Comments on: Getting Political, part 1

By: John Wilker

John Wilker — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 03:16:18 +0000

I gotta agree with Aaron. covering your face is the most cowardly thing I can imagine. I mean, you want to protest, and more, but don’t want the people you work with, live with, go to school with, to know it was you? Your convictions are so strong, you’re embarrassed?

This warrants repeating so I’m just gonna cut/paste cuz it’s exactly how I feel.

Also. I’m not thankful for, "those who are willing to stand up to their government in your stead." I’m thankful for those who take part in grassroots political movements. Those that take action to get things that matter onto the ballot. Those that work everyday 8-5 or more to keep this country moving. I’m thankful to those that support the peace filled, intellectually founded and forward thinking democracy at play in Denver this week. The non violent kind that inspires change, hope and a chance to make a difference.

By: Denver Protesters « Robbins in Colorado

Denver Protesters « Robbins in Colorado — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:38:31 +0000

[...] not eloquent in my wording here and when I came across this Aaron Delay’s post, I ask that you to go and view pretty much my thoughts more better written or is it mo better? I [...]

By: Aaron DeLay

Aaron DeLay — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 07:53:53 +0000

First, covering your face to avoid being identified is cowardly. If you believe the police will put you on a no fly list, watch list and whatever lists "they" have simply because you (or whoever we’re referring to) threw a tantrum in front of the Sheraton Hotel…you’re really stretching it.

Also, you’re not living in an oppressive state. Head over to Zimbabwe. Or China where they make you vanish and you’re never seen again. Georgia is a great place to protest I hear this time of the year. Hell Saudi Arabi has special lanes for the non-muslims I hear. Oh and Iran has great progressive dress codes for women too. You should totally check it out. Even better, the Russian Army is known for due process. Here we just book you, charge you and process you. You’re never snatched up and hidden.

Yours (and mine if you’re able to believe that) friends at the ACLU and other various watch groups have made this all possible, which is probably fascinating to 95% of the world around us. Until you (or whoever we’re talking about here) started making a mess of things and getting borderline violent and threatening y’all were fine. I watched the anarchists and various groups allowed to move UNSTOPPED up and down 16th mall all of Sunday. Police just followed behind ‘em to make sure they didn’t break laws and act the fool.

I suspect the same was true last night.

The ones that understand the Law. The idea of freedoms and speech. And what that really means.

I probably won’t change your mind, but I figured I should put my opinion out there to respond to you.

By: mchristo

mchristo — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:55:47 +0000

first, i would posit that 98% of protestors who wear a bandanna do so to guard against being identified and targetted/harassed by the police or any other federal agencies. the history of this country is filled with examples of ordinary citizens put under surveillance, added to watchlist and no fly lists for far less than a peaceful protest. face coverings are also useful when this nonexistent "Man" you speak of tear gases an entire crowd without provocation.

spray painting a slogan on a wall isn’t going to change anything, people are angry. if a wall takes the brunt of that, so be it. Yes, there are some people standing around, just part of the crowd. wanting to see what happens. wanting to see when some cop is going to snap and hit someone in the face with a baton. or funnel a peaceful protest into a seething mob that has been trapped and shot at with paint balls filled with pepper spray. americans have the right to assemble, to speak freely, to protest. we do not need a city permit to do so. we are living in an oppressive state, and I for one will not sit idly by while our freedoms are taken away piecemeal. you should be thankful for those who are willing to stand up to their government in your stead.

6 minute video of protest yesterday = http://tinyurl.com/6264gc

http://rocksli.de

By: Aaron DeLay

Aaron DeLay — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 08:29:01 +0000

*nods* to abisset…and I’m glad to hear it. I cannot count the amount of people I walked around on Sunday who seemed to go right along with those who seem to think that kinda stuff is "cool" and "challenging the man".

If it sounded like I was slammin’ ya, that wasn’t the intent. Keep up the great photo-work tho. It creates a conversation. :)

By: abisset

abisset — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 08:04:09 +0000

I did take the photo you mentioned, the spray of ‘FU*K A PIG’. You’re right, things like that come off as childish. In no way do I think what I shot glorifies this, I’m just trying to capture what’s going on.