In Defence of Law-breaking...

[militant_mind]

A brief essay that I wrote a while ago:

The phenomenon of political protest is truly a controversial one. Such events are forever demonized as being wild riots which carelessly compromise

[Sparky]

quote: [i]"

[SGT Dave]

And if we can't handle it, the National Guard has some LOVELY machine guns...

[McCloud]

Militant Mind

Thoreau wrote his essay "On the Duty of Civil Disobedience" about 1850, and it has inspired many people since, including MLKing and Ghandi. Most commonly it is shortened to "Civil Disobedience".

Those in authority hate to discuss it, but everybody, including those in authority, know very well that poor laws exist. Unjust and illegitimate laws exist. Disobeying those laws may very well be an obligation of citizenship.

[FLLawdog]

Yup, poor laws exist. Now THERE'S a good reason to torch neighborhoods, flip over cars and loot stereo stores

[Jim Burnes]

McCloud,

I am a retired soldier, an MP and I think of myself as a professional soldier. My brother, cousin, nephews and a son are in law enforcement too.

I support the idea of lawful protests. That's a right citizens have they can exercise.

But why is it required that protestors have to batter the police officers? Why is it required that a protestor smash in the heads of police officers?

Where is it directed in protestors manuals that a disignated route of march through city streets means that little mom&pop businesses have to be destroyed
and mail boxes that hold bills being sent in by ordinary folks who expect those bills to be paid, have to be flooded or burned?

If your protests is against the government, why are privately owned cars being destroyed?

The laws now say you can't smoke dope. You can change those laws, you can even have a massive smoke-in on the city square if you want to make your point. Is there any real reason for trying to put police officers in the hospital while your protesting?

Protesting is your right. That does not include destruction of property, assaulting public officials and making life harder for ordinary citizens.

You and yours might consider that your protests, and your desire to legally use dope in public or private is governed by the people who live in your own communities. That is to say, it is society that says what is and is not a crime.

All the yelling and all the smashing is not going to do a thing, unless your community of citizens accepts the idea of smoking dope legal.

Jim Burnes

[militant_mind]

Originally posted by FLLawdog:
Yup, poor laws exist. Now THERE'S a good reason to torch neighborhoods, flip over cars and loot stereo stores

I'm talking about political protest here. You seem to be thinking about sports riots.

[FLLawdog]

Violence goes beyond sports riots (i.e Rodney King verdict).

If you don't agree with a law, fine. Do what you want to do whether it's protest the law in a legal manner, lobby to change the law through legal means or violate the law altogether. I don't care! The minute that the peace and dignity of the community is disrupted, however, I WILL step in!

[militant_mind]

Originally posted by SGT Dave:
And if we can't handle it, the National Guard has some LOVELY machine guns...

Not to mention a shocking degree of bloodlust, judging by your post.

[edgar]

There is also a difference between refusing to give up your seat on a bus and for instance setting the bus on fire.

[huff317]

Let's see: Lovely machine guns? Bloodthirst? NOW this is getting to be my kind of thread! Are we talking about nuking terrorists or terrorist sympathizers or something along those lines? I really, really, like machine guns. I fire very well on the M-60, M-249, and M-16!!!!

Now, I will also defend to the death your right to disagree with the very fundamentals that created our great nation, and gladly give of my life to ensure you always have that right. However, if you cross that line, then your life will be the one to expire, as I will have to do my job, and see that it is completed, no matter what the cost. Hopefully this post is not too draconian, and only displays how strong I also feel about this subject. If you can't take it, though, then get out of the kitchen or off the porch, etc.
Out

[Don]

[Niteshift]

Way do I see this thread not lasting all that long?

[Legal Assistant]

awww come on people...nobody has made fun of his spelling yet!!! *pout* come on people...i am disappointed that you have let "defence" slip by you!!!

i can't add anything further b/c, quite frankly, i didn't read the post.

[dkiefner]

>>>awww come on people...nobody has made fun of his spelling yet!!! *pout* come on people...i am disappointed that you have let "defence" slip by you!!!<<<

Well, LA, that's because where MM lives, 'defence' and 'recognise' are legitimate spellings.

You may well ask "Why? It's not how we spell things here." To which, they will reply "Well, because it follows the laws of spelling." "All well and good" you may retort, "but if we need to break a few spelling laws to create more recognizable words, then we will do that, because, quite frankly, we simply do not care."