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BS: Obama's Brownshirts?
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: Bill D Date: 22 May 10 - 12:48 PM I 'think' I see a very different set of issues, values and, for want of a better term, "hot buttons" driving the basic conservative movement these days......not just different opinions on how to deal with many of the concerns facing us, but very different framing OF the issues. That's a hard one to document, because when you ask people what their concerns, values and issues are, you get kinda standard slogans. (and often they will be similar from both the left and right). But when you take a number of statements, slogans, remarks, claims...etc...and analyze them and extract what they *seem* to be for, against and compare their reasons FOR their choices, there appears to be a not-so-explicitly stated, hidden agenda in many of the conservative voices I hear most often....and I mean from the top of the Republican & Libertarian parties right down through pundits on TV and would-be office seekers and all the way to Tea-party rallies and folks I talk to here on Mudcat. (hmm..? ..Huh? what's Bill babbling about now?) I said it was hard to explicate simply....it would take days to spell it out, but there are clues if you listen to some of the debates, speeches and interviews of members of Congress who supposedly represent this very frustrated and resentful conservative electorate these days. Karl Rove almost promised them he had it set up so they would essentially keep power forever....and BOOM!...it all went up in smoke as 'certain' foolish folks were just too obviously greedy and complacent, and the conservatives found themselves being guilty of some of the very sins they railed against.. (overspending, moral turpitude, etc...) Now, they have a president who is not only a Democrat, but a well-spoken LEADER-type who is actually doing things. Conservatives can't really point at basic wrongness in Obama's approach, so they are dragging their feet in frustration, and trying to derail almost every bit of significant legislation! (They sure thought THEY had the right to pass stuff when THEY had a majority!) Now we are seeing name calling, mudslinging, specious attacks and heavy-handed, frantic attempts to get someone...anyone...into office who will restore their majority...even if it includes a boat load of Rand Pauls who can't even hide their pettiness and clones of Michelle Bachmann and Jim DeMint and total idiots like James Inhofe who have NO concept of truth & accuracy, but just want to elevate extreme conservatism to power. Adding to this sad situation, we have this internet/WWW phenomenon allowing every wing-nut in captivity to throw out the most extreme views in such quantity that it is hard to FIND sane voices representing moderate conservatism. Thus, when one of our Mudcat conservatives looks at sites he trusts, he is likely to find mostly slanted, colored, poorly vetted, Gerrymandered, pre-digested propaganda to even comment on. That story about the SEIU was all of the above, but that is what was available, and if that's all one sees, it can be made to 'appear' that Obama and his crew are using police to further political gains. Could it BE that conservatives are not necessarily against the 'technique', but only against it being used by their opponents? <☺ nawwww...they're just desperate for ANY artifical wall to throw mud against..... (remember...I said it would take days to flesh out all my suppositions here....and I realize that BB and ichMael and others will, if they bother at all, just pick out irrelevant details to dispute. *shrug*... but I wanted to see my own musings in print.) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: MARINER Date: 22 May 10 - 11:43 AM I don't know about Brownshirts but a Faux News contributer (Don't know her name but she didn't have blonde hair, unusual on Faux.)called them Obama's Henchmen, so it must be true ! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: Ebbie Date: 22 May 10 - 11:30 AM Arkie and Olddude, I have the same experience. People I love and admire and respect in most things send me some pure unadulterated crap., outright lies, easily refuted lies, lies that were first circulated years ago about some other hapless person- and they seem to think that they are sending me wake up material. As a general rule, when it's an outright lie, I say something fairly mild like "It's just not true, folks", link to some explanatory article(s) and do a REPLY ALL. The rest I just don't respond to. I have no idea of how many people click the links - I do know that I've earned the reputation of being hardheaded. lol |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: olddude Date: 22 May 10 - 11:25 AM A coward is much more exposed to quarrels than a man of spirit. Thomas Jefferson |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: olddude Date: 22 May 10 - 11:07 AM Arkie it is a dynamic that I cannot understand myself. I get these emails from people that I truly know have wonderful hearts that are just border line or straight on hate messages about the so called "liberals" Obama etc ... I try to respond in a polite and questioning manner like where do you get this type of information and as intelligent as I know you are how could you possible buy into this hate. They then go off on me. Now I do not know how our country fell into such an abyss but I do know that when I was a kid our political leaders of different parties would address one another like "I disagree with my friend and colleague xxxx" today it is Nazi, facist, socialist and every other hate term that is frankly a disgrace. Very sad. