Saturday, October 08, 2011

"Occupy D.C." protestors maced trying to enter Smithsonian. Isn't that located between Constitution and Independence Avenues? Update!

Photo borrowed from Michale Moore's Twitter account.
Courtesy of English News:  

A scuffle broke out on Saturday at an "Occupy D.C." rally in U.S. capital Washington, with demonstrators against corporate greed and militarism getting pepper-sprayed as they tried to enter a national museum. 

Hundreds, possibly thousands, of protesters marched Saturday afternoon from Freedom Plaza near the White House to the National Mall just under the Capitol Hill. As they tried to enter the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum, a scuffle broke out between demonstrators and security guards. Security guards used pepper-spray to subdue those who tried to force their way into the museum. 

"We got to the door, and they maced us. They pushed the people. They maced us again... before anyone of us can make it to the door, and then they locked the door," said Leslie Boyd, who came from Ashville, NC. "This is a nonviolent movement. We didn't do anything wrong." 

Boyd said she was "a few people back" from the front line, but still got some pepper-spray on her face, "my nose, my throat, and my eyes a little bit," and it "burns like crazy." 

As the pungent smell of pepper-spray spread, many protesters were forced to cover their mouths and noses with clothes. One protesters who got maced directly vomited on the ground. Many used bottled water to soothe their faces of the sting. 

The museum's front door facing the National Mall was temporarily shut, and demonstrators sat on the steps leading up to the glass doors, demanding entrance. 

Later, the Park Police, which is responsible for the National Mall, sent in squads of officers with canine units and horses. Fire trucks were also present, as demonstrators sat on the steps and refused to leave. No arrest was made until 4 p.m. EST, according to witnesses.

This movement is growing so fast that it is almost impossible to keep track of how many places that it has cropped up recently.

I admit am somewhat taken aback that they were maced in D.C.. That is a place very accustomed to protestors and you would think, after seeing the bad press that the New York cops received, that they would take great pains to avoid appearing to be jack booted thugs.

I believe we might be witnessing a movement that, though it is still in its infancy, might actually result in some important changes in this country. And unlike the Teabaggers I also think it impossible that they will be co-opted by any particular political party.

Which, by the way, is EXACTLY as it should be!

Update: Here is a video of the pepper spraying event.

After watching this I am on the fence a little.

I support the protests, but I don't think they should have tried to bring their signs and chanting into the museum.

My understanding is that they wanted to protest the "fetish-izing" of war and weaponry. Once gain I understand and feel some of that same revulsion on that topic, but there once again I understand the response to some degree.

Damn! Some times it sucks to be a reasonable person.

66 comments:

  1. Anonymous2:48 PM

    I lived in DC during the Viet Nam protests; the Poor People's march; the farmers' march; the MLK riots; and probably some others demonstrations I've since forgotten. I didn't care then and don't now care what protesters do in the street. Taking the protests into any one of the museums, however, is just plain wrong. Sorry some people got sprayed, but when national treasures are threatened by the presence of people who have entered a museum with no intention of respectfully viewing the artifacts, a line should be drawn.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous2:51 PM

    I find it interesting that the only way to find this news is to read it in an english version of a Chinese publication.

    It's not on cnn.com. It's not on Huffington Post.

    The only reason I know for a fact that this happened is because my mother was in the museum when they made everyone clear out and locked the museum down. She called me to ask if there was anything on the news about it. Until Gryph posted this, there was nothing.

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  3. eclecticsandra2:51 PM

    There is some exhibit in the Smithsonian that is sponsored by the Kochs or a similar entity. I wonder if that was the focus of the demonstration. It would seem that the museum should have the ability to limit access. Were they all going to pay admission? Wouldn't there be fire restrictions and the possibility of danger to exhibits with so many people? Let's hold judgement until we know all the particulars.

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  4. Anonymous2:53 PM

    A scuffle broke out on Saturday at an "Occupy D.C." rally in U.S. capital Washington, with demonstrators against corporate greed and militarism getting pepper-sprayed as they tried to enter a national museum


    I agree with what there doing.
    But stay out of the national museum.
    There need to go inside that building.

