did not. Fire Walk With Me May 2012 #48
Actually, I think it does quakerboy May 2012 #110
It is equal. Union Scribe May 2012 #46
No, I don't. Because that livestream didn't try to justify cr@P to me EFerrari May 2012 #55
You said what I was thinking! Fire Walk With Me May 2012 #113
+1 A lot of people are just not going to give up there good vs. evil pre-judice. (nt) reACTIONary May 2012 #117
K&R for a much needed sensible post. Gidney N Cloyd May 2012 #17
How much did Chicago taxpayers pay for these "escorts", do you think,? EFerrari May 2012 #21
The crowd that you see on the other side of the cops is the crowd that was picking fights. . . wndycty May 2012 #25
No. I watched livestreams and cops demanded an entirely peaceful gathering disperse or face arrest. Fire Walk With Me May 2012 #38
"...who the hell is to say those weren't cops?" randome May 2012 #47
the police did admit it had infiltrated the black bloc 2pooped2pop May 2012 #74
I think that's all that any of us are saying. randome May 2012 #76
Keep digging. There must be some gold down there somewhere. n/t EFerrari May 2012 #57
surely u mean "with all this shit, there must be a pony" 2pooped2pop May 2012 #107
Oh, so money is of primary importance to you now? randome May 2012 #31
Put that strawman down before he hurts you. n/t EFerrari May 2012 #56
NATO Protests - Chicago The_Rights_Of_Man May 2012 #19
Exactly, here from Chicagoist that speaks volumes to me: wndycty May 2012 #23
hmmm. interesting little story. interesting first post. cali May 2012 #28
Yeah sure right. Cool story, though. SammyWinstonJack May 2012 #109
So this asshole cop took it upon himself to smash this poor blind man's guide-stick karate style 4th law of robotics May 2012 #20
You must have missed all the video footage of pigs swinging batons coalition_unwilling May 2012 #22
Consider I witnessed one of the marches first hand. . . wndycty May 2012 #29
So by being there you...gained the power of telepathy. Union Scribe May 2012 #30
Never said they were. . . wndycty May 2012 #35
It seems to be your claim Union Scribe May 2012 #50
All Bow... To The All Knowing, All Seeing, wndycty !!! WillyT May 2012 #37
LOL you are funny. . .even many protesters are complaining about the other protesters. . . wndycty May 2012 #41
You're incredulous that you were there and people are still questioning your conclusions DisgustipatedinCA May 2012 #49
That's not what I and countless others witnessed, nor does it match coalition_unwilling May 2012 #125
I wasn't there, so I don't know, but... TreasonousBastard May 2012 #24
I think you just killed all the other threads on this! randome May 2012 #36
... Earth_First May 2012 #39
Can you show me the pics of him before he got cracked over the head. wndycty May 2012 #42
Wow... You Seem To Have Some Serious Authority Issues... WillyT May 2012 #45
So, different time, different place, different context. boppers May 2012 #116
I am outraged by your inferrence that he somehow deserved to nearly be killed Fire Walk With Me May 2012 #51
This thread had to do with Chicago, not Scott Olsen. randome May 2012 #69
better than that dana_b May 2012 #52
This thread was very specific to what happened in Chicago nobodyspecial May 2012 #62
According to DUers since my perspective doesn't fit their narrative its irrelevant wndycty May 2012 #67
LOL! I want to hear the OP's "perspective" on the $600,000. settlement EFerrari May 2012 #68
Post removed Post removed May 2012 #71
It would be nice if you could display even the remotest acceptance that cops can and will be Fire Walk With Me May 2012 #80
I bring up a fact about the CPigD and am called ignorant and stupid. EFerrari May 2012 #108
The Password is, Chicago Police Department. EFerrari May 2012 #103
The OP created a sub-thread through asking to be shown what Scott Olsen was doing Fire Walk With Me May 2012 #114
yes, and I was just answering the question that dana_b May 2012 #119
There it is! Thank you! Obviously, he deserved anything the cops wanted to do to him! Fire Walk With Me May 2012 #112
Show me your stats on police injury's vs. protester injury's. n-t Logical May 2012 #44
Here's the entire sequence of events in that skirmish frazzled May 2012 #53
I was just going to post this nobodyspecial May 2012 #60
Fire posted a vid from ABC 7, Chi. Twice. Mc Mike May 2012 #135
Wow, either you are a ex-cop, current cop or married to a cop. No other explanition. n-t Logical May 2012 #54
No I am just someone who believes the social justice activists do not need assholes. . . wndycty May 2012 #64
Read this post and comment. I wrote it based on your naive/gullible post...... Logical May 2012 #70
