Two Stories One Riot
There are always at least two sides to every story and after the rioting at the Republican National Convention we can see two distinct stories of what happened.
On one side there is this group of people saying that the freedom of speech was ignored as the National Guard came in and arrested these peaceful protestors. Worse still they were arresting people with their press passes predominantly displayed. These men and women promoting our press, which is oh so free, bravely stood up against oppression by continuing to film the atrocities unfolding at this peaceful protest. Cops were arresting everybody they could, there were not enough cars to fill. This is of course what is wrong with the country today.
Then on the other end of the spectrum there are these anarchists who are trying to intimidate our politicians, who despite all recent setbacks are still pushing forward with their planned convention. While our elected officials were fulfilling the duties the American people ask of them, these masked anarchists took to the streets breaking windows and wreaking havoc. Cops were attacked and people got violent. Only people who were breaking windows and violating laws were being detained. This is of course what is wrong with the country today.
Now this is how I see it, this group of protestors was made up of people who had very different goals. You have these people who want to better their country, not saying that they were bettering our country but this was their goal. Then there are these fake anarchists who were just kids wanting to stir some trouble up. Mind you there was a lot of peaceful protesting going on even from these masked men. Like them lying across a road to impede traffic, illegal yes, violent no. So that being said lets look at the other major side. There are these police and these men in power who cannot distinguish between the rioters and the peaceful protestors. So looking at it that way the best way to protect people was to remove the ones they deemed threats. Mind you I do not condone the way some of the press was treated but the public also has to understand that that’s a risk great reporters take and understand. Both sides go to an extreme to try to convince the general public that they are in the right and the information gets skewed. People do not take enough time to try understanding the other side and to me that is what’s wrong with our country today.
Story By David Appelman
September 5th, 2008 at 9:00 pm
I agree with “People do not take enough time to try understanding the other side and to me that is what’s wrong with our country today.” its an extremely true statement, most people today can more easily tell you every detail on the last episode of 90210 yet can only tell you one side of an important current event if that!
September 5th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
This makes a lot of sense, and i agree with what you were saying. That whole convention was just a mess of wrong ideas and methods of getting the right things done.
but, that’s what’s wrong with our country today.
haha.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:09 pm
Clearly there were half a dozen different possible angels to this story. Great points. It would be nice to have large gathering like this, where there always the potential for violence better videotaped. If they had cameras on roof tops for instance, they would be able to at least distinguish between those actually breaking the law and those just innocently caught up in it. Then at the least if people where wrongly detained they could be set free once cleared.
I agree completely with you point of what is wrong with our country.
September 5th, 2008 at 11:27 pm
pppfffttttt, riots are the best pay day for cops, and a great public notification for alot of propaganda. most likely you’ll see the violent riots clips displayed and the peaceful protests flushed in a vault. the politicians will use these clips to better themselves in a veiw of the people and blame then other candidate for them as well. in some occasion political campaigns have hired people to riot at their conferences. it boost rating and popularity for the candidate, making people think there is a very big issu when the issue is that the future president step on the guys shoes.
September 6th, 2008 at 12:27 am
I completely love this article. I love that you say that they believed they were bettering our country even if you dont mean to say they were and like it has already been said there is never just one side to a story. Everyone there could tell a different story and swear they were the one telling the truth, but who do you believe? I do believe that you are right “this is whats wrong with our country”
September 6th, 2008 at 12:43 am
The riot police have continuously harassed reporters inside and outside the convention, arresting them, confiscating their equipment and making charges against them such as “conspiracy to incite rioting” with no evidence whatsoever, conducted warrentless searches, and, among other things, maced peaceful protesters such as a girl offering them flowers and a disabled guy in a power wheelchair. (See…YouTube)
All so those old white men can blather about how they’re so much better than those hippies and cripples and pro-choice women and black people and…yeah, them “other” people.
That’s putting our “country first” all right.
September 19th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
go mccaine joe in winona mn.