October 21, 2004

Silenced by the President---Oregon Police Fire On Bystanders Watching Presidential Motorcade -- Published Oct. 16th in the _Iconoclast_, a story from the previous week week in Jacksonville, Oregon (the police using cayenne-pepper 'paintballs' to get critics off the street before the President drives through town). I guess he really doesn't hear anyone criticizing him! Quote: Trish Bowcock, a resident of Jacksonville and a retired attorney who is formerly of Austin, Texas, was an eyewitness to the disturbance and penned her impressions of the scene from a personal standpoint. She has agreed to allow The Iconoclast to reprint her thoughts. Mail Tribune staff members confirmed her contention that law enforcement concentrated on anti-Bush protestors, rather than pro-Bush demonstrators, and that the order to stop the protests came from the U.S. Secret Service.

-- Mail Tribune coverage of the protest is available at http://www.mailtribune.com/... ... On the other side of the street, chants of

  • That's pretty much what I do at work when someone disagrees with me. I mean, I don't have the swat guys, but I do have friends with paintball guns.
  • It is reputed that President Bush and his staff will not allow any opposition activity to occur within his ear or eye sight. *fuming* Two more weeks. Just two more weeks and W will hear and see the opposition of a whole nation as people cast their vote. I guess he won't be shielded from that. W is finished.
  • But if he is that tough on his "fellow Americans," just imagine how tough he will be on the terrorists!!! Seriously thoug, if this is the kind of behavior that we will accept in the name of "safety," then we deserve to be wiped off the face of the Earth. Someone who is going to vote for Bush please PLEASE justify this action.
  • Seriously thoug, if this is the kind of behavior that we will accept in the name of "safety," then we deserve to be wiped off the face of the Earth. Jeeze, jc, that's a bit harsh! I wasn't consulted, I wasn't even within a thousand miles of the place when it happened. Unless you didn't mean me in the we, and I doubt you meant thee. And I just want to say right here and now (because I don't want to put it in a dead post) that the damage Sinclair wanted to do to Kerry has been done. A shitload of Americans have got "Stolen Honor" and John Kerry associated and that's all it takes.
  • hate america? vote bush! millions of iranians can't be wrong! i keep waiting for his head to burst into flames. i hate the bastard. people say he's a nice guy personally... i don't think i could believe that at this point. nice guys care about their country and fellow citizens. they don't have them shot with pepper pellets for disagreeing.
  • This is also mentioned a couple of times in comments in a MeFi thread: http://www.metafilter.com/mefi/36408
  • There need to be more videocameras around during demonstrations.
  • what the hell is going on over there? what's it going to take for it all to end? another Kristallnacht, but with Moslem blood in the streets? damn. US Monkeys, all is forgiven! bring me your huddled masses and you can sleep in my cupboard. or under my bed. if you don't mind sharing, i've got a spare mattress that some of you can have.
  • I've heard those get confescated and never returned, when's the last time you saw video of a controversial protest? We need a media that takes the events seriously. Seriously though, Americans just can't believe that they aren't doing enough, its this diseased addiction to a blind optimism, to just believe that the media and politicians have some reason to have our best interests in mind. Whatever, I'm moving deep enough into Canada to avoid the nuclear fallout.
  • I also still find the accusations a bit fishy, I thinking the police could be telling the truth, things are crazy enough right now, but I'm still angry!
  • How much longer is it until regime change day?
  • Monkeyfilter: 11 more days
  • prismatic: I would gladly do so, except y'all got some might tough immigration laws.
  • Driving -- if you never leave the cupboard you should be fine
  • I've got some spare garage space driving....
  • I could do with a babysitter, and in return you could sleep in my kids' treehouse.
  • "Kristallnacht" I've been seeing this word thrown around way too often.
  • Tin soldiers and Nixon's Dubya's coming We're finally on our own...