Flashmob dancing: stupid yes, but is it constitutional?

Started by CountDeMoney, May 30, 2011, 06:12:18 PM

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garbon

Quote from: The Brain on June 01, 2011, 10:22:36 AM
Quote from: garbon on June 01, 2011, 10:10:24 AM
Quote from: Barrister on June 01, 2011, 09:58:09 AM
Marty, you seem unfamiliar with the entire MO of protestors (or you are being disingenuous).

They want to provoke the police into doing something, anything, that they can call excessive force.  That's how they get publicity in the first place - they don't get it for the initial protest, but they do for the 'police brutality' complaint.

I've participated in protest marches

WTF is wrong with you?

What part of "I was in San Francisco", didn't you understand?
"I've never been quite sure what the point of a eunuch is, if truth be told. It seems to me they're only men with the useful bits cut off."
I drank because I wanted to drown my sorrows, but now the damned things have learned to swim.

11B4V

Quote from: Barrister on June 01, 2011, 09:58:09 AM
Quote from: Martinus on June 01, 2011, 01:21:20 AM
Why does the only possible alternative seem to be "engaging in protected speech" or "being slammed and knocked to the ground by the police"? Why is there no option: "Politely asking them to leave"? :hmm:

Marty, you seem unfamiliar with the entire MO of protestors (or you are being disingenuous).

They want to provoke the police into doing something, anything, that they can call excessive force.  That's how they get publicity in the first place - they don't get it for the initial protest, but they do for the 'police brutality' complaint.

Seattle WTO protest
"there's a long tradition of insulting people we disagree with here, and I'll be damned if I listen to your entreaties otherwise."-OVB

"Obviously not a Berkut-commanded armored column.  They're not all brewing."- CdM

"We've reached one of our phase lines after the firefight and it smells bad—meaning it's a little bit suspicious... Could be an amb—".

Valmy

Quote from: 11B4V on June 01, 2011, 11:08:53 AM
Seattle WTO protest

Those guys are a tad different.  They actually want to provoke violence for the sake of anarchy.
Quote"This is a Russian warship. I propose you lay down arms and surrender to avoid bloodshed & unnecessary victims. Otherwise, you'll be bombed."

Zmiinyi defenders: "Russian warship, go fuck yourself."

dps

Quote from: Valmy on June 01, 2011, 11:14:15 AM
Quote from: 11B4V on June 01, 2011, 11:08:53 AM
Seattle WTO protest

Those guys are a tad different.  They actually want to provoke violence for the sake of anarchy.

What are the guys at the Jefferson Memorial doing it for the sake of?

Valmy

Quote from: dps on June 01, 2011, 02:45:46 PM
What are the guys at the Jefferson Memorial doing it for the sake of?

They want the cops to beat them so they can show how oppressive The Man(tm) is I presume.
Quote"This is a Russian warship. I propose you lay down arms and surrender to avoid bloodshed & unnecessary victims. Otherwise, you'll be bombed."

Zmiinyi defenders: "Russian warship, go fuck yourself."

dps

Quote from: Valmy on June 01, 2011, 02:56:14 PM
Quote from: dps on June 01, 2011, 02:45:46 PM
What are the guys at the Jefferson Memorial doing it for the sake of?

They want the cops to beat them so they can show how oppressive The Man(tm) is I presume.

So isn't that just about the same as doing it for the sake of anarchy?

Valmy

Quote from: dps on June 01, 2011, 03:09:57 PM
So isn't that just about the same as doing it for the sake of anarchy?

Um no since those people want to be victims not violently overthrow world capitalism or whatever.
Quote"This is a Russian warship. I propose you lay down arms and surrender to avoid bloodshed & unnecessary victims. Otherwise, you'll be bombed."

Zmiinyi defenders: "Russian warship, go fuck yourself."

dps

Quote from: Valmy on June 01, 2011, 03:22:01 PM
Quote from: dps on June 01, 2011, 03:09:57 PM
So isn't that just about the same as doing it for the sake of anarchy?

Um no since those people want to be victims not violently overthrow world capitalism or whatever.

So you're saying that it's essentially just masochism?

Valmy

Quote from: dps on June 01, 2011, 04:00:03 PM
So you're saying that it's essentially just masochism?

No I am saying one group is very dangerous and the other is annoying but harmless.
Quote"This is a Russian warship. I propose you lay down arms and surrender to avoid bloodshed & unnecessary victims. Otherwise, you'll be bombed."

