Lately I've been hearing lots of big talk from a lot of people, promising to "take it to the streets" in the event of a surprise "win" by McCain. I've heard some say that they'll be out there throwing rocks and burning cars, if the Republicans steal this election, too.
Such talk is naive and irresponsible. So let me put this just as strongly as I can: ANY PROTEST AFTER THIS ELECTION HAS TO BE NON-VIOLENT. Any violence that people perpetrate will only be exploited by Bush/Cheney's troops in the police departments, sheriffs' offices, National Guard units and the US Army. Moreover, they're now ready to do grievous harm to people, and will not refrain from doing it--and, as the following email makes quite clear, it will not be the bulk of us who feel most of the pain, but people all throughout the black community. What follows is an email I've received from a good friend who is a private investigator, with much experience teaching at the Police Academy, and with a lot of good connections with the cops from coast to coast. The news here is more than sobering, and all-important: that this regime is ready to roll out a propaganda drive asserting that "the blacks are going to riot," which will then serve as a pretext for a show of force against the inner cities-- and a move to stamp out protest of all kinds. So let's knock off the juvenile boasts, and, if it comes to such a crackdown, deal with it realistically--and peacefully. (Meanwhile, we can also hope that it won't happen.) MCM Mark: I do know that the feds have been shipping riot gear to certain police/sheriff departments, and that the talk on the East Coast--and this is a quote--is that "the blacks are going to riot tomorrow night whether Obama wins or not." It is the Hitler approach: pick an "enemy," and make him responsible for all that is wrong in the world. Karl Rove is the best at following Hitler's teachings in this way. I believe that the Republican machine is setting the stage for an outburst of "black violence" in order to get people on their side, and seeing that "danger" as the reason for the crackdown on legitimate--and peaceful--protest. Look at the arrests at the Republican Convention. Look at Cheney's private prisons, built and hidden from public view. I think that most cops will participate in a crackdown squelch all protests, and so will the National Guard units. They will follow orders first, and think about it later. That is how they're trained: to "get the job done first," and think about it afterward. That's how they deal with some of the terrible things they have to see and do. That is why PEACEFUL resistance, in the style of Gandhi, is so important. We need open, peaceful protest, and to show it on the Web so that the truth comes out--as it probably will not come out in the reporting by the corporate media. In the face of the police, we have to just sit down and stay there, and take back our government that way. For the sake of peace and justice. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to Mark Crispin Miller's "News From Underground" newsgroup. To unsubscribe, send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] OR go to http://groups.google.com/group/newsfromunderground and click on the "Unsubscribe or change membership" link in the yellow bar at the top of the page, then click the "Unsubscribe" button on the next page. For more News From Underground, visit http://markcrispinmiller.com -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