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  5. Anonymous2:54 PM

    this is exactly the same way the Vietnam War protests began.

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  6. Anonymous2:59 PM

    I was there with two of my five children, and our exchange student from Ghana. When the pepper spray came out, I moved them a safe distance away. Feeling every day of my 50 years of age tonight. But, I am glad I showed them what democracy looks like, the patriot rather than the Palin version. I overheard many mothers and fathers who just happened to be at the Air and Space Museum today, explaining what was happening to their children. That is where hope lives.

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  7. What the hell do you knuckleheads want with my museum?! I'd crack your empty Trustafarian heads myself! Now stop smearing shit all over my sidewalks and go the hell home, idiots.

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  8. Anonymous3:10 PM

    I do see both sides, even as I am heartened by these protests. The police have to keep the streets clear, service operating businesses and our precious historical objects in museums must be protected. (Might I also add that one should buy a ticket to pass through the door??)

    Overall, I am for the protest. And obviously there were a few bad police apples that either got overwhelmed or made bad decisions. But when you have a rapidly evolving situation with hundreds or thousands of people, well, put yourself in the shoes of the police, as well. They are also Americans, working Americans. People who save lives and protect property on ordinary days.

    It just is what it is. There are going to be ragged edges in a movement of this size, on both sides.

    MicMac

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  9. Anonymous3:12 PM

    They were trying to enter the Air & Space Museum to protest an exhibit glorifying predator drones. This was an action by Rage Against the Machine, not Occupy, although apparently the 2 groups were marching together.

    The treasures of the Capital's museums belong to all of us. I can support peaceful protests outside the building, especially regarding this exhibit, but not inside where there is the risk of damage. This incident shows the importance of #OWS maintaining its independence from other groups and all political parties. The msm is incorrectly claiming that #OWS caused the incident.

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  10. Anonymous3:15 PM

    Can I just say that in every set of press photos taken of Sarah, no less than 5 show her with orgasm face.

    I find this interesting. Sure she's passionate about what she speaks, but it's interesting.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I find self-important sanctimonious idiots of every stripe insufferable. A pox on all your houses.

    Will someone please Kill Me Now!?

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  12. It's great fun to prove Glenn Beck correct, isn't it? Jackasses.

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  13. Tweet from @WestWingReport (nonpartial, independent journalist):

    More than a few folks on Wall Street agree with #OccupyWallStreet. Another excellent Alan Abelson column. http://on.barrons.com/pRWJ7V

    http://twitter.com/#!/WestWingReport/status/122807371826348032

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  14. Anonymous3:49 PM

    There may be more to this story which I came across a few hours ago at HP.

    According to this version 100-200 protestors arrived and had signs. It is against procedure for people to bring signs into the museum apparently.

    Maybe those in front wouldn't give up the signs and the ones behind didn't realize what was happening ahead of them before the mace began?

    (see below)

    Air & Space Museum in D.C (part of Smithsonian) closed by demonstrators tinyurl.com/452d49z

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  15. Anonymous3:51 PM

    @2:51. The national museums do not charge admission fees. Also, they have coped with large numbers before and limited access without incident. Some of the museums opened on inauguration day as emergency shelters. There were almost 2 million on the mall that day. When a museum reached capacity, the doors were locked until some people left.

    I suspect the problem today resulted from the effort to carry a large banner inside. There are reasonable restrictions on what can be taken inside.

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  16. Anonymous3:56 PM

    I think it is terrible the news media is not covering these demonstrations.

    This corporate control crap makes me sick to my stomach. I think things are going to get violent as time moves along...especially where the police play dirty in a non-violent demonstration. Keep the cameras ready folks.

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  17. Anonymous3:57 PM

    5000 in Portland,OR on Thursday. No incidents.

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  18. Anonymous3:58 PM

    MicMac, all of the Smithsonian Museums are free - a gift to the people of America. Because of the economy, they are threatening to start charging. I was about 50 feet away, and never saw anyone trying to enter the Museum. But, I sure did smell the pepper spray, and watched from afar.

