I think one of the police officers in an article during the week put it best this way: civil disobedience is a choice, not a right.

I can't imagine many people having sympathy on this one. Anyone visiting The Olympian's website can watch video of the last week and come to their own conclusion as to whether or not they want to deem those protesting as victims.

And Birmingham, AL this was not.

I am on the fence about the event tonight.  I don't think that it is easy to bring law enforcement agencies to task when they engage in excessive use of force.  The whole law enforcement system - from emergency phone system, to police administrators, to prosecutors, to judges - is inclined to protect its own at the expense of citizens.

I would ask everyone to remember how responsive the Tacoma Police Department and the law enforcement system was to Crystal Brame when she sought protection from her former husband, Police Chief David Brame. For those of you unfamiliar with the story, here is my earlier post about it. 

I think the only effective means to control a police force is through a citizen review board that has the authority to suspend a police office without pay or fire an officer for violations of community standards for law enforcement. 

I encourage all to consider helping to establish powerful citizen review boards to provide oversight and accountability to the agencies that the community authorizes to use force in service to the community.

Anything less than a powerful, citizen-controlled review board will serve the community about as well as the justice system served Crystal Brame in Tacoma.  

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed." President Dwight D. Eisenhower April 16, 1953

Yes!!!

Take their guns away, they'll have to behave like the rest of us "CIVILians".  A civilian review board would be great, unfortunately, the Police do not like their actions scrutinized, as many of them do not seem to follow any serious ethical standards, and rarely are held accountable for violations.

Cosmo

When citizens intentionally physically block other citizens going about their business, it is not a "peaceful" protest.

When citizens destroy private property and throw trash on a public thoroughfare, it is not a peaceful protest.

When citizens refuse to comply with peace officers legal orders it is not a peaceful protest.

Citizens who engage in such activity are engaging in VIOLENCE and should not be surprised by a proportional response from those whose job is to maintain public order.

OlyPMR's actions are VIOLENT! The police have responded with admirable restraint in the face of this violence.

And congratulations for once again turning the focus from the important issue (Iraq) into a bogus fight over police brutality. Doing so only further dilutes your already muddled message.

OlyPMR is completely tone-deaf about how to really make a difference in ending this war by choosing to publically masturbate instead of doing something meaningful. It's actions have actually done more harm to the anti-war movement by allowing the right-wing noise machine to paint all of us who oppose the war with the same anarchist/socialist/anti-American brush. That in turn allows them to keep the war going.

I hate this war like the VAST majority of the American public, but your actions are embarrassing beyond measure. Make a real difference, do something constructive, and stop pretending that these "direct actions" do anything to end this evil war.

HAHAHA, Oh that's funny. . . . .

I'm sorry, but . . . you should really re-think this, you write well, but your 'reasonator' is off-kilter. . . .

"Citizens who engage in such activity are engaging in VIOLENCE and should not be surprised by a proportional response from those whose job is to maintain public order.

OlyPMR's actions are VIOLENT! The police have responded with admirable restraint in the face of this violence."

The sooner we recognize that any steps toward a common goal are positive steps, the better we will be. These kinds of protests create space for reformists, actually enabling them to make change, as much as they'd like to deny it, it is true. These protests are exactly what liberals need in their quest to change policy. We should work together and stop the senseless criticizing and infighting.

Interesting article.   Includes the following:

The issue of whether some form of citizen review is appropriate may have been settled from the public's viewpoint. Three-fourths of the largest cities in the United States have established some form of citizen law enforcement review.3 These actions represent a de facto public finding that the civilian oversight is an appropriate response to the problem of law enforcement malpractice.

Three fourths of the largest cities in the United States have established some form of citizen law enforcement review.  

These actions represent a de facto public finding that the civilian oversight is an appropriate response to the problem of law enforcement malpractice. 

It's time for a citizen review board in Olympia.  It's not a radical idea.  As the Police Chief Magazine article states, it's been settled from the public's viewpoint.   

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed." President Dwight D. Eisenhower April 16, 1953