Cognitive dissonance is the tea-baggers preferred mental state. I'm sure they have no problem with the government cracking down on leftist protestors using death squad-like tactics, even as they denounce government involvement in health care.

I did not witness anyone destroying public property in this video. Did you?

It might be assumed that some of those individuals present in this march may have destroyed property at some point in the demonstration. Does that then infer that the entire point outcome of this march was for the destruction of public property? What causes you to think that these people who are inherently "knuckleheads" and are "spoiled little monsters" need an organized protest to vent their insecure, anarchistic little habits?

Look at the motive behind the action. They are pissed off at what they perceive to be one of the tangled elusive tentacles behind the pain and suffering the world unnecessarily experiences today. What misplaced aggression occurs during is that individuals bad judgment. It's unfortunate, but emotions run high during these sort of things.

In a perfect world all people would protest peaceably and nonviolently and the government would respond peacefully and nonviolently. But we do not live in a perfect world. Sometimes shit happens.

But don't degrade those that put their necks on the line to show a little dissent. You should encourage the effort, and be thankful someone is doing it. Do you prefer a docile, submissive and complacent way of life?

So, like i said in the first post. Do some homework. A few hours of research into powerful family trees, how investment banks work, and "M3" money, and you'll start to get the picture.

I wouldn’t take Leopold’s comment personally. Disagreement amid discourse can be a positive experience for everyone. Being challenged does not an insult make. And supervandal, I have to say I’ve generally enjoyed your comments at M&C.

But I gotta agree with Leopold that you’re off base this time.

I’ve protested myself. Right there amid the savages, “the pricks (who) flew in from god knows where to destroy the city.” Hey, wait a minute… You’ve been reading the corporate news like AP. Haven’t you? :)

Think about your statement. Why would these people “fly in from god knows where to destroy the city?” No, no...actually stop and answer the question. Force yourself to type it up. Answer “why would they do it?” (Hint: Don’t be lazy and say, “because they’re spoiled little monsters.” What’s their real motivation?)

Then ask yourself, why would the media (owned by or partners with the folks at G20) use their global powers to broadcast a negative characterization of these people who protest against the G20? Again, answer “why would they do it?” (Hint: Don’t be lazy and say, “because they’re evil corporations.” What’s their real motivation?)

Now ask yourself, “which makes more sense?”

There's probably a reason why your viewpoint of the protesters is parroting exactly in line with the "news" characterization that our corporate media has been feeding us every day.

Good job on the info. However this is still a ******* serious problem. Since when did this become OK to outsource this kind of authority?

Ah ha...very interesting information. I don't know the answer, but they may certainly may be FBI or State Troopers or other legitimate law enforcement officers. But then...why the uniforms? And who do these guys work for?

It seems according to the G20, for whatever this is worth, these military-style enforcers were part of a "multi-agency tactical response team."

But, oddly enough, the G20 has not explained which agency (or private security firm) these guys in cammies came from. FBI? Troopers? Blackwater/Xe/KBR-style private security/mercenaries?

G20 reps haven't provided that information. So we don't know if these guys are public law officials in the course of their normal duties or outsourced private contractors tackling American citizens. Which may be the crux of our question.

So I find myself wanting to know who these guys work for - and a little more about why they're wearing military-style uniforms in public - before I give 'em a pass and say they have the power to forcibly throw an American citizen into an unmarked car in an area that seems to have no discernible threat to either law or protesters.

What the heck, right? :) I figure it's my tax dollars paid for 'em. So I might as well know what I'm buying...

This definitely adds to our conversation - thanks, gilga!

All right, I was actually feeling better that these guys might be legit cops. But now I just read that the kid was violently, er, "detained" for the crime of...wait for it...vandalism.

Um...hm.

So...this is how we "detain" a kid for vandalism in America now? We turn our cops into military by putting cammies on 'em? And then we let them run wild, bodyblocking some kid into an unmarked car without due process.

For...vandalism? Vandalism.

Yeah...that ain't normal at all.

I'd hate to see what the gestapo would do to a kid who stole a Snickers...