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bondjam33 70M
840 posts
7/19/2020 6:36 pm

Eye witness account from Peggy Lippitt Buckles

Last night Kim and I went back to the protests at the Justice Center. Kim joined the first gathering of the Wall of Moms along with her friend Juli and I went because fuck fascists. The Wall of Moms crew turned out between 40 to 50 moms; for many it was their first ever protest. They wore all white, some had signs, they linked arms, and they stood together watching over the group for several hours. They were fast friends and their bond was strong. (In the photos attached here Kim is holding the "Don't shoot! I'm a Mom!" sign and is wearing a green fanny pack.)
The forces you see in these photos are federal officers not local Portland police. They are here at the direction of the current administration and against the will of our governor, our US Congressional leaders and by Portland’s mayor and city council. If Portland needed intervention, we have the National Guard just as your state does. No US state needs the "assistance" of unmarked, unaccountable federal forces.
A heavy, temporary fence had been erected during the day to shield the US Courthouse in order to begin clean-up of the facade. After a couple hours of chants and speeches from community leaders, some in the crowd chose to remove the fence. In short order the sections came down and were placed against the boarded up lower level of the building. No property was destroyed. The Wall of Moms moved in unison to stand as a replacement to the fence and await the arrival of federal agents. They chanted “Leave our kids alone!”. Their connectedness is an inspiration. It was pretty calm in the street for most of the night other than lots of national media, some drums, and an occasional chant.
Around 10:30 pm word came that federal officers were converging on the building and they soon ran up Main Street from the east. The Wall of Moms moved to face them directly. It was a tense introduction to officers who quickly revealed their intention- harras, intimidate, and harm US citizens. One agent assaulted a mom on the left end of the wall with a full two-handed shove to the chest. She was lifted from the ground but she did not fall down; her compatriots held her steady. I have a photo of that here. The Wall of Moms appealed to the officers asking why this force was necessary but nothing was ever said and there were no warnings given.
Then the flashbangs and gas canisters came out. Kim and Juli had a flashbang explode directly in front of them and fall at their feet. They stayed there, arms interlocked. The wall tried to hold in spite of these tactics but was pushed back by the gas canisters. Media cameras were everywhere, I don’t know yet where the coverage is though I’ll post as I find it.
Moms shoved, assaulted with flashbangs, and gassed to satiate the blood thirst of conservative media. Moms who spoke up for education and health care and a fair system for all kids. Moms who believe Black lives matter. Their dissent was never addressed with a single word in reply or warning, just force. American forces attacking American women for expressing their 1st Amendment right. A few blocks away I watched Wall of Moms women vomit from the gas, assist each other by flushing out badly stinging eyes with water, and make a full account for everyone’s whereabouts. They were not defeated, they were inspired.
Violent radicals in Portland? You mean the regular American moms who stood tonight to fight for the future of their children? This country loves to get all soppy eyed about the Founding Fathers (violent radicals) and has even allowed monuments to the leaders of the secessionist Confederate States (violent radicals). Put your hand over your heart and pledge allegiance to the Wall of Moms women who love all children enough to stand face-to-face with some real scary shit. Not a single expression of violence from any of the women in the Wall of Moms.
These women were inspired and did something powerful. For many it was their first time out to something like this. If you’re wondering what you can do or what you should do I will say that you likely already have an idea what that is. You can do it. With community support it’s even easier. Speak up, speak out. Find a friend or hopefully a few. Do what you can and do what’s comfortable. Not every form of protest has to be like this one. You’ll know what your moment is, do that.
Lastly, I recognize that some rules were broken last night but you know what? Fuck fascists. America loves to get patriotic hard-ons over all that tea that was thrown into the Boston Harbor, right? Or what about when the “Sons of Freedom” tore down the statue of King George in New York City? If the Wall of Moms energizes the will of the people to take down a temporary fence to express dissent against fascism and the directed mobilization of US forces against their own citizens then so be it. Now even more people are paying attention. Here come the anti-fascist moms.


hobsonschoice 75F
3600 posts
7/20/2020 12:03 pm

The protests in Oregon were calming down and coming to an end when Trump decided to send in his troops. It's all about Trump's "law and order" campaign, but first he has to create the problem, just like Lafayette park in DC. Trump/Barr call in the troops so trump can have a photo op with his upside down bible. The protesters were not rioting, just peacefully protesting but by the time trump's goons arrived with the pepper spray and riot gear it looks as if things were out of control. NOT.

Trump is fast to turn over major issues such as the pandemic, PPE, respirators, to the Governors, but he's not willing to let the Governors handle their protesters and demonstrators. Let me be clear, Trump doesn't want to be responsible for the death count from covid19 but he needs a campaign slogan. Trump has shown exactly how incompetent he is to lead this country.


dusty117 73M

7/20/2020 10:14 pm

    Quoting  :

I didn't hear anyone say the protests in Portland were peaceful. And there was nothing 'peaceful' about the murder of George Floyd. The riots were calming down until Trump's unwanted bull shit fired everything back up ... Oregon's Governor Kate Brown said EXACTLY THAT today on the news. Who are you going to believe Kate Brown or the thief in the white house.

But you don't get the news do ya Block. You're ignorant by design …


Rentier2 79M
950 posts
7/21/2020 9:00 am

    Quoting  :

Yes it does.
And in civilised societies it generally precludes armed anonymous goons from grabbing people off the street, putting them in unmarked vehicles, and taking them somewhere.

This is called kidnapping.


hobsonschoice 75F
3600 posts
7/22/2020 9:03 am

Hey Block, trump had no problem turning the covid19 crisis back to the state Governors and Mayors claiming the states needed to handle their own problems. Seems to me he should let the states handle the demonstrators without interference unless of course they ask for help from the President.

It's all about trump's latest campaign slogan, "Law and Order". Trump creates the problem then acts like he's the hero and steps in to solve it. It's hard to imagine that you can't see what he is doing, it's obviously another fear tactic just like the caravans overrunning our southern border. He "ran" on that "build a wall" campaign - and don't forget, "Mexico will pay for it". You bought into that one and now you're buying into this one! Actually it's more than just a fear tactic, he's creating more division by blaming it on the Democratic elected officials.

He's now trying to get you to join him in his rants against China by putting the blame for covid 19 onto them, hoping you'll forget the months that past before he even admitted we had a problem in the states. Do you ever listen to trump when he says "China, China, China"? He curls his lips and sneeringly repeats the word three times in utter disgust. It seems to be working for him though as some keep referring to covid19 as the "China Virus". I've never heard that term on any other channel other than Fox. I question just how far trump will go with the Chinese blame game. How big of a distraction will he need to make you forget he failed miserably in his handling of this health crisis? Maybe a small war since we don't share a border?