L.A. Protesters met by TANKS.

[QUOTE=ireLocus]
and mungkay, you can just stay on your side of the border, I don't think anyone will mind.[/QUOTE]

back to the confederation with you, lest my cane find your backside.

[QUOTE=mungkay]back to the confederation with you, lest my cane find your backside.[/QUOTE]
Dude you have a cane? damn you and your oil rich western fiefdoms or whateveryou call them. I cannot even afford the simplest whacking stick. (Insert "whacking" jokes here)

[QUOTE=shpongleyesd]we could just stop paying taxes. that would end the war. how's that for a tax cut Mr. President? hmmm? how does 100% sound?[/QUOTE]

Haha, yeah, I dare you. I dare you to find any number of people who will participate in your protest. Not in the USA, that's for sure. Protesting on the left is very difficult because there is no power there. If you haven't seen this documentary, I recommend [i]The Weather Underground[/i]. The millions of students who peacefully protested were being taken for granted, and this group of people became militant. Of course, they were generally unsuccessful like everyone on the left, but on the other hand, the kids at Kent State definitely brought the war home, and those four lives had a lot to do with ending the war. The bottom line is very few people are always struggling to propagate legitimate ideas, and it's more complex than a peaceful picket line.

Violence is a taboo in this country, and understandably so. Americans have made quite an effort to end the cycle at home. Conservatives (those old anti-communists) have done a great job at stamping out any idea of violence in American minds. But people without power have not found a consistent method of protest. Conservatives like to cite Martin Luther King at this point. He didn't make progress because he was morally right. He made progress because protesters were attacked, abused and killed on American television, and the rest of us, went, okay, okay, enough. You saw those people playing Tiananmen Square? Not that I believe any one of them would die for their country, but if they did, this war would have been over. I'm not advocating violence. I just think I can see why desperate people resort to it. The mentality here is people are either asleep or afraid, and I think there is some validity to that.

Regardless, all of this is a cycle. Violent protesters protesting violent governments who fight violent enemies who were violated and so on. Violence is a tool that has been abused, and if not, taken advantage of by those that turn the other cheek. Really, fear is the tool in play, and authorities use fear, too, to suppress any violent movement. When the police shows up at a peaceful protest, it's not about physical control. Governments shouldn't threaten their people and control ideas. It's probably wishful thinking that anyone cares what protesters are protesting. Property owners know who to call when the masses aren't shopping.

Anyway, the real issue here is you used the word "cleansing". Cleanse the zealots and we'd all be mindnumbing fuckfaces.

Nice post Athiestic... So it seems to have been an intimidation ploy, if it wasn't a acoincidence. A lot of people are asleep. Many go to demonstrations and protests but would never think about going the extra mile for what they believe in. (whatever that extra mile may be). Kent state probly changed protesting in North America forever, it wasn't a proud moment in history.

There are people out there who are willing to die for their country, but it's very few. Not many people would die for their ideals. It's all well and good to march and shout, but point a gun at them and they might not come back. If they don't show up at the next protest, they weren't doing much good at the first one.

[QUOTE=joeyjojojrshabadoo]Dude you have a cane? damn you and your oil rich western fiefdoms or whateveryou call them. I cannot even afford the simplest whacking stick. (Insert "whacking" jokes here)[/QUOTE]

It's handy for those "I want to rip my knees out with my bare hands" bouts of arthritis I get this time of year and on until spring.

[QUOTE=mungkay]It's handy for those "I want to rip my knees out with my bare hands" bouts of arthritis I get this time of year and on until spring.[/QUOTE]
Dude, I have an idea, you should take your cane and go intimidate some protestors. Give them some fuckin arthritis for me dude.