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  19. 10catsinMD4:09 PM

    You don't go into the museums. But everyone has been on the Mall. But interesting, this has not been covered in any of the local papers!

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  20. 10catsinMD4:11 PM

    Take my comment back. It is on the front page of the Washington Post.

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  21. Dis Gusted4:20 PM

    Alan Grayson was great on Bill Maher's show. He made quite a speech about the Wall St. protesters and how he should represent them.

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  22. @Anonymous 2:51 pm

    The beauty of the National Mall museums (Smithsonian included) and the National Zoo is that they are all FREE, so no admission fee required. These entities represent national treasures and are supported by taxpayer dollars. GOP of course are adamantly against supporting the museum and zoo, so it will be interesting to see if they denounce the demonstrators trying to enter a place they believe shouldn't exist in the form it does now. @breakingnews (a subsidiary of NBCnews) did tweet this event//see below).

    A great bargain for visitors, Americans and foreign alike.

    @Anonymous 2:48 pm has a good point about moving the protest from the street to the museum, but both areas are public areas. The downside of a leaderless movement is "mob rule" prevails, and some bad decisions will result.

    @breakingnews tweet, sent at 12:44 pm Alaska time:
    DC's Air and Space museum closed after protesters try to enter with signs - @AP
    http://twitter.com/#!/BreakingNews/status/122774358891577344

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  23. TheNastyLiberal said...
    It's great fun to prove Glenn Beck correct, isn't it? Jackasses.

    3:26 PM


    You mean the part about some Nasty Liberals are pompous asses?

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous4:43 PM

    I believe the group of people pepper sprayed was a different group called Stop The Machine @StopTheMach2011 and not Occupy D.C.

    TNL give me a break. Peaceful protestors don't deserve to be pepper sprayed PERIOD. They were hurting anyone. This is bullshit plain and simple.

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  25. Anonymous4:44 PM

    You know, the police acted correctly in this one. The protestors were carrying signs as they entered the museum. Heck, you cant even take an umbrella or a too big purse in there. The police (museum police, btw) used non-lethal force to do nothing more than get them to leave the museum - at least from one report.

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  26. Anonymous4:58 PM

    In Less than a Minute Alan Grayson Explains Occupy Wall Street to the 1%

    ...Now let me tell you about what they’re talking about. They’re complaining that Wall Street wrecked the economy three years ago and nobody’s held responsible for that. Not a single person’s been indicted or convicted for destroying twenty percent of our national net worth accumulated over two centuries. They’re upset about the fact that Wall Street has iron control over the economic policies of this country, and that one party is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wall Street, and the other party caters to them as well.”

    O’Rourke joked that Occupy Wall Street has found their spokesman, then Grayson continued, “Listen, if I am spokesman for all the people who think that we should not have 24 million people in this country who can’t find a full time job, that we should not have 50 million people in this country who can’t see a doctor when they’re sick, that we shouldn’t have 47 million people in this country who need government help to feed themselves, and we shouldn’t have 15 million families who owe more on their mortgage than the value of their home, okay, I’ll be that spokesman.”

    Alan Grayson demonstrated why all the media complaint’s about the unclear message behind Occupy Wall Street is nonsense. It took former Rep. Grayson 37 seconds to explain what Occupy Wall Street is about. He almost delivered the perfect 30 second sound bite, but he ran a tiny bit over. It isn’t that the one percent and the Republicans who support them can’t understand Occupy Wall Street. It’s that they don’t want to. The message isn’t complicated.

    The right has been trying to play on the fears of some who support Occupy Wall Street by claiming that the left is hijacking the movement, but the support and media sophistication of people like Alan Grayson and Bernie Sanders can only help these protests grow. Grayson demonstrated the value of having someone speak on the movement’s behalf that understands and is comfortable with television.