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: Arkie Date: 22 May 10 - 10:50 AM I get emails from relatives that I know to be decent caring and even charitable people passing on outright lies and half truths that they did not create but still pass them on as the truth. I usually investigate and often send the results back to the person who forwarded to me. However, I do not understand why these truly wonderful people in so many respects buy into stuff like this brownshirt thing. I would put the scum that creates this type of lie in the same category as human and drug trafficking. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: Amos Date: 22 May 10 - 10:09 AM While I am willing to forgive BB for getting overheated, having sinned in similar vein myself, I find the thread title to be disgusting and histrionic. It's not a communication--it's a dramatization. It should be withdrawn, as it is shameful. A |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: olddude Date: 22 May 10 - 09:50 AM BB like many of the others here I think is a good person. His choice of topics and his choice of words are unfortunate as they do nothing to promote reasonable discussion on the point he wishes to make ... personally I hate the political threads, I don't really know why I find myself reading them ... haven't figured out why I do that yet. I suppose it is like the dynamic that draws onlookers to an accident scene. Somehow I think music discussion on a music site is a far better topic then these endless politics and religion. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 22 May 10 - 08:36 AM Typical leftists. When you can't win, attack the other person. Something that the people that bruce likes obviously never do... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: Bobert Date: 22 May 10 - 08:08 AM Hey, ya'll... Apparently ya'll ain't watchin' Glen Beck... MSNBC, granted a left leaning station, did a piece on Glen Beck's addiction to using references to Hitler and Nazis when talkin' about Obama... I mean, it was dozens of snippets of his show where he did exactly that... So is it any wonder that the righties here have polluted their own abilities to ferret out the truth??? I mean, if you have right wing propaganda in yer ear 24/7, hey, this is what you are going to get... The problem with it, as I have pointed out, is that Obama has done nuthin' to deserve these references while the right's hero, George Bush, ordered up two invasions which snuffed out upwards of a million lives!!! This is the real story here and the right knws it... They are just too guilty to confess that that ****blood**** is on their hands and the hands of ****their**** heros... That's the real story but... ...rather than admit that they are accomplices to mass murder they try to change the subject with these hysterical and bogus lies about Obama... The real brownshirts are those on the right... They are the one's with the blood o their hands... B~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: GUEST,TIA Date: 22 May 10 - 07:58 AM I think this was said completely without any realization of the tremendous internal irony.... "Typical leftists. When you can't win, attack the other person." Hahahahah. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: GUEST,kendall Date: 22 May 10 - 05:51 AM I have met BB, and although I disagree with almost everything he says, he still has a right to say it. I've said it before and I'll say it again,I've never learned anything from someone who agrees with me. BB if you could turn the heat down a notch you could still state your opinion, even those that are backed up by Faux Noise, and still get your point across. But, what do I know? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: GUEST,Guest from Sanity Date: 22 May 10 - 02:59 AM You know, today I talked with a full believer in Obama..she even voted for him, we got along great!..but even she, as liberal as she could be was having new misgivings about him.(Without me saying a word)..I was only listening...she now is beginning to swing away from him, and said, "I voted for him because I was believing in what he was saying, but all this stuff he was doing, and the way he is doing it really scares me. I felt like I was deceived" I thought I'd post that, because after reading Bruce's comment "There's something very wrong with this picture." ..then following it up with "So, I wait to hear your comments about calling conservatives such names as KKK. The silence was defining-= I fail to see that you have any real concerns."