The 4th Reich, Part IV: Left Coast Edition

What the hell is happening in this country? The video below (via The Brad Blog) makes me want to puke. The cops that did this, Lt. John Pike of the UC-Davis police, among others, are sick sons of bitches, to put it kindly. Footage of this atrocity was on my local ABC affiliate's news cast last night, which surprised me, given their usual lame-ass, right-bent approach to things. I guess they were nauseous right along with me.

From a statement by Davis Chancellor Linda P. B. Katehi:

"We deeply regret that many of the protesters today chose not to work with our campus staff and police to remove the encampment as requested," she wrote. "We are even more saddened by the events that subsequently transpired to facilitate their removal."

"Saddened," not outraged.

More bullshit (New York Times, 11/19):

Annette Spicuzza, the U.C. Davis police chief, told The Sacramento Bee that the officer used pepper spray on Friday because the police were surrounded by students. “There was no way out of that circle,” she told the newspaper. “They were cutting the officers off from their support. It’s a very volatile situation.”

The videos, however, show officers freely moving about and show students behaving peacefully. The university reported no instances of violence by any protesters.

Got that? No instances of violence by any protesters. No excuse. And this is a university police force, people who should know better. They probably couldn't get a job with a "real" police force and they're pissed. Thuggery like this should disqualify them from carrying weapons of any kind, lethal or non-lethal. These kids were not on the attack, obviously. But what do I know? I'm just a union thug from Wisconsin.

UPDATE: More from Anonymous.




Thanx to Brad Friedman.

Random: 11/17/11

Religion is based, I think, primarily and mainly upon fear. It is partly the terror of the unknown and partly, as I have said, the wish to feel that you have a kind of elder brother who will stand by you in all your troubles and disputes….A good world needs knowledge, kindliness, and courage; it does not need a regretful hankering after the past or a fettering of the free intelligence by the words uttered long ago by ignorant men.
— Bertrand Russell, Why I am not a Christian

Thank God for Dorli Rainey.

And fuck Darrell Issa.

The 4th Reich, Part 3

There's not a limited range of reasons the people of Wisconsin can recall their elected and appointed public officials. "Because they want to" is all the reason the state constitution requires. I'm worried about the junta's hijacking of the GAB, though. Ironic to gather enough signatures to recall, only to have Scooter veto it in the end. Jaded? A little. Article XIII, Section 12. Pretty straight language. It's followed by our neanderthal marriage amendment in Section 13, for what it's worth.

The money behind the recall is coming from outside the state, according to Herr Walker during a bill-signing today. So where in Hell did the money that bought his sorry ass into office come from? Pardeeville? And now he's all over the country raising more, including an appearance on Hannity tonight because, you know, Fox is always there for the floundering fascist. I couldn't bring myself to watch, but I'd be surprised if there wasn't at least a URL for donors if not an outright plea for funds.

The smell of all that money is sexy, I'll bet. Walker promises to spend whatever it takes to "get his message out." And whatever's left over he will probably get to keep. Unlimited campaign spending means no accountability or oversight, right? When it's all over, Caribou Barbie can probably give Scott and Tonette a helluva deal on a tour bus.

If anyone actually ever reads this, I'm sorry to have been away for so long. It's been busy, being a public servant in a regime run by people who have no concept what the term means, except in the context of serving themselves.