Zmiinyi defenders: "Russian warship, go fuck yourself."

HisMajestyBOB

Quote from: 11B4V on May 31, 2011, 10:47:41 PM

and pepper ball guns

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfhUaUuG1sM&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hIIuJK_Uh8&feature=related


"Give peace a chance, Give peace a chance, Give peace a chance," cough...cough.... :lmfao:

I love using the pepper ball guns in SWAT 4. I just go through the whole level pepper balling everyone - perps, civilians, even my own teammates when they piss me off. ^_^
Three lovely Prada points for HoI2 help

CountDeMoney

Quote from: Valmy on June 01, 2011, 08:43:43 AM
Quote from: Martinus on June 01, 2011, 01:21:20 AM
Why does the only possible alternative seem to be "engaging in protected speech" or "being slammed and knocked to the ground by the police"? Why is there no option: "Politely asking them to leave"? :hmm:

They kinda provoked the cops into this.  Granted the cops probably should have shown some restraint but there we go.

I always try to explain to people that cops don't lock people up, people get themselves locked up.  But people don't listen when I tell them that.  There's sort of a theme there.

Razgovory

Quote from: Valmy on June 01, 2011, 04:02:04 PM
Quote from: dps on June 01, 2011, 04:00:03 PM
So you're saying that it's essentially just masochism?

No I am saying one group is very dangerous and the other is annoying but harmless.

I'm not clear exactly what those WTO protesters actually want, besides causing mayhem.  I don't even see what's wrong with all that globalization.
I've given it serious thought. I must scorn the ways of my family, and seek a Japanese woman to yield me my progeny. He shall live in the lands of the east, and be well tutored in his sacred trust to weave the best traditions of Japan and the Sacred South together, until such time as he (or, indeed his house, which will periodically require infusion of both Southern and Japanese bloodlines of note) can deliver to the South it's independence, either in this world or in space.  -Lettow April of 2011

Raz is right. -MadImmortalMan March of 2017

CountDeMoney

QuoteProtesters plan more dancing despite cops' orders

By Luke Broadwater

5:20 PM EDT, June 1, 2011

They were arrested, slammed to the ground and choked last weekend. But protesters opposed to a federal judge's ruling that bans dancing inside the Thomas Jefferson Memorial in D.C. aren't backing down.

Led by Russia Today host Adam Kokesh (an Iraq war vet), the protesters plan a larger silent dance party for noon this Saturday at the memorial.

Kokesh's movement found support from a majority of this blog's readers on Monday in an unscientific poll, in which voters 2-1 said the police were wrong to arrest the protesters.

Kokesh also found support from Fox Business News' host Judge Andrew Napolitano, who described the arrests as "a scene out of 'Footloose meets the Gestapo.'"

"It looks like they're choking you to death here," Napolitano told Kokesh. "It's clear the Supreme Court has ruled that dancing is a nonviolent means of expression." 

Clearly opposed to the judge's ruling, Kokesh also turned his criticism on the police officers involved.

"We were physically assaulted by some men in some blue costumes and put in a cage for a couple hours," he said. "We are not going to stand for this."

He continued: "Are you surprised that the police don't like freedom?" Kokesh added that the two main jobs of the police are to "raise revenue for the government and control the population."
 

He said anyone who wants to "stick it to the man" should join him at the Jefferson Memorial on Saturday. 

I don't know what's more ridiculous: The judge's ruling, the bad silent dancing, the rough police tactics or the fact that it's all going to be repeated again on Saturday.

My take is this: If the protesters are having a loud dance party that prevents other people from enjoying the memorial, they should be asked to leave. If they're just silently swaying back and forth, let them stay. If the silent dancing isn't hurting anyone, it's no reason to rough someone up.


See? My hypothesis that people get themselves arrested is a valid scientific fact.

11B4V

"there's a long tradition of insulting people we disagree with here, and I'll be damned if I listen to your entreaties otherwise."-OVB

"Obviously not a Berkut-commanded armored column.  They're not all brewing."- CdM

"We've reached one of our phase lines after the firefight and it smells bad—meaning it's a little bit suspicious... Could be an amb—".

Ed Anger

Quote"a scene out of 'Footloose meets the Gestapo.'"

Sounds like a good movie.
Stay Alive...Let the Man Drive