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Date: Mon, 13 Dec 1999 22:13:56 -0800
From: frank scott <•••@••.•••>
Organization: college of marin
To: •••@••.•••
Subject: Re: cj#1037,rn-> guest essay re: "What to do about the WTO"
Seattle was the most encouraging mass event in years,
especially since so much of it was focused on a systemic
problem rather than an individual demon. But some of the
reactions, here and in other places, approach
hyper-ventilating.
The nerve-gas-gestapo-gas chamber analogies are totally
ridiculous, as are the allusions to sinister plots on the
part of "them". "They" are the capitalist corporadoes whose
force was being assembled in Seattle and is being exercised
all over the globe, not the foolish forces with gas masks
and guns, who, as usual in conflict, over-reacted.
The violent treatment of some demonstrators by the
over-reactors was awful, but quite common in these
circumstances. Before we go over the edge, we should
understand that such police behavior is quite common in
American ghettos, where doors are broken down, people are
thrown out of their beds and even shot, in drug raids and
such. And no police chief resigns after being found wanting,
as was the case in Seattle!
This system is malevolant, dangerous and a threat to the
future of humanity. It must be changed by a democratic
movement of informed citizens, but that won't happen if we
react like a bunch of nellies who find conspiracies and
nazis and mass murder and plots and cabals every time
something important happens, and the established authority
kicks some butt because it is important.
Take a few deep breaths, folks. In Kosovo, Iraq and other
places, there is mass destruction and murder performed by
the forces of global capital. That stuff in Seattle was a
wonderful pep-rally with some tear gas and police clubs.
Standard operating procedure, and rather stupidly carried
out by authority, resulting in some shame and disgrace for
them. Enough already, with the gas chambers and nazis, okay?
fs
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Dear Frank,
Thanks for sending in your comments, as I presume you speak
for many others. I respect your viewpoints, and especially
your articulateness, and have posted several of your
articles which you have forwarded this direction.
As regards the meaning of the police behavior in Seattle, I
was quite serious about my earlier comments - and I do not
find your objections convincing. I suggest we discuss this
issue in some more depth. In case you're intersted, I've
written a series of articles called "THE POLICE STATE
CONSPIRACY - AN INDICTMENT", which was published in New Dawn
magazine and which are posted on our website:
http://cyberjournal.org/cdr/CDRLibrary/CDRLibrary.html
The first question I have is: Are you aware of just how far
the police went in Seattle? Do you realize they took young
women who were already in custody, held their eyes open, and
sprayed their eyes with pepper spray? And these were
PEACEFUL protestors. Do you realize they were using
percussion grenades, tear gas, and rubber bullets on people
who were not even protesting at all? Do you realize they
did not bother to arrest those who destroying property?
Instead they used them as an excuse for unleashing violence
on peaceful protestors and uninvolved bystanders.
Did you know all this when you said "violent treatment of
some demonstrators by the over-reactors was awful, but quite
common in these circumstances"? If you were aware, then I
think you are wrong. The circumstances themselves were not
common and the police response was not common. Both are
unprecedented. This was not a drug raid.
You said:
"They" are the capitalist corporadoes whose force was being
assembled in Seattle and is being exercised all over the
globe, not the foolish forces with gas masks and guns, who,
as usual in conflict, over-reacted.
Well yes, the truly culpable parties are not the police on
the beat, but those who set up the system from above.
Similarly, Nazi storm troopers were not an autonomous social
movment - they were also organized from above. Hitler
organized the Nazi Party, and he was financed by American,
British, and German capitalists. It was not individual
storm troopers who went on trial in Nuremberg, but the
bosses. What's so different?
My own view is that the US (and the UK) have been heading
toward becoming police states for quite some time. If you
think about it, such a development is necessary for
neoliberal globalization to succeed. Neoliberalism brings
poverty, homelessness, and unemployment. Globalization
brings political disempowerment and the betrayal of national
sovereignty and the Consititution. Is this something you
expect people to accept without resisting?
Propaganda succeeded in blinding people to what was going on
for nearly twenty years - a remarkable feat - but propaganda
alone could not succeed forever. I've been expecting a
Seattle-style uprising for some time, in fact I'm a bit
surprised it took so long. Do you think those running the
global system have no brains or imagination? Do you think
they have not been expecting the people to eventually catch
on and begin to rebel? Do you think they are incapable of
making preparations?
Consider your statement
Before we go over the edge, we should understand that such
police behavior is quite common in American ghettos, where
doors are broken down, people are thrown out of their beds
and even shot, in drug raids and such. And no police chief
resigns after being found wanting, as was the case in
Seattle!
You consider this proof that police do NOT behave in a
gestapo style? On the contrary, the whole phony
war-on-drugs has been orchestrated PRECISELY so that a
police state could be developed and sold to the public... so
that the population can be controlled under globalization.
As for the police chief resigning... the reports I read said
that he resigned because he failed to keep order - NOT
because the police over-reacted. He was quoted as saying
the police "did not get the support they needed". (!)
You said:
In Kosovo, Iraq and other places, there is mass destruction
and murder performed by the forces of global capital. That
stuff in Seattle was a wonderful pep-rally with some tear
gas and police clubs. Standard operating procedure, and
rather stupidly carried out by authority, resulting in some
shame and disgrace for them.
You say shame & disgrace resulted... on what basis do you
say this? Have any of the police apologized? Have any been
disciplined? Has the mayor apologized? Has Clinton? When
you mention "In Kosovo, Iraq and other places, there is mass
destruction and murder performed by the forces of global
capital", I suggest you remember the phrase "crossing the
Rubicon".
I could say more, but I'd rather find out how you're going
to respond. There are many different directions this
discussion could take.
aloha,
rkm
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Richard K Moore
Wexford, Irleand
Citizens for a Democratic Renaissance
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http://cyberjournal.org
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful
committed citizens can change the world,
indeed it's the only thing that ever has.
- Margaret Mead
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