Tom Crane, KKFI Community Radio, Kansas City, MO
The second week continues after the vicious murder of George Floyd for being Black. Many citizens have finally had enough and risen in protest across the nation. They have now shown a shocked nation a mirror and forced us to look at our own racially-charged history that has had its knee on the neck of the country for centuries.
If it were not for the event which triggered these uprisings, I would be immensely proud of citizens finally standing up for people’s rights against the militarization and commodifying of our surveillance culture, and against a proto-dictator. I am glad that people have awoken, but I am very sad that it took this heinous event in our history to provoke this.
Years ago when I was a lot younger, I went on a march in Washington to protest against a made-up war. Over 100,000 citizens peacefully protested against the overseas US policy.
I remember on that march on Washington against the phony war, police seemed different. They were on the edge of the crowd wearing normal uniforms, not combat gear. They seemed to actually protect demonstrators and their right of assembly. I remember one officer smiling and opening his coat to expose an anti-war sticker which caused the crowd near him to gleefully chant “more pay for cops”.
Not anymore. Today that’s impossible against a phalanx of pseudo-military occupiers. They are locked arm-in-arm and outfitted in armor and shields ready for battle against the ruler’s declared enemies. They have a variety of weapons – Instruments ready for rapid use against those who question authority. The reaction to protests seems more like an episode of “Rome” than what should be happening in the United States.
It isn’t possible to identify who some of these wannabe enforcers are as you would in an actual war where soldiers are required to show visible personal identifiers. Some of those facing protestors have no identification while others have taped over badge numbers and insignia allowing them to do what they want without repercussion.
It’s reported that many came with their ready-for-combat equipment from as far away as Texas to our capitol. Interesting. National guard soldiers are supposed to serve in their own home state, not in Washington. Yet, here they are, engaged and ready to protect the ego of the current ruler of the country.
This is an occupying army of a domestic colony. DC has a population of over 700,000 and has no representatives in Congress.
On one night last week, the White House resembled a Halloween house that had no candy for costumed trick-or-treaters. All the lights in all the windows were turned out seemingly to say, “Nobody Home”. This was reminiscent of the War of 1812 where the president had to flee. But this time the current occupant was busy safely “inspecting” a bunker below the street.
Next day, outside-agitator troops from the hinterland were deployed to end the ruler’s inconvenience and show his power. With horses, chemical weapons, rubber bullets, and shields, Lafayette Park across from the White House was cleansed of those who had peacefully and defiantly asserted rights as American citizens – so the ruler could have a “photo-op” in front of a nearby church.
I remember previous years standing peacefully in that very park across from the people’s house to express my opinion without the fear of being trampled or gassed.
After the park and church debacle, local religious leaders resented having their church used as a background for propaganda by the ruler, and said so. He had obliviously and disrespectfully, held the holy book important to them upside down as a prop used for photos that show how great he thinks he is.
Then he retreated through a safe, empty cleared-corridor flanked by columns of combat-gear enforcers. He fled back to our American presidents’ house to plan some new ego-enhancement activity. As usual, he again belligerently denounced those who dared question him. Now though, many citizens know that his cowardly and offensive posturing won’t help him against those who see him as a king wearing no clothes.
The Black Lives Matter protests did achieve one of the ruler’s objectives – his long-standing goal of completing a wall. But this time the wall is a lot smaller and is around the house where he now temporarily occupies.
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