Is this thing even on? Mic check!

Welcome to #occupymyweek day 3

bully
— noun
1. a person who hurts, persecutes, or intimidates weaker people

Hey guys lets talk about cops. More specifically the cops at the occupy protests. The ones who show up in full riot gear (which is only fitting considering they are about to start rioting, right?),with the mean mugs going, because it's all about intimidation.

There was a police presence from day one when the police surrounded the bull statue on Broadway near Wall St. I'm not sure what they expected, maybe violence against the bull? Or was the assumption that if they blocked off the supposed meeting area that the protest just wouldn't happen. Whatever the idea behind it, I know for sure that the statue stayed fenced off for at least seven weeks and it probably still is. It is also supposedly under 24 hr. surveillance. This is your tax dollars at work. Guarding a statue 24 hours a day in New York City, a statue that was never a target of violence or hatred from Occupy.

Try finding a single news report of violence involving someone definitely tied to the occupy movement, it may take a while. This was always supposed to be a non violent movement, and it has been. Violence enters the equation when you throw police into the mix. When they show up the violence kicks off. Some of these officers are there to do their duty and do it within the boundaries of the laws that they are sworn to uphold, others are bullies, plain and simple. I could list specific incidents or specific victims, but doing so doesn't do justice to the numerous victims I don't name. I have watched videos of police assaulting protesters until I feel physically ill. Beatings, draggings, pepper spraying peaceful gatherers with no real reason. The UC Davis pepper spraying debacle was probably the most widely publicized instance of this type of unnecessary and excessive action. I even found a couple of quotes from my city's own Norm Stamper (former Chief of Police during the 1999 WTO debacle) about this very issue “It is clearly an abuse of tear gas when it is used against passive demonstrators who are taking part in acts of civil disobedience which are such a rich part of our democracy,” and “Today it is being used indiscriminately and that is really appalling”.“We should recognize that we are a tool of community in the advancement of public safety and good. Police today have lost sight of their purpose.” Indeed sir, indeed. That, from Norms mouth really means something.

More surprising is the nonchalance displayed by these cops while perpetrating this violence. Pepper spraying a crowd of people who aren't even in a threatening stance and then just walking away. Some of them even flaunting the fact that they are doing it brandishing the cans to the crowds, "look at me!".  I wonder how these people sleep at night, are they complete sociopaths? Do they really believe that what they are doing is some how protecting society?

New York City, the place where it all started. The city whose Mayor stated "I have my own army in the NYPD, which is the seventh biggest army in the world." A rather telling statement of his opinion on using the NYPD as his own personal mercenaries. The Mayors army has also been accused of assaulting reporters who are trying to cover the protests and even arrested, assaulted, and jailed a member of the City Council. Way to go guys, because as you've already been told "the world is watching".

There is an unsettling bit of truth behind Bloomberg referring to the NYPD as an army. A lot of the current trend of more hostility from the police may be linked to the post 9-11 militarization of police forces nationwide. With Police Departments purchasing more military gear, sometimes seeking military training, and in some cases adopting a more military mentality, a side effect of our war on terrorism. The problem is it's being used against peaceful Americans who have repeatedly demonstrated that they do not condone resorting to violence, even when faced with it.  I gotta ask, is this protecting and serving?.

In ending I will say that I don't hate all police, but I do believe that some of them aren't afraid to cross the line of the law. Unfortunately, you can't tell the difference until it's too late.