Cute? I am naive and gullible. I do not choose to read any bullshit thread that you start. . . wndycty May 2012 #72
So telling you you are wrong and gullible is "Talking Shit"? LOL, classic. Logical May 2012 #77
Why don't you go over to my "Show me what a police state looks like!" thread Fire Walk With Me May 2012 #58
Also, people given guns are supposed to be trained to not over-react in even the worst situations Fire Walk With Me May 2012 #61
So they should just stand still and be a punching bag for someone? randome May 2012 #65
Please take a look at the exact series of events nobodyspecial May 2012 #66
Don't waste your time many on DU have narrative they want to believe and won't let the facts... wndycty May 2012 #75
What "facts" have you posted except 5 out of context photos?? Logical May 2012 #78
Not out of context. Here is an interview with the photographer who took the shots nobodyspecial May 2012 #83
If you going to justify a cop punching a citizen for any reason whatsoever Fire Walk With Me May 2012 #79
I don't know- secondvariety May 2012 #85
Excellent point. Defenders of the Chicago PD's excessive force and brutality coalition_unwilling May 2012 #126
Here's a link JH19059 May 2012 #81
so are you saying they deserved to be punched? fascisthunter May 2012 #82
Listen to an eyewitness account to the event. nobodyspecial May 2012 #84
It is a waste of time with these folks who have a narrative and are ignoring the facts. . . wndycty May 2012 #86
LOL....you stopped responding because you are getting the shit kicked out of you. I don't blame.... Logical May 2012 #89
You were the one who ran away and started 2 more threads on this. randome May 2012 #97
Ran away? LOL....I put my stats out there in a NEW post and you are welcome to attack them. And.... Logical May 2012 #100
That's their MO nobodyspecial May 2012 #91
Explain how it was NOT BS. Don't just whine, back up what you said. Logical May 2012 #94
Well, I posted photos AND video links of the specific incident nobodyspecial May 2012 #95
I cannot tell if you are serious. For EVERY photo you can post someone can post 100.... Logical May 2012 #99
Here is the title of the thread nobodyspecial May 2012 #101
"context" makes it sound like you are saying the police are correct! Does it not? n-t Logical May 2012 #102
Oh, I'm sorry nobodyspecial May 2012 #104
Look up the word 'context' somewhere. randome May 2012 #105
what was that, balsa wood... and what idiot did that? fascisthunter May 2012 #90
That was a piece of lathe. But the platinum blond was clearly threatening the helmetless cop Mc Mike May 2012 #132
When Occupiers attempted to regain Zuccotti using a legit =court order= saying they could, this cop Fire Walk With Me May 2012 #87
Can't even see the woman. But he was probably not justified. randome May 2012 #88
Of course he's justified, according to the OP. You're lacking a sense of perspective here. Zalatix May 2012 #129
If true RobertEarl May 2012 #96
Screenshots of what cops nation-wide think about Occupiers Fire Walk With Me May 2012 #98
Which is quite a contrast with Fla_Democrat May 2012 #118
More "perspective" for you... Earth_First May 2012 #106
What perspective? zappaman May 2012 #111
Chicago spent over $63 million defending police misconduct: study Fire Walk With Me May 2012 #115
This whole thread has made me proud of the DU SmileyRose May 2012 #120
uh... dana_b May 2012 #124
In fact, the OP has a post hidden in the thread... Bluenorthwest May 2012 #139
Oh no, not a piece of balsa wood. girl gone mad May 2012 #122
Fine I'll hit you with one SpartanDem May 2012 #123
OH THE HUMANITY! 99Forever May 2012 #130
**********BULLSHIT OP DEFENDING COPS WHO STRUCK FIRST********* uponit7771 May 2012 #131
Good morning America showed this particular shot in motion, and the cop is moving in on these people midnight May 2012 #134
Protests in Chicago seem amazingly tame compared to other locations. ieoeja May 2012 #137
I remember 68. And the recent torture and false imprisonment case Bluenorthwest May 2012 #138
LOL, there's an apologist for everything just1voice May 2012 #146
Context facetious_badger May 2012 #149
Not always and often not so. I used to think that, but after being stopped and harassed by a local uppityperson May 2012 #151
consider facetious_badger May 2012 #153
He'd followed me for several blocks. Then called to me when I stopped where I was going. uppityperson May 2012 #154
One facetious_badger May 2012 #156
yup, tazing a 73 yr old man for not taking a ticket, or a 52 yr old who was passed out with an uppityperson May 2012 #157
police facetious_badger May 2012 #147
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