    The right and many in the media will continue to make jokes and play dumb, but while they are laughing it up, a movement is growing. They may intentionally not understand the message of Occupy Wall Street, but millions of Americans do, and these people want their democracy back.

    http://www.politicususa.com/en/alan-grayson-occupy-wall-street

    ReplyDelete
  27. Anonymous5:00 PM

    Occupy Austin Marches on Too Big to Fail Bank of America

    Occupy Austin is quite different from Occupy Wall Street, mostly due to the reactions of city officials and authorities.

    1,300 hundred people showed up to Occupy Austin on Thursday, day one of the movement. On Friday, day two of Occupy Austin, the protesters marched to Bank of America, the too big to fail Bank of America, from City Hall chanting “We are the 99 percent!” In stark contrast to NYC and other protests around the country, the Austin police were very supportive of the peaceful protesters. In fact, city leaders including Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell and Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo came out to speak with the protesters, who were camping out at City Hall.
    Council member Kathie Tovo said, “I’m really interested in the issues that concern them. What’s motivated them to come out here and spend in some cases the night at City Hall? What are some of the things they’d like to see different about the City?”

    Video of the demonstrators marching to B of A from KXAN:

    http://www.politicususa.com/en/occupy-austin-marches-bank-america

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  28. Anonymous5:03 PM

    Good thing the police didn't mace the tea douche baggers, they would have been charged with elder abuse!

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  29. Anonymous5:05 PM

    I was at work today directly across the Mall from Air and Space. Why were they going there to protest anyway? It's a museum, not a government bureau that influences decisions. As a part of the Smithsonian, it is one of the nice things that the Government helps to make available to everyone for free. It is also the most popular museum on the Mall, followed by Natural History. And it isn't just military flight in there, but commercial flight history as well. And of course, space flight: you can see capsules and touch a moon rock. I am baffled that they would go there as part of their protest. Why not Dept. of Ag. to protest Frankenfoods? Why not any other place that actually impacts policies? Seriously, what were they thinking?
    And why did the guards have pepper spray anyway? That's weird. I used to work there too. 'Never heard about them carrying pepper spray, although some of them do carry guns, which they would only be permitted to use in extreme situations if at all as there are always innocent people around: families with children especially.
    !!!!!!!!
    M from MD

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  30. Okay, I am a little confused. Would someone please explain to me what these protests are all about? I mean, I know as a confirmed liberal that they're billed as the opposite of the Tea Baggers, but what are they trying to do?

    My main goal in the next year is to reelect Obama and get a Dem majority back in the House, but are these protests a good thing or a bad thing for our side?

    TIA

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  31. Anonymous5:15 PM

    The Occupy Wall Street Blow-by-Blow

    In the narrow streets of Lower Manhattan on Sept. 17th, a protest began that has since gained tens of thousands of supporters and international attention. Matthew DeLuca reports on how simple beginnings led to the arrest of more than 80 protesters near Union Square the following Saturday.

    http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/10/07/a-blow-by-blow-account-of-the-occupy-wall-street-protests-turned-into-mass-arrests.html

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  32. Anonymous5:22 PM

    The Smithsonians are free. You do not have to buy tickets. At the Air and Space Museum you do have to go through security. One might have hoped pepper spray would not be necessary, but a lot of people not entering through security in an orderly way could not be allowed.

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  33. Anonymous5:24 PM

    If they were trying to carry signs and banners in, then that would definitely not be allowed in any of the museums, as these could prove hazardous in case of a fire and to the collections on display. When the Teabaggers were here a year ago in Sept. for their big annoying march on Congress, some of them tried to enter the National Gallery of Art with their signs. They were told they had to leave them outside and according to a manager, the guards were given hell for this by the Teapbaggers. The usual words flew: 'My taxes pay your salary.' (We hear that often enough around here. They never stop to think that we pay taxes too.) To which a guard replied, "You don't pay me enough."
    M from MD

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  34. ThanksABunchJohn5:42 PM

    Lord, I hope that CSN&Y won't have to write a song soon...

    ReplyDelete
  35. @phoebes in santa fe, I think the protests are a very good and very important thing to help rebalance the power in our country back to We The People, aka the 99%.

