Sunday, November 20, 2011

Do you look in the mirror and like what you see

How did this man face himself this morning? I just want to cry when I look at this photo.

Chancellor’s office (530) 752-2065

UC Davis police (530) 752-1727

The officer who pulled out the pepper spray was Lieutenant John Pike. 530-752-3989

26 comments:

Joel the Ornery said...

un-subscribing to your blog... now.

jffollies said...

Well the mailboxes are full for the chancellor and john pike. I think maybe the emergency dispatch number should be changed to an information number for the police if you have one.Just in case some student has a real emergency.
Kind of chilling watching the video. Maybe more like something from the thirties and a foriegn country.

Unknown said...

This is sickening. What is the justification for spraying a bunch of seated protesters? The things going on in this country right now are downright scary.

Tracey Broome said...

Why don't people value the life of a human anymore is my question. I read comments on a CBS news blog saying that the police should have shot them just like at Kent State. Who says things like this?!?!?!

Julie Whitmore Pottery said...

Assembled in a peaceful manner to redress greivences, our first ammendment in The Bill of Rights. This officer wasn't just spraying innocent students/he was defiling our Bill of Rights, our founding fathers, the very foundation of our Republic.
julie

Tracey Broome said...

Julie you are so right! It scares me to think about what this country is becoming. I hate to say it, but this country needs some strong leadership and there isn't any anywhere....

DirtKicker Pottery said...

I think they are stupid for sitting there waiting for their turn to be pepper sprayed.
Come on Tracey you have to know that there is more going here. Don't let our government manipulate via the media.

Dennis Allen said...

Last night at another of the Republican showcases.(hard to call them debates when they all basically agree) Newt said ..."They should go get a job, after they take a bath.". A few weeks ago Herman Cain said " If you are out of work and not rich it's your own fault". Both sound just like "let them eat cake" and shows how much some folks are detached from the people who are suffering in this country.P.S. You sure know how to get a discussion going.

brandon phillips said...

The right to free speech does not give one the right to occupy. No quarter goes both ways. I don't necessarily agree with what took place here, but the protesters were informed that they needed to protest elsewhere, and when they didn't they were asked repeatedly to move or be pepper sprayed.

The protesters in this instance were blocking a main walkway through campus. Free speech and protest are allowed until they impede on the rights of others.

Again, while I don't necessarily agree, the officer in question was doing his job which was to clear the sidewalk. What were his other options? Arrest them? Taze them? Rubber bullets? Shoot them?!! I think he made the right choice given his options.

I appreciate the tenacity of these youth but freedom of speech and protest don't negate other laws.

cindy shake said...

You do know how to stir it up girl! I do admire your passion - but I'm with Brandon on this one.

Tracey Broome said...

Wow you guys, I'm really sort of surprised at your responses. I have a child, and to watch someone so callously spray young people this way appalls me. They were not violent, they aren't gang bangers, they aren't criminals. They are FED UP just as I am with this fucked up system we have and they are expressing their frustration. Everyone keeps complaining about the economy and these kids are standing up for their rights and you think it's ok for them to be treated this way? What if that was your kid or your grandkid sitting there with that asshole spraying chemicals in their face. My mother instinct is strong and I am outraged! What really bothers me is that we are losing our rights in this country, you can't practice freedom of speech anymore for fear of the government and the military police, that is very scary!!!!! And then we have these ridiculous politicians like Herman Cain and Newt G. that could possibly be our leader. Are you kidding me!?!?!?
How can you possibly look at that photograph and think that is alright? It's NOT!!!!! It's just NOT!!!!!

Linda Starr said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Tracey Broome said...

