Randy, I just read your post and would respond to most of it as in my last post to Susan. I'll add to my response as far as the Demo convention.
> Riot-gear-clad members of the Los Angeles Police Department shot > rubber bullets into a crowd of protesters during the first night of the > convention. They were riot-clad all over the entire downtown area because they were truing to protect the attendees of the convention. >They made liberal use of their batons to intimidate protesters > throughout the week. This is not true. They looked initmidating, absolutely, but they were not going around batting people at all "throughout the week." > There is simply no way to justify the LAPD response -- which was to > corner not just the troublemakers but all the protesters in the area, > rush them with horses, strike them with batons, and fire rubber bullets > straight in their direction. This is bullshit - I was there in the thick of it. If you see riot-clad police tell you over loud-speakers and bullhorns for an hour to disperse so that the attendees of the convention could safely depart what would you do? Even if those protesters did not understand English or were deaf, they certainly could discern that they should follow the directions of the police. > But your description of the protesters > as rag-tag...etc non-Democrats seems to imply that some people > have the right to protest and some do not. Every American has > the right to peaceful assembly! Absolutely did not mean to imply that - I kind of got a kick out of them in a weird way. My description of "rag-tag" only meant that they were loosely assembled and small in number. The few (and truly there were only a very few when I left) that refused to leave and were climbing over the fences, had to, in my mind, WANT to get arrested, probably to make a statement. That is their right, of course. > And just because something is law doesn't mean it can't be overturned by the Supreme Court. > I really don't know whether abortion is taking a life or not. Here's my take - I recall the long fight for reproductive rights and it was settled 30 years ago. I truly cannot conceive any Supreme Court overturning it, but if they do, we can all protest. But it hasn't happened and I just don't think it will. I will say, again that I think Bush and government should just stay out of it. Kakki
