I don't know whether this picture from today's attack on Oakland OWS will be remembered in years to come. But it should.
To me, it's memorable because of the incongruity of the cop, the face of the establishment, looking like the freak compared to some mellow dude who just happens to be practicing yoga in the midst of an OWS eviction. A little while ago, these OWS protesters were regarded as a wild fringe by the majority. Now their grievances are shared by the majority. Now this picture looks more like an unjustified attack by an aggressive minority rather than a restoration of civic order.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who'd react to this picture differently than I would have a few months back. Maybe we're now awakened to the fact that the establishment - the 1% and their bought-and-paid-for pols - are the toxic minority... they are the freaks, the troublemakers, the usurpers. This could be a game-changing moment. Like back in the 60s when Americans witnessed the extremism of segregationist Police Chief Eugene "Bull" Connor on TV news. After seeing Connor assert his authority on peaceful protesters via attack dogs and fire hoses in Alabama, the mainstream decided it was his 'order', not the protesters' disorder, that was untenable. Could we be getting there?
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Who has the money and the power in this country? This protest will soon be completely vanquished and we will continue on with our destruction of society. Too many key people will be bought off.
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