    I recommend you read the comment by Anon at 4:58 that includes Alan Grayson's summary of the issues that the Occupy protesters are trying to focus attention on.

    The only risk in these protests is if the corporatists, their media and their sheeple succeed in twisting the message and the messengers into something they (we) are not!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  36. Anonymous5:48 PM

    There needs to be areas created for these "protests" to happen. Cordoned off areas for these folks to speak their minds within a fenced in perimeter, just as we used to do at the Great American Smoke Outs in DC, where we could smoke weed and do as we wished within a certified boundary.

    We can't have these people disrupting the lives of others in their quest to have their say. Just like on the Daily Show a few nights ago, the Take Over Wall Street people were being disrespectful to local businesses and making a mess of their bathrooms.

    Give the voices a locked in place to have their say but really, they don't need to disrupt people that have no interest in what they have to say; it seems that even they don't know what they have to say so really, stay away from my national treasures and do your protestin' thing in a lawful manner where you are told to, or else get pepper sprayed and then shut the fuck up about it.

    As soon as you people have a cohesive agenda I'll feel sorry for you, but really, you're all over the place. Hire a publicist and they might be able to broadcast to the rest of us what you are talking about.

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  37. Anonymous5:54 PM

    I do understand people being pissed off at the usurious lenders such as Bank of America. I told BofA to kiss my ass and they ended up writing off 26 grand in debt that I never was going to pay them back; they raised my interest rates to 30% and I had no option but to not pay them.

    My brother also took that road and due to BofA's usurious practices he walked away from $20 grand.

    Tell the big banks NO and just don't pay them. In the current economic climate they don't try to hard to find you, and yep, your credit is compromised for a year or two but then life goes on.

    If enough of us tell the NO then they can't go after everyone.

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  38. ThanksABunchJohn5:56 PM

    The protests in Madison were amazingly uplifting and nonviolent, I was there when crowds exceeded 70,000 and then 150,000. The cops marched with us, joked with us, even took our pics with us! Then one day they locked the capital doors, and protesters got angry, tried to push their way in. The local stations got pictures of the angry faces and they became the "go to" pics used to demonstrate how "thuggish" the protesters were, and to scare away the common citizens wishing to join the protest. It is important to keep level heads, it is important to remain calm and peaceful.

    Our OWS in Wisconsin starts next Saturday, and I'll be there. I have a physical disorder that would make it dangerous for me to be in a mob scene, but I'm hoping calm heads prevail.

    WE are the 99%!!!

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  39. Anonymous6:00 PM

    Okay, so here is my trouble with the coverage. I am "the mother of five" who marched from Freedom Square with the group. The photograph above did not represent the attendees I saw today. That would have been great. It more looks like " the rally to restore sanity" which I joyfully watched from a similar geography. I don't write this to be confrontational. I showed up and walked. I just don't want to overestimate how many more of us need to take a stand too. Don't take for granted what voice you have.

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  40. Anonymous6:03 PM

    >>phoebes in santa fe said...

    Okay, I am a little confused. Would someone please explain to me what these protests are all about? I mean, I know as a confirmed liberal that they're billed as the opposite of the Tea Baggers, but what are they trying to do?
    ---
    This should help a little Phoebes.
    ---
    In Less than a Minute Alan Grayson Explains Occupy Wall Street to the 1%

    ...Now let me tell you about what they’re talking about. They’re complaining that Wall Street wrecked the economy three years ago and nobody’s held responsible for that. Not a single person’s been indicted or convicted for destroying twenty percent of our national net worth accumulated over two centuries. They’re upset about the fact that Wall Street has iron control over the economic policies of this country, and that one party is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wall Street, and the other party caters to them as well.”

    O’Rourke joked that Occupy Wall Street has found their spokesman, then Grayson continued, “Listen, if I am spokesman for all the people who think that we should not have 24 million people in this country who can’t find a full time job, that we should not have 50 million people in this country who can’t see a doctor when they’re sick, that we shouldn’t have 47 million people in this country who need government help to feed themselves, and we shouldn’t have 15 million families who owe more on their mortgage than the value of their home, okay, I’ll be that spokesman.”

