By Kevin Zeese – Posted on 01 December 2011
From the beginning Occupy Washington, DC has treated police with respect. We know they and their families suffer the same problems as the 99%. Their finances are not secure, their health care and pensions are under attack, paying for their child’s education is a challenge; all the stresses Americans face, they face.
We had heated debates about this issue as some people involved felt the police, while part of the 99% do the work of the 1% and some have had bad, abusive experiences with police that make treating them civilly very difficult. This is all understandable and carries a lot of truth, but in the end the dominant view of our group was police are not the enemy.
Treating police with civility has carried forth in all our interactions with them thus far. We know we will not bring them to the difficult decision to disobey an order to evict, arrest and even abuse us by treating them as the enemy. We know that by treating them with decency, they are more likely to do the same to us. And, we know that if we can make it clear that the new world we are fighting for will make their jobs easier, make their economic lives better and present greater hope and opportunity for their children and grandchildren that they may join us.
Even when some police (always a minority, by the way) abuse their power with pepper spray, physical abuse and in other ways, we seek to remain in disciplined non-violence. Police who abuse non-violent civilians undermine the authority of the police and of the state, while protesters who remain non-violent gain sympathy and respect from the public.
I have no doubt that many police already support what we are doing. I’ve seen some sneak donations into our donation can; others have asked what they can do for us. See http://www.occupypolice.org. We are winning the hearts and minds of all Americans. Let’s not forget that is the goal. In the end, the police will be on our side — they know they are the 99%.
KZ
With support among police quietly growing, can Occupy cross over the thin blue line?
Silent partners
By CHRIS FARAONE
Boston Phoenix, November 30, 2011
