Watch cops beat and then pepper spray Occupy Wall Street protesters for no apparent reason.
On his Facebook page, the Cro-Mags' John Joseph has an appropriate response:
Punk/hardcore has always been about speaking up for injustice and corrupt Gov't, remember, "No justice, Just us?" Or "We Gotta Know?' So just because those of you out there might still have a job, or just don't give a fuck any more cuz becasue you got old and complacent, don't knock those who are at least trying. Cuz i guarantee you if and when the shit hits the fan in your lives and you end up desperate, or your cable gets turned off and you cant watch football all day or reality shows, you'll be out there standing up for whats right too. I'm just saying. Peace!
The lesson to be learned from the world at large in 2011 is both the power the people hold and the costs of exercising it. It has been clear for some time that it is the policy of local government and law enforcement to suppress dissension. Not some weird conspiracy theory - see "free speech zones" and ensuing arrests.
These sorts of surveillance state tactics can be rolled back by demonstrations, strikes and civil dissemblance, but those sorts of actions have costs, and I don't think the US is ready to embrace the costs of demanding change.
Let's hope I'm wrong. Because it's time...
Posted by: mikey | 09/25/2011 at 06:20 PM