http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/BlogtownPDX/archives/2012/05/04/may-day-groups-decry-cops-tackling-bashing-of-marchers-over-minor-traffic-violations Comments On: May Day Groups Decry Cops' Tackling, Bashing of Marchers Over "Minor Traffic Violations" by Denis C. Theriault en-us Copyright 2013 Portland Mercury. All rights reserved. This RSS file is offered to individuals, Portland Mercury readers, and non-commercial organizations only. Any commercial websites wishing to use this RSS file, please contact Portland Mercury. webmaster@portlandmercury.com (Portland Mercury Webmaster) Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:01 -0700 Wed, 22 May 2013 00:15:00 -0700 Foundation http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Way to stick it to 'em man!
Posted by frankieb]]> Sun, 06 May 2012 17:40:00 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by sCoOteR]]> Sun, 06 May 2012 15:31:59 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by Graham]]> Sat, 05 May 2012 21:36:55 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by RemiMedic]]> Sat, 05 May 2012 17:42:35 -0700 Portland Mercury
Also, I saw the following press passes down at the May Day actions:

KATU
KIRO
DEMOTIX
OPDXLIVE
MERCURY
OREGONIAN

People are talking out of their fourth point-of-contact regarding press passes. You are wrong.

Press passes are a legitimate form of identification for a member of the press or independent media who is attending any event, whether it's an organized event or not.
Posted by RemiMedic]]> Sat, 05 May 2012 17:41:37 -0700 Portland Mercury
"THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A "PRESS PASS", THAT'S JUST AN IDEA MADE UP MY PEOPLE WHO AREN'T ACTUALLY IN THE PRESS LIKE IT'S SOME MAGICAL GET OUT OF JAIL FREE CARD. WRITING 'PRESS' ON A 3X5 CARD WITH A SHARPIE DOESN'T CREDENTIAL YOU IN ANY WAY WHATSOEVER. BUT NICE TRY ON FICTITIOUS FEAR-MONGERING."

You must really like being wrong.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Press_pass
Posted by RemiMedic]]> Sat, 05 May 2012 16:21:19 -0700 Portland Mercury
That, in a word, is bullshit. Occupy is smart enough to know they only bring bad publicity by using the name "Occupy" so they left it off this time. Savvy marketing, but it doesn't change the reality.

As Graham aptly points out, there's no such thing as a "press pass". You get credentialed for press events, to which a protest doesn't qualify. And even if it was, credentials give you no more or less rights than anyone else. Not mention that holding cameras that post to UStream doesn't make you any more of a journalist than taking pictures of the Grand Canyon during a family vacation does.

I'd have a bit more respect for these things if those involved just fessed up, as others have done, that the purpose is to "shut shit down." The charade is rather played out at this point.
Posted by Chuck Garabedian]]> Sat, 05 May 2012 16:13:56 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by sCoOteR]]> Sat, 05 May 2012 13:11:28 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by Graham]]> Sat, 05 May 2012 11:12:24 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by jessehadden]]> Sat, 05 May 2012 03:32:00 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by azure]]> Fri, 04 May 2012 21:43:30 -0700 Portland Mercury
"Remi, is 'occupy' above the law? And if it was just 'paying off the cops' - as you seem to think it is - then why the hell didn't you guys get together and pay them off?
Then no one would get hurt and your message would come through clearer - people hearing of ideas instead of - yet another - protest march that went awry."

Occupy Portland did not host or organize any events for May Day. So attributing anything that happened in Portland to "Occupy" is inaccurate.

Also, why should people have to pay anybody off to exercise their constitutional rights? That's kind of what people are protesting -- the fact that in order to get anybody to listen, they need monetary compensation which creates an inequality in speech. Those who have more money, since money is apparently speech, have more access to rights than those without.

I shouldn't have to pay anybody to keep me safe. People have a right to be safe. You're engaging in victim blaming.
Posted by RemiMedic]]> Fri, 04 May 2012 19:48:33 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by thebadsteed]]> Fri, 04 May 2012 19:19:14 -0700 Portland Mercury bah ha hah!
We need to free the sidewalks from the hegemony of pedestrians too I suppose, right?
Remi, is 'occupy' above the law? And if it was just 'paying off the cops' - as you seem to think it is - then why the hell didn't you guys get together and pay them off?
Then no one would get hurt and your message would come through clearer - people hearing of ideas instead of - yet another - protest march that went awry.
Posted by frankieb]]> Fri, 04 May 2012 18:28:23 -0700 Portland Mercury
they're subsidized
Posted by Bubbaya]]> Fri, 04 May 2012 18:20:31 -0700 Portland Mercury
The fact is that we in the US have turned our public streets over to the hegemony of the motor vehicle, but it wasn't always like that, nor does it need to be that way forever - it is a mistake that can and should be corrected.

Open your mind a bit, Graham, it would be good for you.
Posted by randyzpdx]]> Fri, 04 May 2012 18:19:58 -0700 Portland Mercury
Post #20 "@RANDY: I DIDN'T SAY YOU WERE TROLLING. I CLAIMED THAT WHAT YOU SAID IS STUPID. GET IT STRAIGHT."

Post #16: "Y'ALL CAN QUIT TROLLING NOW, WE'VE REACHED THE APEX OF STUPIDITY IN THIS THREAD."

Would you like to retract post #20, Graham?
Posted by RemiMedic]]> Fri, 04 May 2012 18:16:31 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by Graham]]> Fri, 04 May 2012 18:11:41 -0700 Portland Mercury
"Until I see video showing otherwise, I'll tend to take the cops version of events over 'occupy' protesters who seem to be picking fights. And by picking fights, I equate not having a permitted march."

What's the difference between a permitted march and a non-permitted march? Both marches take up space. Both marches interrupt traffic. Both marches involve people voicing their issues. It's just that one paid money to keep the police from attacking them.

As for the videos, there's plenty of them out there. Also, saying that you're siding with the police without looking at the videos is an act of willful ignorance. I always find it funny that everybody else can find the videos and pictures except for you. I wonder why that is. (Laziness)
Posted by RemiMedic]]> Fri, 04 May 2012 18:02:44 -0700 Portland Mercury And by picking fights, I equate not having a permitted march.
Posted by frankieb]]> Fri, 04 May 2012 17:30:55 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by randyzpdx]]> Fri, 04 May 2012 17:26:02 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by Graham]]> Fri, 04 May 2012 17:01:53 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by randyzpdx]]> Fri, 04 May 2012 16:58:25 -0700 Portland Mercury your taxes pay for railroads too. try walking down one of them
Posted by Bubbaya]]> Fri, 04 May 2012 16:51:52 -0700 Portland Mercury
Maybe you should find and read a copy of 'Fighting Traffic: The Dawn of the Motor Age in the American City' by Peter Norton, which describes the fight for the future of the city street between pedestrians, street railways, and promoters of the automobile between 1915 and 1930.
Posted by randyzpdx]]> Fri, 04 May 2012 16:17:19 -0700 Portland Mercury