Marine Vet gets between Cops and Protesters at NYC Occupy Event

[theweakerbrother]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By8MDDwNIvE&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/ame]

I saw this video on one of my very liberal facebook friend's walls. I thought it would be worthwhile to post on INGO.

The video is one sided but shows behavior of a very large black Marine sloppily wearing the top of his uniform with namebadge and awards/medals and possibly rank.

I think it was a very carefully selected ploy to incite the police offers to respond to violence so that the crowd could respond in the same.

We have a minority vet who is unarmed becoming confrontational to the point that if I had acted the same at a traffic stop, I probably would have been detained, tazed and hauled off to jail. This is the man whom America would sympathize with and public opinion could have fallen in favor with the Occupy group very easily.

Cameras make us all accountable for every word and action that comes forth from our mouth.

How many gun owners would defend their platitudes and pithy sayings when it becomes our turn to demonstrate firearm ownership as a right when it becomes challanged in the inevitable future?

 

[GBuck]

So, he was yelling at a bunch of officers, that were doing nothing to anyone other than they were trying to get people to keep moving? Claiming they were in riot gear, and you don't see anyone in riot gear till the end of the clip. I'm confused, who is the one that was acting in an embarassing way?

 

[mrjarrell]

All the violence I've seen in regards to the OWS things, so far has been from the cops towards the protesters. Personally, I'd like to see the cops get a little payback. For too many years they've been beating innocent, non violent protesters across the country. If more fought back, especially with superior numbers, this crap would stop and the cops would behave themselves.

 

[TopDog]

All the violence I've seen in regards to the OWS things, so far has been from the cops towards the protesters. Personally, I'd like to see the cops get a little payback. For too many years they've been beating innocent, non violent protesters across the country. If more fought back, especially with superior numbers, this crap would stop and the cops would behave themselves.

Fight back with superior numbers and that would stop it?

No not in the least, that is called escalation and it would have the opposite effect and justify the violence. You are talking about a recipe for disaster. Change the hearts and minds should be the goal, beating people will bring you more hurt than you stand up to in this kind of a situation.

 

[mrjarrell]

Fight back with superior numbers and that would stop it?

No not in the least, that is called escalation and it would have the opposite effect and justify the violence. You are talking about a recipe for disaster. Change the hearts and minds should be the goal, beating people will bring you more hurt than you stand up to in this kind of a situation.

You don't battle for the hearts and minds of bullies. That's been tried and it doesn't seem to be working, in the least. If the protesters are a crowd that the cops don't like they'll hand out beatings, tasings and tear gas, with impunity. It has to stop. We may not agree with many protesters, but they have the right to assemble and protest, regardless of what the thin blue line says and does. Bullies can't be talked to.

 

[Glockapoppadopolis]

So, he was yelling at a bunch of officers, that were doing nothing to anyone other than they were trying to get people to keep moving? Claiming they were in riot gear, and you don't see anyone in riot gear till the end of the clip. I'm confused, who is the one that was acting in an embarassing way?

If this is the only footage you've seen on OWS it would seem Sargent Thomas was over the top. However, on Democracy Now! during the first week of OWS they showed cops, in riot gear, clubbing, kicking, beating and unloading entire cans of tear gas in protestors faces, many of them women. I started asking everyone I know if they had heard or seen anything on it and they hadn't. It took almost two weeks for national news to report anything on OWS and they still haven't, as far as I've seen, showed anything remotely close to what independent media has showed. There is an obvious reason why we are not seeing what's really going on there in detail. Privately owned media corporations don't want us to know how badly Americans are being treated when speak out against corporate greed. They'd rather act as if it's a minor nuisance and of little importance. I'm sure Sgt. Thomas has seen horrible things abroad and if he felt the need to respond this way I'm sure he was justified. I don't want to speak for him but I think his point might well be why are the cops there in such masses in the first place. These are peaceful assemblers not rioting masses, police force is not required.