...and I wonder, Are a lot of people beginning to feel uncomfortable about him, and his administration? A lot of people out here are seeming to talk about it, and most are feeling 'uneasy' or downright angry. Has anyone out there, starting to feel that way also? GfS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: Don Firth Date: 22 May 10 - 02:05 AM The Republican Party has, indeed, changed—shall I say "radically"—since the days of Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was probably the second best Republican president during the twentieth century. The best? Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909). Nevertheless, the Interstate Highway System, which is a great convenience to automobile travelers, cannot honestly be pointed to as a project of unalloyed "socialism." From and article on the history of the freeway system: The Interstate Highway System was authorized by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 – popularly known as the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act of 1956 – on June 29. It had been lobbied for by major U.S. automobile manufacturers and championed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was influenced by his experiences as a young Army officer crossing the country in the 1919 Army Convoy on the Lincoln Highway, the first road across America. Eisenhower also had gained an appreciation of the German Autobahn network as a necessary component of a national defense system while he was serving as Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in Europe during World War II. In addition to facilitating private and commercial transportation, it would provide key ground transport routes for military supplies and troop deployments in case of an emergency or foreign invasion.Eisenhower left us with the warning to beware of the power of the military-industrial complex. Good advice! But let us be aware that the military, the automobile industry, and the oil companies pushed very hard for the building of an Interstate Highway System. Don Firth |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: LadyJean Date: 22 May 10 - 12:24 AM My parents were Republicans. Dad wouldn't allow us to call someone a facist. He'd seen the real thing. We don't have them here. This is NOT my parents' Republican party! Anybody drive on an interstate highway lately. They were built by the U.S. Government under a Republican president named Dwight Eisenhower. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: olddude Date: 22 May 10 - 12:24 AM After wading through a sea of these endless lets bash the other party threads I would like to respectfully suggest that in America if an elected official, Obama in this case is not the guy you like in power, then simply vote for someone else in the next election. You see like it or not, whoever it is, they can be voted out. And if the majority of the American people think he, she, they are doing a fine job, then they will get the majority vote and will remain in power. In the meantime, anyone in office regardless of party, that you or me or anyone else doesn't like, they are however, ones that the American people said they want in office. Me I could not stand Bush, Junior, senior or anything in between but the people elected them and I simply voted for the other guy until the other guy finally won .. That is the best approach since these threads do nothing but garner hard feelings, arguments and contempt for one another and simply are not productive to anyone or anything for that matter. Now is it wrong for a bunch of thugs regardless of party to harass anyone ... yes ... that is a matter for the police. Is Obama the blame, no ... I suspect the commander and chief has far more important things to address then to organize the harassment of some GM or whoever. So everything becomes this big political knee jerk political rambling. If harassed, Take the matter up with the cops , that is what I would do.... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: Joe Offer Date: 22 May 10 - 12:11 AM I suppose I really ought to crack down on thread titles like these. When you get thread titles like Obama's Brownshirts and the one about the KKK and tea parties, and the propaganda about the New Mexico governor, it gets a little thick. It all leads to muckraking and bigotry, instead of rational discussion. Chill out, folks. Remember that thread titles are supposed to inform readers of the topic of discussion. They are not expected to make a political statement. In addition, when our thread titles are "over the top," they tend to draw in unwanted wacko visitors. -Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: ichMael Date: 21 May 10 - 11:56 PM The Increasingly Shocking Parallels Between Obama And Hitler Youth http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/2218029/posts Excellent overview as of about a year ago. Mentions "brownshirts" at the end. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: Amos Date: 21 May 10 - 11:48 PM Bruce: I think you should have your meds checked, man... A |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: Janie Date: 21 May 10 - 10:53 PM Bruce, I see one post that could be considered a personal attack. Otherwise, I read legitimate and thoughtful comments that are critical of the lack of critical thinking expressed in what you have posted. Regarding the opening post. Some of it is information. Some of it is assertion or opinion. The writer apparently documented from statements made by one or both police jurisdictions that the physical crossing of jurisdictional boundaries and coordination and cooperation between jurisdictions is common, and there appears to be nothing remarkable about the fact that Washington DC police were present. There is no indication based on what the reporter reports as documented fact or information that the DC police exceeded or superceded the authority of the Montgomery Co. police. There is nothing to indicate either police department made statements that the primary role of the Washington police was to protect the protesters. That appears to be solely the assertion or opinion of the author, represented as fact. There is no indication that Obama, or the Obama administration was in any way involved in any of this. I have read nothing here or in reputable media to suggest that the police department of Washington DC is the political tool of the Obama administration. I also never read anything in reputable media to suggest they were the tool of the Bush administration. Mudcat folks are heavily weighted toward some degree left of center - no surprise for a folkie site. Not all of those left-of-center who post here win prizes for the thoughtfulness and critical thinking skills with which they express their opinions. But a few do. There are also a few libertarians among us and when they express their views their arguments are usually very cogent. I read what they have to say and seriously consider their points of view. I may not agree, but I very much respect their pov. There is a legitimate conservative point of view on most issues. Unfortunately, there is no one,( for the past few years anyway), on Mudcat, who appears able or willing to articulately and thoughtfully present a conservative perspective. IchMael's postings give the impression that he has a paranoid personality. I don't think that is true of you, or of pdq. (Mentioning you, pdq, because my impression is you are the other conservative voice most likely to chime in on political threads.) However, it seems to me that both of you are more interested in provoking reaction than in provoking thoughtful debate or discussion. Understandable, given that the conservative pov is in such a minority here. Understandable or not, you are missing an opportunity. I've taken a long time to write this. It may be there are now more postings than can rationally be construed to be personal attacks against you, Bruce. But there was only one post at the time that objectively could be viewed as a personal attack. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: Bobert Date: 21 May 10 - 10:42 PM The problem as I see it isn't that alot of folks have their heads up their own asses as much as havin' their heads up someone elses' ass... Glen Beck has som many folks who have their head up his ass that he has to crap out the other end... And on TV, no less??? Think that explains alot here... B~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: Don Firth Date: 21 May 10 - 10:35 PM BB and ichMael, this is must reading for you two: CLICKY Don Firth P. S. No need to thank me. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: Bobert Date: 21 May 10 - 09:45 PM BTW, what is the score so far on people exterminated from wars that Bush started verses the ones that scarey Nazi Obama has started??? Last I hear that Bush is winning like a million to zip... That's right... We hear all about the holocost... Bush had his own little version in Irag and Afganistan and has personally ordered up invasions that have killed upwards of a million people... Hitler would be proud of that accomplishment and prolly give Obama an F... B~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: Bobert Date: 21 May 10 - 09:42 PM How about one that is alot closer to the truth, Ron??? A thread entitled "Glen Beck's Brownshirts"... I mean, the guy has Nazi Turrets Syndrome... It's all he can talk about... Nazis everywhere and under every rock... Especially if they are, ahhh, Nazi Democrats!!! B~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: Ron Davies Date: 21 May 10 - 09:33 PM Congratulations, Bruce. In a field with lots of stiff competition, you win the purple prose award of the year so far--and just for a title of a thread. A stunning accomplishment. But you'll be hard put to top it. And you know how it is: once you set a standard, everybody expects you to meet or exceed it every time. Good luck on that. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: Bobert Date: 21 May 10 - 09:20 PM Hey, ya'll... The righties can't help themselves... Seems that their hero, Glen Beck, can't utter Obama's anme without makin' some reference to either Hitler or the Nazis... His brain is completely polluted with these analogies that his listeners, followers, disciples or whatevers can't help themselves either... Garbage in, garbage out... Pure and simple... b~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 21 May 10 - 09:07 PM You go far enough left and it becomes right.