Linda, I know, my brother in law has been out of work for 5 years and it has destroyed his family. Gerry's youngest brother also lost his job three years ago and lost his house. The problems we have in this country hit close to us, and with Gerry being a journalist, who knows, we may be with the unemployed any day....
Brandon I agree that laws must be followed and I don't have the answers. All I'm saying is to watch this video makes me sick. I guess I live in a bubble where people are kind and nice, I live in Chapel Hill where the average person has a high level of education and a good sense of right and wrong, and I live in a community of liberal minded people. But I just can't believe ANYONE can condone the actions of this police officer. I don't know what would have been a better option, but I don't want to live in a world where this is the right thing to do. I feel completely helpless these days, at the mercy of the rich and the clueless politicians, and it just wears me out. I want to move out in the middle of nowhere and lose touch with reality!
I don't agree with all of your comments, but I defend your right to your opinion and I appreciate the commentary today. Thanks everyone for expressing your opinions! I try not to get too political here, but every now and then, my feathers get ruffled. It's a Libra's nature to fight back against injustice and there seems to be so much injustice in the world these days. I feel so small and helpless amongst all of this....... I have such a lump in my throat and have felt like crying all day. Think I'll go for a walk or drink some bourbon :)

Linda Starr said...

The real problem lies in what these brave students are protesting, not in how they are protesting. I applaud them for protesting and bringing to light what they feel is wrong. If they sat on the sidelines and there was no confrontation, then there wouldn't be a report or a news story; never mind the pepper spray (not that it is insignificant by any means), but what is the point here - the real problems here in America are what is being protested by so many protestors, no jobs, disparity of wealth, high taxes for the poor, laws for laws sake, taking away the rights of the people, unbalanced budget, spending for wars when the poor suffer, lawmakers getting rich doing inside trading - and so much more corruption yet undiscovered, well unreported anyway.

Tracey Broome said...

Linda you are right, and this incident could very well distract from what the real problems are, but it may be a turning point. Right or wrong, I guess we are all doing the best we can with our circumstances, but I just wish for more kindness and understanding. I know that sounds very naive and I guess it is, but that would solve a lot of problems! There is so much unkindness in the world, I don't understand why......

Julie Whitmore Pottery said...

Excessive force for peaceful assembly can be prosecuted. And the brillaint photograph capturing the detached apathy of the officer enhances the case for the State vs. Pike, UC Davis and its president. There have been 61 deaths since 1990 from Pepper spray. This is not a benign form of injury. It can paralyze the lungs, cause cardiovascular damage and brain damage.

Tracey Broome said...

Julie, thank you for that. Detached apathy! That is the phrase that I have been searching for. Exactly what bothers me about this whole thing!!!! Maybe these kids were wrong, maybe the police were wrong, maybe everyone was right. But the thing that keeps nagging at me is the DETACHED APATHY! perfect!!!! It's a symptom of this society and it worries me greatly!
You are so right, if someone sprayed pepper spray at me, I could have serious problems. I have chronic bronchitis and my lungs get infected easily. Even clay dust causes me problems. This is just such a mess isn't it!

jim gottuso said...

hi tracey, you sure know how to step right into the middle of it. where to start? i see that joel the ornery is exercising his awesome power by un-subscribing to your blog, i'm sure your life will be much unhappier without him... hell i feel a little teary myself. onto and into the fray... civil disobedience is the cornerstone for change in this country and blocking a path, traffic, etc. are non-violent (and used to be effective) methods along with moving your bank accounts to credit unions and small town banks. if one wants to oppose civil disobedience then one has removed the only effective outlet for peoples' protests. not only can you tolerate civil disobedience, you must tolerate it. i read the comments and someone was quick to point out that the poor policeman pictured (need we do anything more than look at his face) really didn't have much of a choice and so we should defend him. well, how about when the civil disobedience option is removed for the 2500 different occupy movements in the US alone? what should they do then? there's subordination or violence. if anyone thinks that this pepper sprayer will someday regret his actions, think again. he will sleep like a baby until his death. pat buchanan still has gotten over those damn hippies protesting during the nixon administration. as far as the clownish dolts representing the GOP, they wouldn't say what they say and act like they act, if focus groups hadn't told them that their actions net effect would be positive. we can all do the math here, that's the world we live in and the occupy movement has taken their abject disbelief that stupidity, bigotry, isolationism, xenophobia, torture, exploitation, homophobia and disingenuous religious belief are honorable qualities in public servants, not to mention presidential candidates. i do however, agree that if we expect the police that do have a problem with their orders to abstain from executing those orders we are deluding ourselves. remember "four dead in ohio"? we criticize and sometimes attack other nations for human rights violations and go on and on about how their not allowing their citizens the right to non-violent assembly and protest is anti-democratic and we do the same as we're criticizing them for and half the people still don't see the hypocrisy. one final thought, when i was younger, i may have felt that i should join a protest movement like this but at 53 years old and the current state of reality that surrounds this activity, i would seriously be concerned that i could sustain a serious, debilitating and maybe even life threatening injury. so that's the type of society we want? where many people are afraid to protest. the only people ok with the pepper spraying are the people who think that everything's hunky dory the way it is. i'm with you tracey.

