Police state is here

[K. Darien Freeheart]

They remind me of Stormtroopers in black.

[margomaps]

I just realized, 100% of all the violence that has occured there, has been the police.  The worse that any protester has done yet is cross a security fence.

I wish this were true.  Unfortunately some of the protesters apparently turned to violence.  According to http://www.startribune.com/politics/27736044.htm,

...a few hundred protesters splintered off and became confrontational and sometimes violent. Some smashed windows at Macy's and a downtown bank building.

Members of the Connecticut and Alabama delegations reported being attacked at one point by protesters. Connecticut delegate Rob Simmons told KMSP-TV that protesters tried to rip the credentials off delegates' necks and sprayed them with a toxic substance that burned their eyes. One 80-year-old delegate was treated for injuries, and several others had to rinse their eyes and clothing.

Also, retired Alabama Supreme Court Judge Terry Butts said about 100 protesters approached a delegation bus and one threw a brick through a window. Butts said the bus driver suffered cuts.

Harrington said the first illegal salvo happened about 11 a.m., when a Dumpster was shoved into an occupied squad car on W. 7th Street.

At about 2 p.m., protesters dropped bent nails into the intersection at 6th and Wacouta Streets. A group of more than 200 tossed garbage cans and newspaper kiosks into the road. A few marchers broke off and threw objects, shattering three windows in a bank building at 4th and Minnesota Streets.

Some smashed three windows at Macy's. One person jumped up and down a few times on the roof of a parked police car before breaking its windows.

Now, this level of violence probably pales in comparison to what the police did -- in response or pre-emptively.  The problem is that the average Joe who watches the evening news hears "anarchists", sees some footage of angry/bored teens and other young men smashing a window or lighting a fire, and associates that with protesting in general.  Later when someone mentions the word "protest", average Joe immediately thinks of the punks with black bandanas over their faces causing trouble, and Joe begins to despise protesters.  And naturally he sides with the police any time violence erupts during a protest.  Soon average Joe thinks "protest" is a bad word, and all "protesters" are bad people.

Average Joe represents a large percentage of the population.  My guess is 75% or so.

On another note, I don't believe much of what I read in the article I posted.  I'm sure there's a kernel of truth to much of it.  But when you see things like "so and so said a group of more than 200 people started throwing garbage cans..." -- don't believe it.  Divide all the numbers in the article by 5 and you're probably closer to the mark.  It's amazing/amusing to see numbers bandied about like they are.  I don't think people necessarily mean to exaggerate as much as they do.  But they do.

[K. Darien Freeheart]

The listings for "Private Defense Services" in the local phonebook were quite sparse.

[John Edward Mercier]

Protesting might even be more publically accepted... if they also attacked the DNC protesting about welfare, the demise of the family unit, increased taxation, and social restrictions.
But alas, the DNC is purposeful and good... 

[Sam A. Robrin]

the average Joe who watches the evening news hears "anarchists", sees some footage of angry/bored teens and other young men smashing a window or lighting a fire, and associates that with protesting in general.  Later when someone mentions the word "protest", average Joe immediately thinks of the punks with black bandanas over their faces causing trouble, and Joe begins to despise protesters.  And naturally he sides with the police any time violence erupts during a protest. 

The only way to turn public opinion on this issue is for average Joe to get a little "visit" from his heroes, so he can see first-hand what he's advocating.  Burning up those snitch lines is the way to go!