Bravo Sgt. Thomas, keep standing up for American's rights. Way to practice your First Amendment right.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

So, what were the police doing before this? Just clearing the street? Beating people with batons?

I don't understand what he is so upset about? What am I missing?

 

[jedi]

So, what were the police doing before this? Just clearing the street? Beating people with batons?

I don't understand what he is so upset about? What am I missing?

your missing that the marine is not representing the uniform properly! tuck that shirt!

 

[jeremy]

All the violence I've seen in regards to the OWS things, so far has been from the cops towards the protesters. Personally, I'd like to see the cops get a little payback. For too many years they've been beating innocent, non violent protesters across the country. If more fought back, especially with superior numbers, this crap would stop and the cops would behave themselves.

You don't battle for the hearts and minds of bullies. That's been tried and it doesn't seem to be working, in the least. If the protesters are a crowd that the cops don't like they'll hand out beatings, tasings and tear gas, with impunity. It has to stop. We may not agree with many protesters, but they have the right to assemble and protest, regardless of what the thin blue line says and does. Bullies can't be talked to.

Uhhhh....

What you are referring to I have seen happen in many other Places, it always goes south, in a bad way...

 

[jeremy]

your missing that the marine is not representing the uniform properly! tuck that shirt!

Two things it is Marine, not marine...
Secondly, he is Out of Uniform no if,ands, or buts...

 

[jedi]

Two things it is Marine, not marine...
Secondly, he is Out of Uniform no if,ands, or buts...

sry baby in arms hard 2 type w/ 1 hand

 

[jeremy]

sry baby in arms hard 2 type w/ 1 hand

LOL!!!

Just pet peeves from having literally heard that crap all my life...

By the way shouldn't the Baby be in bed by now?!

Not a Parent by the way...

 

[Expat]

All the violence I've seen in regards to the OWS things, so far has been from the cops towards the protesters.

I take it you have personally spent time there from this comment? No. You mean you are relying upon videos put out by the protestors or by media outlets that have shown repeatedly to be sympathetic to the protestors?

 

[phylodog]

Personally, I'd like to see the cops get a little payback.

Gosh, which ones would you go after? Looking for any specific cops or will any old cop do?

 

[jedi]

By the way shouldn't the Baby be in bed by now?!

Not a Parent by the way...

3 month old waiting for the "milk" to arrive before she goes down 4 the night. "milk" went to pick up my dauther frm dance troop practice.

 

[jeremy]

Gosh, which ones would you go after? Looking for any specific cops or will any old cop do?

Old Cops are no fun they just get winded and taze ya or shoot ya....

The Young ones I are fun to start fights with, they still think they can kick anyone's ass with the crap the learned at the Academy...

 

[Expat]

All the violence I've seen in regards to the OWS things, so far has been from the cops towards the protesters. Personally, I'd like to see the cops get a little payback. For too many years they've been beating innocent, non violent protesters across the country. If more fought back, especially with superior numbers, this crap would stop and the cops would behave themselves.

Gosh, which ones would you go after? Looking for any specific cops or will any old cop do?

I thought he was pretty clear. "They" is pretty inclusive of the group as a whole, it seems to me.

 

[jeremy]

3 month old waiting for the "milk" to arrive before she goes down 4 the night. "milk" went to pick up my dauther frm dance troop practice.

That sounds so much like fun...

I think I'll stick with my GSD Puppies. At least I can put them out in the Kennel when the get to rowdy or loud...

 

[the1kidd03]

Old Cops are no fun they just get winded and taze ya or shoot ya....

The Young ones I are fun to start fights with, they still think they can kick anyone's ass with the crap the learned at the Academy...

 

[45fan]

I didnt see anything validating that this protester is in fact a Marine. Nothing that he is wearing can not be found online or at many surplus stores across this country.

I looked as if he was taunting the officers, trying to get one of them to react to his screaming and yelling.

I can understand being upset that some officers in NYC have crossed the line on proper reaction to circumstance, but what he was doing is like screaming at a German exchange student for what Hitler did.