If the police turn systematically lethal, well, that might be another story. I would hope that the number of people outraged and supporting Occupy would grow to unmanageable proportions without a need for any reactive violence. And I have enormous faith in the monkey-wrenching abilities of the Occupy (or suppporting) technorati to screw up the authorities’ coordination efforts if it becomes necessary.

The UC Davis protesters deserve kudos for their handling of the whole Piking incident. I could see that turn into a a full on riot against the police (Police, media, and officials, please note: the difference between a riot & a protest involves violence. When the police are committing the violence, they’re the rioters, not the protesters.) I know my first instinct would have been to attack the police, so kudos to the protesters.

Also, the silent treatment of the Chancellor was brilliant. Moving. Amazing.

Also, for a small town they have a massive swat team,  yet the cops still come around to your house to solicit donations so they can buy more of that tacticool crap, to use on the dangerous students and migrant farm workers.

Fascist little town, Davis.

Stand true and stand together, people, and when the going gets tough, remember the bravery of these students.

Chancellor Delores Umbridge of UCH (University of California Hogwarts) has announced a full investigation into the use of Cruciatus Curses on Occupy Dumbledore’s Army.

So, I applaud the UC and OWS protestors who have demonstrated nonviolence. It is working and I hope they will keep it up. 

Turns out, if you are willing to peacefully face the British bullets in India, the fire hoses in Alabama and, well, the Roman cross, you tend to win so huge that years later those who opposed you in every conceivable way have to pretend they loved you all along.  (See: The Roman’s co-option of Christianity and any time Glenn Beck likens himself to Martin L. King.)

That’s because, around the world, the mammalian brain is in ascendance and the lizard brain is in decline.

You might want to read my blog entry about my take on the UC-Davis protestors:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/world-wide-mind/201111/the-turning-point-the-moral-example-uc-davis-students-and-occupy-wall-st

Non-violence at this stage seems to be doing a lot to expose just how corrupt and broken our police (among other institutions) are, and if violence is necessary in the future, it’s this sort of abuse against innocents that will inspire people to fight. If protestors get violent now, their support will evaporate, and I don’t believe there are enough people on their side yet.

If you think that violent protests this early will accomplish anything positive in the long run, I’m not sure what to say except that I disagree.

Thank you for your continued coverage of this. It is needed and appreciated. 

Do you find it completely inconceivable that a huge number of people would be willing to physically overwhelm a group of cops if the status quo continues?

We, as citizens, may outnumber the police, but unless all of us are on the protestors’ side and willing to run/drive/fly out there at a moment’s notice and physically battle cops to defend them, we can hardly be considered reinforcements in the context you’re talking about.

On top of that, what exactly do you think would happen if they did fight back against the cops? The cops would give up and go home, and everyone would be allowed to protest in peace? Violent action against cops would be met with brutal force- more pepper spray, rubber bullets, clubbing, even lethal force. Unarmed students are not going to win against armed, armored thugs. Even if they did, backup would be called in. The police have infinite resources, the students do not. Any student arrested could be charged with assaulting a police officer, a much more serious offense than… whatever it is they’re supposed to be guilty of now. The police officers would never get even a slap on the wrist, could not be sued for their use of excessive force, and would get lots of public sympathy (even more than they, inexplicably, are getting right now). Explain to me how this extra violence would benefit the students who were attacked?

When Wired runs an OWS article, there’s a glut of posts from people who are mad because it’s not an article about technology (which I find laughably short-sighted and ironic).

The online Reuters and AP feeds are incomplete, slanted, and gullibly following the party line of Official Statements, and the comments on them are sad because they’re reflexive bumper-sticker slogans from bulletheads regurgitating what they’ve been fed. While I don’t make a hobby of feeding trolls, it’s been a joy to slap down URLs from BoingBoing posts that irrefutably controvert the claims of people with the kind of sensibility that thinks Stephen Colbert is one straight-shootin’ news anchor.

Thank you, Xeni. Thank you, BoingBoing. And please don’t let up.