we figure out how to get around at rush hour for sporting events .. we can figure out how to get around a protest ... the SPD can either help make way for expressions of protest or they can make things worse ... hopefully they will choose the later every time.
"...the excesses of November 15th, 2011." Do they say the whole date like that as if we're supposed to remember that day forever and ever as a turning point in history, like December 7, 1941? Sorry, but no. There's sure a lot going on these days, but the day an old lady got pepper sprayed in the face is no Pearl Harbor. On the other hand, even if it is OWS's Pearl Harbor, don't force it; let the brutality speak for itself.
So, let me get this straight. You support the cause of Occupy Seattle but you don't want to be personally inconvenienced during protests? And, cops should somehow quickly and calmly arrest 100s of protestors without using pepper spray resulting in an uninterrupted commute?
What fantasy land do you live in?
There is a lot of change that needs to happen and the protestors are doing the dirty work for all of us who can't or won't participate. If it results in long commutes and inconvenience, put blame where blame belongs. In the powers that put us into this mess. The GOP and the "liberal" politicians who refuse to stand up to them.
You're welcome. Let this be a lesson. Never go on one of your marchy things without your mittens plus at least one holy man, geriatric, or gestator. Oh, and well organized, goal oriented union. That helps too.
SPD is stuck. If they try to stop the protests, they meet resistance until forced to respond violently, and then the kids film it, spread it across the internet and tell people that the cops brutalized them without provocation. But if they let the kids clog up streets during rush hour, then the kids ruin life for all of us.
The only possible answer to this belligerence may be for the people of Seattle as citizens, not the cops, to physically confront the Occupiers. Not that I'm advocating riots or anything, but we need to get out of our cars, directly confront the people that insist on blocking traffic for attention and get them out of the way.
Either way, if they're representing us as they claim to be, they'll get out of the way and stay out of the way. But they're clearly not anymore. Occupy Seattle has become exactly what they hate: An ego driven minority that is forcing their will on the rest of us.
the Seattle Police Department seems to have changed it’s tactics
{emphasis added}
I regularly chide Goldy for that specific misplaced-apostrophe error. It's particularly galling because it's so easy to avoid -- if you can't sensibly replace the word with "it is" or "it was", don't insert the apostrophe.
Of course they should get in the way. They should cause a disruption to get attention--that's the whole point. But blocking traffic is a request to be arrested (not to get assaulted) and the police should come to a point, hopefully, when they reach for the handcuffs instead of a canister of pepper spray.
@11. Right. Yes. Definitely. But wasn't some of the difference in police response because it was scheduled in advance? If so, that seems like an important distinction.
I wonder if all the people complaining today about the "inconveniences" of protests would have been saying the same thing about the Civil Rights Movement, gay rights marches, anti-Vietnam protests, marches for Suffrage by women...
@7: At what point were they forced to act violently? They went straight from standing there to knocking people over and pepper spraying indiscriminately. It seems like they missed a step or three there in their excitement to use their toys.
So how is creating a traffic jam that affects the working class people just trying to get to and from work a way of sticking it to the 1%? Dont tell me it raises awareness because everyone already fucking knows about Occupy. Dumbest shit ever. Where are those people that shut down the Bank of America? They got it right.
How come if the bridge occupation was organized by Working Washington is everyone saying it is Occupy Seattle that generated the traffic issues? Wouldn't it make sense to come down on every group that participated? Let them all know that you didn't appreciate the inconvenience, suggest they do these events on Sunday or another time? Maybe there is something I am missing? I will say that I knew it was happening, just as I knew the Steele Bridge was going to be occupied yesterday.
So why wasnt everyone riding a bike which could easily get over the bridge?
The world now sees that Seattle is just a money seive full of lying bureaucrats who cry for mass transit but who all sit in their cars to get back to the .25 acre in Issaquah!
Not sure how Goldy is filing his posts, but the iPhone's autocorrect doesn't know the possessive "its" exists. It switches to the contraction (forcing you to backspace and manually revert) every time.
there may have been people trying to get to work on time, not just leaving work. and if those people are late because of last night's disruption, they have every chance of being fired for tardiness. so, occupiers, how do you feel about helping people lose their jobs?
The street lead to the University Bridge is one block long. Any driver could have detoured by simply turning right or left to drive to a different bridge. Annoying, yes. Blocked for one mile, no.
@ 14 - Yes, of course they would. The people who can't see past the ends of their own noses are always with us, I'm afraid.
In fact, if the internetz had been around during those struggles, the Whinger's Chorus would have been DEAFENING - and may possibly have helped to delay those badly needed social changes.
@ 27 - Perhaps highlighting Republicans' craven attitude of opposing ANY increase of taxes on the super-wealthy, no matter how many jobs or social services it costs?
why can't they block the entrance to a corporate bank office? they would still get attention, maybe arrested, and inconvenience at least some of the right people in a way that would be recognized. i want them to be seen and do appreciate the work. but do it right!
What fantasy land do you live in?
There is a lot of change that needs to happen and the protestors are doing the dirty work for all of us who can't or won't participate. If it results in long commutes and inconvenience, put blame where blame belongs. In the powers that put us into this mess. The GOP and the "liberal" politicians who refuse to stand up to them.
The only possible answer to this belligerence may be for the people of Seattle as citizens, not the cops, to physically confront the Occupiers. Not that I'm advocating riots or anything, but we need to get out of our cars, directly confront the people that insist on blocking traffic for attention and get them out of the way.
Either way, if they're representing us as they claim to be, they'll get out of the way and stay out of the way. But they're clearly not anymore. Occupy Seattle has become exactly what they hate: An ego driven minority that is forcing their will on the rest of us.
The show that despite billions in stolen Federal tax dollars, down town is essentially a ghost town after 6pm.
They show that no one has move back to the city and mostly they empty out into cars for the long ride to the Eastside.
Most would prefer simply to work there in a low density office with free parking, like at Microsoft.
you are full of shit, jackass.
the SPD will let these assholes hang themselves.
let them block traffic as long as they like.
let them shut the city down and piss off every last citizen.
SPD collects overtime and OWS losses support.
Suck It.
not really.
let OWS figure out an alternative tactic.
Why are you guys driving cars after spending 25 billion on light rail?
Isnt Seattle suppsed to be walkable...well...why isnt anyone walking?
A single bus could take 200 people through in one trip.
http://www.thingsaregood.com/wp-content/…
So why wasnt everyone riding a bike which could easily get over the bridge?
The world now sees that Seattle is just a money seive full of lying bureaucrats who cry for mass transit but who all sit in their cars to get back to the .25 acre in Issaquah!
Buy a vowel, Szxkxzzyyyczzzyyyy.
Not sure how Goldy is filing his posts, but the iPhone's autocorrect doesn't know the possessive "its" exists. It switches to the contraction (forcing you to backspace and manually revert) every time.
Sometimes you miss an instance.
hey you almost nailed the phonetic pronunciation! Those Kent school systems are fly.
Working people?
You mean $300,000 professors?
@32 no yachts with millionaires aboard made it thru.
In fact, if the internetz had been around during those struggles, the Whinger's Chorus would have been DEAFENING - and may possibly have helped to delay those badly needed social changes.