General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Putting the picture of the Chicago cop punching a protester in context [View all]The_Rights_Of_Man
(1 post)I'll say it
I'm embarrassed.........I'm disappointed. I came to Chicago expecting an opportunity to protest NATOs 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 Americas 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.