    Alan Grayson demonstrated why all the media complaint’s about the unclear message behind Occupy Wall Street is nonsense. It took former Rep. Grayson 37 seconds to explain what Occupy Wall Street is about. He almost delivered the perfect 30 second sound bite, but he ran a tiny bit over. It isn’t that the one percent and the Republicans who support them can’t understand Occupy Wall Street. It’s that they don’t want to. The message isn’t complicated.

    The right has been trying to play on the fears of some who support Occupy Wall Street by claiming that the left is hijacking the movement, but the support and media sophistication of people like Alan Grayson and Bernie Sanders can only help these protests grow. Grayson demonstrated the value of having someone speak on the movement’s behalf that understands and is comfortable with television.

    The right and many in the media will continue to make jokes and play dumb, but while they are laughing it up, a movement is growing. They may intentionally not understand the message of Occupy Wall Street, but millions of Americans do, and these people want their democracy back.

    http://www.politicususa.com/en/alan-grayson-occupy-wall-street

    And thank you for your commitment to our amazing President. I'm right there with ya, and so are they:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98jo39Dujx4&feature=

    Love it!

    ReplyDelete
  41. Anonymous6:03 PM

    @phoebes Alan Grayson explains the occupy movement in 37 seconds: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/10/08/alan-grayson-takes-real-time-panel-to-task-regarding-occupy-wall-street/

    This movement (by concensus assemblies) encourages people to take responsibility for educating themselves about the situation. Classes are held and libraries provided at many of the occupied sites. You can read more here:

    http://occupywallst.org/
    http://wearethe99percent.tumblr.com/
    http://www.occupytogether.org/

    And many more websites are springing up.

    Check out occupytogether to find a meeting near you. :)

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  42. Anonymous6:05 PM

    I believe the reason the anti-war/Occupy DC crowd were going to the Air-Space museum was to protest a display about the UAV drones "Predators" & "Reapers".
    The two marches combined which to me seems sensible since I don't feel we should be traveling to foreign lands to kill people who have done nothing to us just as there should be some people going to jail for sending our economy off a cliff. Both are good causes to stand up for.
    I see that some of the lap dogs disagree.

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  43. I agree that people should be allowed to demonstrate on the streets, but stay out of museums. This must stay a peaceful movement or everything will be lost. We need to make gains, but in peace. All be it though, there are just some people who are not peaceful and get involved in these movements so they can do violence. Peace and harmony to everyone!

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  44. Anonymous6:10 PM

    TIA, we don't know yet.

    It's the American Indian Summer.

    MicMac

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  45. Not What You Want To Hear6:24 PM

    phoebes in santa fe: "Okay, I am a little confused. Would someone please explain to me what these protests are all about?"

    I think, at heart, it's about how our democracy has been corrupted by way too much corporate power, particularly transnational companies and global banking cartels. There has also been a slow boil ever since the Wall Street heist of our Treasury in 2008 that wrecked our economy. And no one has been held accountable for it. No one. In fact, the banksters are richer than ever, while the middle class is drowning...and disappearing.

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  46. Anonymous6:27 PM

    There is a story on HP on the front page - but down a ways that talks about the museum incident. Just posted about 15 minutes ago it seems.

    I do agree that having people enter a museum with no intention on respectfully viewing the artifacts, [that] a line should be drawn to respond to anonymous at 2:48 pm.

    I am in support of the marching to protest wall street's influence on our society/country, but I don't agree in causing destruction to our history/museums.

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  47. Anonymous6:29 PM

    Good comments (and corrections) all. This protest is a good thing. Messy, but good. We all will sort it out with time. Someone had to do SOMETHING!

    But let's not just become demagogues. That does not help the cause. There are righteous issues on the other side in re: the police, the businesses, the museums and the government -- that doesn't mean they did their job right, but some compassion, and factual understanding and making tomorrow a new day goes a long way toward making this protest more constructive. Discussion and change toward this end will help make the movement more efficacious.

