NY Police Bring "Democracy" to America

The thugs in blue uniforms are trying to out-Mubarak of Egypt, out-Gadaffi of Libya, and out-Basshar al Assad of Syria. Apparently "the authorities" in NY like to put on these "show of force" by police as they beat up and pepper spray protesters. I'm guessing the US feels it can show the Middle East dictators "how it is done"...



The video is murky, but the only "disorderly conduct" and violence I see is from cops beating on protestors who are trying to stay out of the way of the batons and pepper spray. If this is supposed to be "street management" by a professional police force, this has to be the video of "how not to do it". Disgusting.

Notice how one of these cops in white (these are the "supervisors"!!!) gets both hands on his billy club so he can do some vicious imitation of a home run slugger on some poor demonstrator...



I guess if Mayor Bloomberg wants to help the demonstrators win in this struggle for democracy, he has taken one hell of a step forward. You don't "manage" crowd by this kind of violence. Instead, you add fury to protest and fuel even greater demonstrations. I have to put my head in my hands and weep because America shows itself incompetent at "managing democracy". Instead of turns loose goons and thugs to beat up people to suppress legitimate protest. That will set fire to the cause of Occupy Wall Street.

I sure looks to me that the "authorities" in the US are trying as hard as they can to re-create Mubarak and Tahrir Square in America. What they are achieving by their thuggish behaviour and their unwillingness to allow legitimate protest is a quickly mushrooming movement:



I notice that the media continues to downplay these demonstrations. A year ago, a crowd of 30 Tea Party demonstrators would get headline news in major media. On October 5th the crowds were big. The "official" estimates are 2,000 people, but you can see for yourself, there are many thousands. And still these demonstrations and their cause get only a passing mention in the news media.

Count the demonstrators for yourself. The number 2,000 is laughingly low...



This careful media management of an event into non-existence is what is "wonderful" about democracy in America... the political life is America is so well "stage managed" by the rich and powerful. The lessons the Middle East dictators have to learn from America is not to beat and kill demonstrators, but to pull a George Orwell 1984 and simply write the existence of demonstrators out of "reality". That is real democracy using the Washington approach. Quietly take money from big bankers and corporations and run the state for the top 1% while "managing the news" so that the bottom 99% never hear about their concerns and where any demonstrations become non-events.

Here is Michael Moore at the demo giving his two bits about what the movement means...