Sincerely,
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: ichMael Date: 21 May 10 - 08:59 PM Don't drag me into this, or I'll put together a page about things Obama's on RECORD saying about his various "Corps." His employment packages are all about getting people to depend on him personally. Remember the day when all public schools in America were supposed to gather their kids for an address by Herr Obama? http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/090309dnmetobamaschools.3ca94f4.html And some pictures, for the verbally challenged: http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a47/behindliberallines/obama-youth.gif http://willyloman.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/hitler-youth.jpg http://www.prisonplanet.com/images/may2009/150509top3.jpg I feel another webpage coming on. Obama Jurgen. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: Bill D Date: 21 May 10 - 08:51 PM I know nothing ABOUT the SEIU, other than their name and that they are a union group. I see MY comment, that **Obama** was not likely to have been involved, was ignored in favor of just categorically castigating 'leftists' for whatever it is they did NOT do. Bruce...YOU made a semi-accusation. Defend THAT.... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 21 May 10 - 08:46 PM No locals in Alberta, probably why I never heard of them (although they exist in ON, PQ and Sask.). |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: beardedbruce Date: 21 May 10 - 08:29 PM As I said, attacks on me rather than comments on the SEIU. Typical leftists. When you can't win, attack the other person. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: Greg F. Date: 21 May 10 - 08:27 PM I thought it was going to be another one started by our resident paranoid hate-monger, ichMael!. You're half right! Its the OTHER resident paranoid hate-monger BuShite Faux News dittohead. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: katlaughing Date: 21 May 10 - 08:15 PM But, you don't know the first rule of journalism...spell out the meaning of acronyms BEFORE using them throughout the article! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: Sorcha Date: 21 May 10 - 08:14 PM All I can say is 'oh for pitys sake' I'm pretty sure Bill D can speak 'for me' here. KKK me arse. Brown shirts? Hardly. Get a life. Or read 'The Color Purple'. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: beardedbruce Date: 21 May 10 - 08:13 PM Notice the left leaning here attack me, while ignoring the facts presented. Typical. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: beardedbruce Date: 21 May 10 - 08:11 PM Yes, but I like purple! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: pdq Date: 21 May 10 - 08:05 PM The Tea Party members went to parks, barbequed chicken and hotdogs, and listened to speeches. They entertained themselves and intimidated nobody. The three or so legislators who said they were offended walked by the Tea Party rallies. They could have gone another way. These SEIU goons are targeting people's houses. 500 strong? That is terrorism. BTW, they have adopted the color purple, so bb should call the "Purple Shirts". |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: Don Firth Date: 21 May 10 - 08:05 PM I'm a bit surprised to see that it was BB who started this thread. I thought it was going to be another one started by our resident paranoid hate-monger, ichMael! Don Firth |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: Bill D Date: 21 May 10 - 07:53 PM WHO called anyone KKK? I didn't. No one I know did. If I had been asked, I would have agreed the Tea Party was NOT KKK....they were just silly and uninformed. "When I say nothing, I don't necessarily MEAN nothing." Ashleigh Brilliant |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: Bill D Date: 21 May 10 - 07:48 PM *grin*...this article from Fox news might explain some of the 'spin' "Fortune columnist and Fox News contributor Nina Easton is calling a recent protest outside her neighbor's home a form of "personal intimidation." Easton writes, "Last Sunday... 500 screaming, placard-waving strangers [were] on a mission to intimidate my neighbor." That neighbor is Greg Baer, a deputy general counsel at Bank of America." |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: beardedbruce Date: 21 May 10 - 07:46 PM BillD, Your silence on the other threads ( against conservatives ) gives you little to comment on. I note the complaints here, from those silent when Tea Party members were called KKK. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: Bill D Date: 21 May 10 - 07:43 PM SEIU is a labor union group... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: pdq Date: 21 May 10 - 07:43 PM Service Employees International Union is a labor union with 2.2 million members. They have close ties to the Obama election machine and were part of the coalition that demanded nationalisation of health care. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: Bill D Date: 21 May 10 - 07:41 PM My point is..."Obama's Brownshirts" insinuates that Obama either instigated or approved whatever it was all about. I seriously doubt he had any idea it was happening, whereas the 'original, namesake 'brownshirts' were a clearly owned & designated arm of you-know-who. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 21 May 10 - 07:38 PM What is SEIU? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: Rapparee Date: 21 May 10 - 07:33 PM Police should not operate outside their operational districts without notifying the proper authorities, except in such cases as hot pursuit and even then they have radios.... The DC police, without notifying Monkey County, should have left the escort business at the District line. I do not like the idea of protesters in front of private homes, even if they stay on public property (e.g., the sidewalk). The kid should have called 911. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: Bill D Date: 21 May 10 - 07:32 PM Not only is the thread title a loaded, provocative, rhetorical device, but there is no clear explanation as to what 'escorted' might mean, who authorized what, and how it was all resolved. And if anyone called anyone KKK, they need to be named, not hinted at. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: beardedbruce Date: 21 May 10 - 07:14 PM So, I wait to hear your comments about calling conservatives such names as KKK. The silence was defining-= I fail to see that you have any real concerns. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies) Date: 21 May 10 - 07:13 PM Yes, how you can trade in this history is vile! |
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Subject: BS: Obama's Brownshirts? From: beardedbruce Date: 21 May 10 - 07:10 PM The thread title is in reference to the fact that SEIU members have been acting as a public strike force against whoever is Obama's latest target. Funny that SEIU gave over 60 million to get Obama elected, and is now in debt ( To B of A) something over 80 million. "D.C. Metro Police Escorted SEIU Protesters to Bank Of America Executive's Home Posted by Archy Cary May 21st 2010 at 11:11 am in Featured Story, Justice/Legal, Politics The family of Greg Baer, Bank of America executive, is located in a jurisdiction protected by the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD), which responded promptly to a disturbance call from his neighborhood last weekend. According to Corporal Dan Friz, an MCPD spokesperson in Rockville, Maryland, the department received a disturbance call from one of Baer's neighbors at 4:10 pm last Sunday. Four MCPD units arrived at Baer's Greenville Rd. address at 4:15 pm. At least two Metropolitan Police Department units from the nearby District of Columbia were already at the scene when they arrived. Why? Because police cars attached to the Washington MPD's Civil Disturbance Unit had escorted the SEIU protesters' buses to Baer's home. Such cross-jurisdictional escort activity is not uncommon for both departments according to Friz and Metro Police Department spokesperson Officer Eric Frost. Still, the District police did not inform their colleagues of what was about to happen in one of their Maryland neighborhoods. The Maryland officers reported there were approximately 500 protesters on and near the front lawn of Baer's house. Montgomery County was not given a "heads-up" concerning the planned protest. Although a protest permit is technically required in Montgomery County, in practice no citation is issued if the protestors disperse when requested to do so by the owner of the private property they occupy. The primary role of the Washington cops in this event was to protect the protesters. The D.C. officers had no authority to act to disperse the protesters even had the homeowner been present and asked them to vacate the private property. The event ended as a "dash one"– no arrests, no citations – according to Friz. The Montgomery County units left the scene at 5:29 pm. According to Friz, "members of protest groups know how far to push the envelope" and wait for "the key words" – for example, the property owner's request that they leave – in order to avoid arrests or citations. For example, protesters are required to keep on the move, since a standing protest violates a Montgomery County code. And, while photographs clearly suggest that many of the SEIU protesters were stationary, the District police don't have any authority to enforce Montgomery County laws. So, let's sum this up: A caravan of SEIU buses receive a Metropolitan (D.C.) Police Department escort to a private home in Maryland where the protesters, from all appearances, violate Montgomery County law by engaging in a stationary protest. The Montgomery County police were not informed by their cross-jurisdictional colleagues of the impending, unusually large protest pending in their jurisdiction. What's up with that? Had the mob decided to torch the house, the D.C. police would not have been authorized to intervene. Not their jurisdiction. They're just escorts. Meanwhile, a teenage boy is home alone, frightened by what's happening outside his front door. There's something very wrong with this picture." |