Tracey Broome said...

GO Jim! You should be writing a political blog!!! Thanks for your thoughts, I agree with you. The thing that's bothering me about all of this is my fear to protest. That is not what this country was founded on. We can't be afraid to speak up for basic human rights!!!!! And you are right, that cop will sleep well, knowing he did what he was trained (brainwashed) to do...sad.
It's funny, I gave Wesley the book Civil Disobedience for Christmas last year :)

Debbie said...

Wow, Jim, thank you. You nailed it and well said!

Lorraine Young Pottery said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lorraine Young Pottery said...

What I find amazing in that photo is the stance reads, "I have a right to do this!!"

That does make one think doesn't it!!!!

ang design said...

go trace...i did see that image and wondered why they stayed to be sprayed but that what a peaceful protest is otherwise this pic wouldn't have made the news and they wouldn't have made their stand...or sit!!
....I really don't know where to jump in but there are so many things wrong here...um walk around folks its not like theres crocs on the grass that will eat you :P
we don't have a bill of rights as such in Oz and i sincerely hope that we never do.. as soon as we think we're entitled it's all over peeps....PEACE kiddies

Michele said...

I'm with you all the way, Tracey. Well said, Jim. I am encouraged by this younger generation protesting - let's encourage this behaviour (peaceful protest) and stand against abuse by police forces. We Canadians are having to take a long hard look at our RCMP, because they keep forcing us to. I don't like some of the loss of privacy because of technology, but it is a game changer in matters such as these where police misconduct can be proven by anyone with a cell phone.
The response you got was interesting - I wouldn't have thought there was a defence to this cop's actions.......

jffollies said...

Well Tracy, I'm still upset too. I thought civil disobedience was protesting in a nonviolent way against unjust laws and practices. As to this country being founded on civil disobedience, I believe it was founded on some pretty uncivil disobedience by means of a very strong protest by our founding fathers against what seems to be the very same woes we are facing.
I do have to agree with Jim who said we were expecting too much from any officer to object to the action.My son ,Probation, lost his job Thurs., forced to resign because he broke procedure.His crime? He advised the parents of some young first offenders in what he called a young, "stupid crime" to pay an ADA $250.00 to get them in an early intervention program instead of paying the local hotshot attorneys $6000.00-$10,000.00 for the same results. This advice was given out of the office to someone not in the system looking at their options before the process even began. The DA and complaining attorney,one of the partners in the DA's law firm, objected to him giving"legal advice" against the "scope of his job".He still feels he did the right thing because "The legal system will bleed you dry and if you really think courts are fair you are truly deluded."He really loved his job, really worked at getting "his people" a second chance,finding them jobs,getting them into support groups etc.He took the idea of rehab seriously.He had 500 hours of "K" time on the books when he "resigned".He'll be compensated at about the same rate as the attorney would have been for his one hour meeting with the DA"S office and cutting a deal.I am actually very proud of him and I believe him when he says,"I'm O.K. Mom, it will be alright."
I am however resigning from the nonprofit board that both the DA and I sit on so I can campaign against his next re-election.

jffollies said...

Tracey,
I also understand your personal outrage as a parent.
My daughter, who has three kids at local colleges, would have found the guy by now if this had been one of her kids. Her one call on the way to jail would be to her boss(a different kind of hotshot attorney)to make bail;probably so she could go back and give the cop grief.