[Imc] Horrifying

[Server Thirteen]

peterm at shout.net wrote:
> 
> http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/p/nm/20010720/ts/mdf26681.html
> 
> I think we need to respond to the killing.  People who support global
> justice and oppose corporate globalization can't let this simply
> pass.  The state knew that up to 100,000 people would be protesting, so
> they built barricades and spend many millions of dollars fortifying a
> fortress with fences, concrete barriers, shipping containers, and
> 20,000 police.  Today, they used live ammunition to kill a protester armed
> with rocks.

   I agree, and I'm certain that you meant to replace "protester armed
with rocks" with "rioter about to throw a 30-pound fire extinguisher
through the window of a trapped police van full of terrified Italian
cops" before posting this.  Over at the edge of the impressive, large
format bloody picture you linked to, there was another link to the
actual news story.  What were they supposed to shoot through a window
with, rubber bullets?  By the way, throwing something heavy through the
window of a vehicle pretty much assures a head or chest strike.  Think
bridge overpasses.

   Even if he *had* been throwing rocks, a  2-inch rock is a deadly
weapon beyond all argument, and he would have been wielding a deadly
weapon in a crowd; every cop and trooper in the world knows this and is
trained for it.  Rock throwers die all around the world because no one
on the scene is organized enough to make them aware of this.  If you
doubt me, consider what precautions rock-throwers are able to take to
prevent braining bystanders (damned little, unless they pitch fastball).

   Mideastern sling users, who can take off the top of your head from
100 yards, are the special darlings of folks who think rock-throwing is
just a childish stunt, and want to juxtapose rocks against guns like
they're nothing.  Mass x velocity = momentum, everywhere on the planet.

   Now that I think about it, an article about the global use of rocks
in protests and guerilla combat might be interesting reading,
particularly if it also deals with the lifelong (provided one lives, of
course) consequences of being well clocked with one.

   Rest of your post is dead on though.  =)  -- CMB