Want to see something disgusting?

I mean, not as disgusting than the pointless loss of human life (both Coalition and Iraqi), the billions of dollars to fund this death and destruction and line the pockets of massive souless corporations, and the media system that brainwashes the citizens of so-called “civilized” countries like America into thinking that it’s all okay, we “need to do this”………….but still pretty disgusting.

In case you’ve been living under a rock for the past month, you’ve probably heard of the protests against the conventions of the two major political parties – of course people would be protesting the Republicans, you think, but the Democrats too? Although far too many Democrats feel that voting for the right person is going to end this illegal occupation, not everyone feels the same way. In Denver, several days earlier for Obama’s convention, the Democrats saw their own share of protesters.

I guess it all comes down the people you have working, though. While the RNC protests saw their own share of illegal raids on peaceful young activists and even a ludicrous charge of “conspiracy” to silence them, it ended up being the Denver Police who made commemorative t-shirts through their Union to gleefully proclaim the fun they had getting their rocks off, beating up peaceful activists.

When I first saw this, I thought it was a sick joke. Even though I’m 6,500 miles away from home, I was following the work and planning that went into these peaceful, lawful protests through my email, and of course I would have been at my brave friends’ sides if I was still in the country, at both Denver for the DNC and Minneapolis for the RNC. To watch these domestic thugs laugh and joke about beating up my friends and colleagues, while getting paid a salary by the Executive branch, and having the gall to sell these shirts for $10 each through their Union – it makes my blood boil. I’m very proud of my brave friends, the ones who actually suffered in the hands of these brutal thugs, for staying rational and being able to discuss this. If it had been me getting beaten and tear gassed, I don’t think I would be able to restrain myself.

Where do they get off with this filth? When is violence ever a laughing matter? Why is a brutal, thuggish police state even something that the “civilized” country of America could laugh at? The photo of the ape-like police officer, grinning stupidly with his baton and riot gear, staring down at the fleeing crowds of what of course must be protesters, epitomizes everything distasteful of what America’s paramilitary has the potential to turn into.

Detective Nick Rogers, a member of the Police Protective Association board, said police often issue T-shirts to commemorate big events.

I’m rational. I know that a country needs a police force in order to keep order from people stealing, murdering, and just to make ordinary people feel safe. And I know that police have a risky job sometimes, especially during possible riots (although, ominously, undercover police agents working with the police are just as likely to start the riots themselves as an excuse to begin brutal “clean-up” actions).

But this is terrible road to start down. A good police force, working with a just and reasonable executive branch, be it state or federal, has to understand that although their job may involve them inflicting pain on people who may not be guilty of anything, this should not be something “pleasurable” unless you’re a sadist. A lot of trust rides on the police’s shoulders that they will not abuse this power. What sort of image does this send, when they show that they clearly enjoyed inflicting terrible pain on activists that were 97% peaceful? How will antiwar activists in Denver, who have to see these officers all the time, and probably more often when they do their demonstrations at their capitol building, feel as if the police will act in a safe, responsible, and neutral manner towards all parties? How will other police stations react to this? My hope is that this joke of a Union will be censored, other officers will be as disgusted as we are, and this tacky, sickening t-shirt will fade away like a bad memory.

“We get up early to beat the crowds.” How cute. What a play on words. Simply dizzying intellect, that.

Well then: we’ll just have to get up earlier, to shine the light of truth on police brutality. It’s not a joke. It’s a crime. And it’s not funny.

Original story: http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/17563487/detail.html