    It's a lot like the anti-war protests of the 60s as some have noted.

    I do not think it is like the Civil Liberties (MLK) protests - those were highly organized and purposeful. The Wall St protesters might take a page from that chapbook. They marched, and they not only had a clear message, they had a solution.

    Micmac

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  48. Anonymous6:40 PM

    Phoebes, do you really think "Dems" are any less in the pockets of Wall Street than Repubs are? It doesn't matter WHO runs the show in Washington, they all kiss Wall Street's ass. You are aware that Obama's most intimate lackeys are all Wall Streeters, aren't you? If not, you should be. Obama is now pretending to be a populist who cares about jobs, but he spent the first 2-1/2 years of his presidency sucking up to Wall Street. Don't delude yourself that he's not a big part of the problem. He is.

    Educate yourself for starters by watching the video of Alan Grayson on Bill Maher's show last night. No, I don't have a link. I'm sure you can easily find it via Google.

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  49. A museum by definition is full of items that in many cases cannot be replaced, and no security people protecting such a site are going to let placard holding protesters through its doors. I've got total sympathy for sentiments behind "Occupy DC" but trying to enter the Smithsonian was not a smart move.

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  50. Olivia7:40 PM

    Oh, I so agree with you. The protests need to happen, I totally agree. We lived in Baltimore in 68, my husband was in the army at Ft.Meade. When Martin Luther King was killed, I was completely in agreement with the protests, riots and unrest but we cannot and will not allow harm to the national monuments and treasures.

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  51. Anonymous8:09 PM

    The original, genuine participants of this movement have never intended violence. However, the movement has been infiltrated by righties (who want it to turn violent and, thus, embarrass Obama), and, probably, the FBI. Every time we look at it and read about it, we must keep this in mind. There are many people who greatly fear this movement and who want to turn it into something very ugly, and then profit from its failure. We must never forget this.

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  52. Anonymous8:21 PM

    Common sense would dictate that when you dis-employ about 10 to 20 percent of the people in any nation, and then cut off their unemployment benefits, sooner or later they might have nothing better to do than have peaceful demonstrations in the streets. Considering their plight, I am grateful that they are keeping it peaceful so far. The PTB (powers that be) should have considered this logical outcome when they started taking a machete to jobs and unemployment benefits. After all, when people run out of food and shelter for themselves and their families, then even the PTB are in trouble, and not merely the people they shafted.

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  53. Anonymous8:55 PM

    You put a uniform and a weapon on some people, and they think they can get away with anything.

    Off Topic, but it proves the point.

    My friend, a male nurse, Five years ago, got pulled over by a police officer and given a speeding ticket, he ended up getting roughed up for questioning the validity of the ticket, went to court, got stopped again by the same cop, and filed a complaint with the police department.

    The cop presented at the ER complaining of chest pains and trouble breatheing. The same male nurse, a true professional, administered cpr, assisted the doctor in defiribullating and ressucitating the cop, even went the extra step of inserting a catheter to facilitate his emptying his bladder ;o).

    The cop, apparently fogot the past, and commended the nurse for helping to save his life.

    After the nurse brought up the past two incidents with him, the cop filed a lawsuit saying the catheter caused him "loss of affection and urinary incontinence issues".

    It was tossed out of court, but hows that for chutzpah? His life was saved, but he sued his former "hero" because he couldn't boink or pee for a few weeks. Why can't a guy who almost died, with an injured heart, can't wait a few weeks?

    the nurse got written up, and later transferred to another hospital even though he acted ethically and within the law.

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  54. We should have been protesting a long time ago, but someone made a bad decision when they decided to go into the Smithsonian. With so many people involved and emotions running high there will be incidents. People who know better when something like this is about to happen should speak up.

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  55. ibwilliamsi10:15 PM

    Jesse, you need to update. The Air and Space Museum disruption was organized and escalated by "The American Spectator", a Conservative organization. They're no better than terrorists, stirring up unrest then taking gleeful credit for it.

