OCCUPY WALL STREET

[Bard]

Originally Posted by atomiczombie

I think the cops clearly mistake peaceful protestors with rioters. How they make that connection in their minds is just baffling to me. Someone staging a sit in, someone standing on a side walk or in a park with a sign, someone banging a drum and chanting is not a threat to anyone. Pepper spray is one of many non-lethal weapons that are supposed to be an alternative to using lethal force (guns for instance). But instead of using pepper spray as an alternative to using lethal force, the cops use it as a way to use force in situations that don't call for any type of force - which is totally inappropriate imho.

I very much respect all the posters and viewpoints that have been stated here and I am just wanting to say that yes I don't think that the way it has been done is the right way and while the cops on the street are following orders from higher up it is not a excuse to use methods that are not called for. I am recalling my training in moving a passive resistor and we were taught not to use pepper spray but there are other pressure points that we would use yes it is called pain compliance but it is not a maneuver that will injure you. As a campus police officer I have had to break up some protest because they could not be in the spot that they were as I was told to by my higher command it was a small scale and I was able to just to talk it out. but was I a little scared heck yeah yes I have a gun but the very last thing I want to to have to use it I am here to protect these students but you never know about the beer bottle that gets throws or worse I worry about Officer safety all the time.. again I am not excusing the acts at all they make me ashamed

[greeneyedgrrl]

Originally Posted by Bard

I very much respect all the posters and viewpoints that have been stated here and I am just wanting to say that yes I don't think that the way it has been done is the right way and while the cops on the street are following orders from higher up it is not a excuse to use methods that are not called for. I am recalling my training in moving a passive resistor and we were taught not to use pepper spray but there are other pressure points that we would use yes it is called pain compliance but it is not a maneuver that will injure you. As a campus police officer I have had to break up some protest because they could not be in the spot that they were as I was told to by my higher command it was a small scale and I was able to just to talk it out. but was I a little scared heck yeah yes I have a gun but the very last thing I want to to have to use it I am here to protect these students but you never know about the beer bottle that gets throws or worse I worry about Officer safety all the time.. again I am not excusing the acts at all they make me ashamed

thank you for your input. i'm wondering how long ago your training was? and if you think location of training would make a difference? my cousin is a cop in la county and all her buddies chimed in with the same kind of response: saying that the people sprayed deserved it and the cops were showing restraint.

[SoNotHer]

From - http://movetoamend.org/amendment

Amendment

Section 1 [Corporations are not people and can be regulated]

The rights protected by the Constitution of the United States are the rights of natural persons only.

Artificial entities, such as corporations, limited liability companies, and other entities, established by the laws of any State, the United States, or any foreign state shall have no rights under this Constitution and are subject to regulation by the People, through Federal, State, or local law.

The privileges of artificial entities shall be determined by the People, through Federal, State, or local law, and shall not be construed to be inherent or inalienable.

Section 2 [Money is not speech and can be regulated]

Federal, State and local government shall regulate, limit, or prohibit contributions and expenditures, including a candidate’s own contributions and expenditures, for the purpose of influencing in any way the election of any candidate for public office or any ballot measure.

Federal, State and local government shall require that any permissible contributions and expenditures be publicly disclosed.

The judiciary shall not construe the spending of money to influence elections to be speech under the First Amendment.

Section 3

Nothing contained in this amendment shall be construed to abridge the freedom of the press.

Help Us Name The Amendment!

What do you think the amendment should be called? We want to hear from you!

Here are some ideas already proposed:

Amendment to End Corporate Rule
Clean Elections Amendment
Abolish Corporate Personhood Amendment
Amendment to Remove Corporations from the Constitution
End Corporate Personhood Amendment
Making Democracy Real Amendment
The Democracy Renewal Amendment
Government of the People Amendment
The 99% Amendment
The Amendment to Liberate Democracy (or Our Republic)
We the People Amendment
The Peoples Personhood Amendment
Corporations are Not People, Money is Not Speech Amendment
The Common Sense Amendment