PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

Another yinzer in the big apple
by hooray Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2003 at 5:45 PM

For once our numbers were as big as our hearts.

I spent three hours in the cage, that was the permitted
rally. One of the highlights was Pete Seager coaxing
thousands to sing somewhere over the rainbow. The
crowd also cheered when a report came over the
speaker that a group of people in a retirement home
were for some reason unable to attend the rally and
staged a demonstration in their facility!
Upon leaving the cage, i hooked up with a 10 foot
George Bush puppet, a fellow with a drum and
maybe 3 other people. We started drumming and
chanting and the next thing you know there was 300
of us making our way to Times Square. At this point we
were on the sidewalk and had an interesting conversation with an officer. The cop stated that
just because he was a police officer didnt mean he
was for the war and millions of innocent people dying.
He said a lot of cops felt this way and then proceeded to bang on our drum with a billy club! Go COP!
I tried to get him to amass his force and join our team.
Our side does have more fun. Anyway, Time Square
was surrounded by the pigs, the crowd spilled into the
streets, and many of the snake marches converged.
The samba band, made up of lots of yinzers, beat
up some funky jams, and the masses were off again,
snaking through the streets, dodging cops, and
grinning ear to ear. OH! To be in the streets and
looking up at the sky, knowing millions all over the world were doing the same thing. It was a beautiful day. My friends who had been arrested were
released 10 hours later with sitations. Someone was
beat unconcsious at Time Square. For more info
on this i would check the NY indymedia site.

DRAFT BEER NOT ME!

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Why?
by Rovin' Workman Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2003 at 7:42 PM

Now why can't I ever have a good experience with a cop?

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Mutual respect...
by Daniel Papasian Friday, Feb. 21, 2003 at 1:20 AM

"Go COP... Anyway, Time Square was surrounded by the pigs,"

A s much as the police may deny us our civil rights and beat and/or kill us, it's important to remember that they are people. I find it surprising that so quickly after describing such a positive experience with an anti-war police officer you resort to calling them pigs.

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not a big concern
by --- Friday, Feb. 21, 2003 at 2:10 AM

with everything that is going on
and all the brutality and injustice
people experienced in NYC I'm
not sure I'm too concerned about
people debating whether we should
refer to the police force as pigs.

I'm actually pretty suprised that someone
who can think clearly enough to be anti-war
can still be a police officer. The entire
institution of police is based on violence, brutality,
degradation, and the subjegation of people.

Anyone who isn't totally fucked up in the head
leaves the force after a short time. There's
a reason studies show 25% of male officers
beat thier partners or kids (highest % of any profession). You might join with the best of
intentions (unlikely but possible) but then
you either conform or are forced out. Yes,
they are people too they are just incredibly
fucked up by the system.

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