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  56. Anonymous11:46 PM

    Thank you, ibwilliamsi! Every human rights movement with a chance of success has had its infiltraters and provocateurs! People need to wise up, join up, and not be swayed by knee-jerk responses to misleading information. The vast majority of us in the US and worldwide have been cheated and robbed. Don't be tricked by a stunt or two and lose the bigger picture.

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  57. Anonymous1:13 AM

    Oh, boohoo peeps. A couple people try to enter a museum with signs and you are ready to condemn the first real opposition to the destruction of the middle class and the demonization of the poor and the unemployed? Get a grip!

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  58. Anonymous4:16 AM

    Conservative news organization American Spectator has been paying "journalists" to create disruption at the protests. One wrote at the publication's website that he was one of only three protestors pushing his way into the Smithsonian and the only one to get inside before being maced. He actually brags about succeeding in his attemp to discredit the movement.

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  59. Anonymous @ 1:13am

    "Oh, boohoo peeps[...] Get a grip!"
    ------------------------------------

    Now I'm the the mood for memorizing faces, how 'bout you show your supercilious mug? I'll happily get a grip!

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  60. Anonymous8:32 AM

    Please update, Gryphen. The museum incident was instigated by a rightwing provocateur, who instigated the pepper-spraying.

    He has admited it - even bragged about it.

    It was a peaceful march, he inserted himself into it and actively encouraged the storming of the museum.

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  61. Marleycat8:43 AM

    Ahahahaha! I just got done discussing the highly likely possibility that the DC Occupy Wall Street protest had been disrupted by plants to discredit the movement with my wonderfully progressive sister! She stayed over night to visit with me - just left to go home. I copied and pasted info from here and sent her the update to our conversation. When she gets home and opens her email from me she's going to bust a gut laughing about how very predictable the rethugs are! You can see them coming a mile away!!!

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  62. Anonymous11:16 PM

    The person that entered the museum was a CONSERVATIVE

    UPDATE: Conservative writer admits to "infiltrating" 99% movement to "mock and undermine" it, then scrubs article

    An assistant editor with a right-wing magazine admitted in a column Saturday evening to posing as part of the 99 Percent Movement in D.C. “in order to mock and undermine” it. Patrick Howley, an assistant editor for the American Spectator, was committed enough to his deception to be at the vanguard of a demonstration that saw police firing pepper spray and closing a downtown Washington museum.
    In his column, Howley says he took part in the demonstration Saturday at the Smithsonian Institute’s Air and Space Museum reportedly directed at an exhibit about the unmanned drone aircraft used by the U.S. and others for spying and, increasingly, targeted killings in far-flung hotspots.
    As between 100 and 200 anti-war demonstrators arrived at the steps of the museum — some of them affiliated with a group organizing the “Occupy DC” spinoff of the Wall Street protests — a few intrepid protesters made a rush for the door despite apparent warnings from security guards. One of them was Howley, who recounts that “as far as I could tell I was the only one who got inside the museum.”
    A spokesperson for the Smithsonian said at least one person was pepper sprayed by a guard. According to Howley, “I got hit.” The conservative writer then went on to explain what exactly he was doing leading the charge past museum guards into the building itself: ..... SNIP

    http://thinkprogress.org/special/2011/10/09/339788/conservative-infiltrate-99-percent-movement/

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  63. This is an underreported facet of the DC Museum protest macing Gryphen. I hope you'll bring some attention to it.

    CONSERVATIVE JOURNALIST FROM THE SPECTATOR DELIBERATELY INFILTRATED THE DC PROTEST AND PROVOKED THE PEPPER SPRAY INCIDENT

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/conservative-journalist-says-he-infiltrated-escalated-dc-museum-protest/2011/10/09/gIQAIKxCYL_blog.html

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  64. Anonymous11:24 AM

    I happened to be visiting the museum when this happened, and the protesters were way out of line. They tried to force their way into the museum carrying signs and shouting and manhandling anyone in their way. Some of friends in the highschool student group I was in were punched around. They caused the whole museum, which hundreds of people were peacefully enjoying, to be shut down.

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