[thechat] What about the economy?

[matthew garrett]

> From: "Daniel J. Cody" <djc at starkmedia.com>

First, I think it's horrible that someone was killed.

Second, if I, or you, weren't there, then trying to know what happened is a
nearly lost cause. A court may figure it out, but we won't.

Third (slightly flying in the face of the above), maybe the protestor didn't
have it coming, but he was an active participant in his own death to at
least some extent. If he was brandishing any object in a way to do harm,
then he was presenting himself as someone to be defended against. No matter
if the police might be protected from this threat to some extent.

If he was putting down the object, and being peaceable at the moment of
truth, that's one thing. However, if you attack someone who is armed, why
would you expect to not be harmed? That's asking for someone else to
restrain themselves when you are unwilling to do the same. But again, I
don't know how it happened - just trying to look at both sides a little.

> buttt.... they are dressed like that to deal with the tear gas, the more
> extreme of them wear home made body armor to protect against rubber bullets.
This is a 'the chicken or the egg' situation. Maybe the police push them
over the line, or maybe they were over the line to begin with.
 
> i saw a picture of the scene(which they aren't showing on american TV
> i've noticed..) and the cop has a handgun pointed at the guys head, and
> the guy has the extinguisher still in his hand..
Didn't see the pic: If the cop has a handgun pointed at this guy, then
what's between him and the extinguisher? Anyway, I think Reginald Denny
(Dennis? sp?) can attest that a fire extinguisher can be a real weapon.
Isn't that what was used on him on the streets of LA a few years back?
 
> and doesn't it seem a little extreme to use deadly force(then run him
> over a couple times just for good measure!!) on a guy who's going to
> hurl an extinguisher at your vehicle?
The running him over bit is horrendous, and the best evidence that the
Police are indeed the thugs...

> ya, some of them are wack, but being lunatics doesn't mean you deserve
> to be killed.. i mean, no one has bothered to ask why the hell all these
> people are protesting in the first place..

That's interesting, eh? Makes you wonder if they should re-evaluate their
tactics. They didn't really get a solid message out; except that they were
pissed.


Matt