I am enacting a self-imposed exile on myself for 7 days.

[coalition_unwilling]

In an effort to cool my rage at Obama and his cohort and their continued silence about illegal police actions taken against American citizens involved in the Occupy Movement, I am hereby imposing an exile upon myself from DU for the next 7 days. I will be lurking and reading your contributions, but will not be responding to posts or creating any original posts for 7 days.

I do this for two reasons:

1) Last night, I found myself so enraged at what was going down in New York City that I was calling fellow DUers in good standing and of good intent "Nazis". I do not believe this of you (or of President Obama) and, upon sober reflection this morning, found myself appalled with what I had posted at the height of my rage. I understand it is too late now to retract those comments but, for those whom I have offended, I do hereby apologize for my intemperate remarks and ask only that you consider that passion is generally a virtue except when it boils over.

2) I have begun to question whether I can any longer remain a member of the Democratic Party, since my various representatives (Rep. Karen Bass, Gov. Jerry Brown, Senators Boxer and Feinstein and President Obama) have remained silent in the face of what I consider rampant police brutality at various locales across the length and breadth of this nation, despite my numerous written and telephonic entreaties to various of them. During the next 7 days, I will be reflecting on whether I can remain within a party that, by its silence, seemingly consents to such police behaviors.

The sole exception I would make to the above remarks would be if the Occupy Los Angeles camp were to be raided by law enforcement while I am on site. In such a circumstance, I would consider the historical value of real time reporting to this community to outweigh any of the moral and ethical considerations outlined above.

Feel free to respond to this thread as you wish, but please understand that, while I may read your responses, I will not be responding to any of them until next Monday (November 21) at the earliest.

Thanks for your understanding.

Charles

[barbtries]

1. Charles

keep on occupying, and report back after your hiatus. that's what i'm going to call it, a hiatus.

[backtoblue]

2. Peace be with you my friend.

:hi:

[quinnox]

3. I liked your thread and even if some of your

responses were a little too vehement, sometimes the truth hurts and it needs to be said boldly and plainly.

[Marrah_G]

4. It takes a really big person to admit publicly when they make a mistake.

I find myself having many of the same feeling you do. What I do now is try and re-read what I write before I hit send and if I think the post will be deleted I just force myself to walk away. I also put many of the people that I have a point of view so different from that we will never be able to converse with civilly, on ignore. If a person consistently makes me want to reach through the computer screen....they go on ignore. Some people might find this cowardly, but for me it is the best way for me to deal with these people. I have a temper when it comes to certain things :)

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[RKP5637]

6. I can feel your frustration too. The dem party today is nothing like the one

I used to know.

[MedleyMisty]

7. I understand

And I also find myself raging at the "good Germans". Take heart, though - the Nazis never had this level of resistance. We are not quite going quietly into that good night of fascism.

Hope the week off helps. *hugs*

[TBF]

12. Have you read about sophie scholl?

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/GERschollS.htm

Really good story if you haven't ... there was resistance but the fascists clamped down very hard. Very brave young lady.

[TBF]

8. Patience my friend

It is frustrating I know. We've had 30+ years of very conservative rule and are now just seeing signs of resistance.

This is just starting. The police state is going to clamp down, Bloomberg is one of many fascists, and with that we must reflect, ORGANIZE with discipline, and come back stronger.

Conditions are going to dictate. My guess - after our POTUS wins his re-election we'll be hit with greater austerity measures. We need to be ready for that.

Take care and get some rest for now.

[NNN0LHI]

9. Listen, I admire the hell out of someone who admits a mistake. Especially publicly

Takes a big person to do that. Seriously. You will be alright.

Take care and see you later.

Din

[bemildred]

10. Good idea, it's hard to make good decisions when you are upset. nt

[Capitalocracy]

11. Good to take a break sometimes. Just make sure you come back afterward.

You will be missed.

And the silence of the party leadership makes your voice (our voices) all the more necessary.

[socialist_n_TN]

13. Solidarity Charles and thanks..........

Do what you feel you need to do. And your anger is justified. As TBF said, this is just beginning.

[snooper2]

14. So you got too loaded last night and this is your self inflicted punishment?

:P

[lbrtbell]

15. I understand your fury

I can't believe some people are unreccing your post. Oh, well, I've recced it, because you've apologized--and that takes guts.

I, too, am disappointed at our party, and think we need to start getting some old-school Dem candidates, instead of these DLC/neo-liberals. Our country started going downhill when the DLC stopped real Dems from fighting back against the Republicans. Ted Kennedy's death was the final nail in the coffin.

[backtoblue]

19. me, too

It takes a smart person to know when they've crossed the line and a brave person to apologize for it.

[Speck Tater]

16. I take a few quiet days to do meditation and yoga when I reach that point.

There are times when you just need to back away from it all and recharge your batteries.
It can be a case of chill or be chilled.
Chill.

[woo me with science]

17. There are many legitimate reasons for rage these days.

I hope the rest helps, but please don't forget to come back.

[Zorra]

18. Many people are afraid of change, and fear for their safety.

In many occupied countries, there are some people who do not like their occupiers, but meekly accept their subjugation and do whatever their oppressive/repressive PTB want them to do. They are afraid that they will get hurt, or become more materially uncomfortable if they resist.

There are those that actually support the occupiers as well, some because they are weak in character and will yield to any authority that subjugates them, and/or because they get privileges from their new masters for their betrayal of their country and their support of them.

In contrast, there are some that wish to be free and determine their own destinies to the greatest extent possible, and these folks take an active role in resisting occupation.

In our case, our country is occupied by Wall St/wealthy private interests. In principle, the occupation of our nation by Wall St/wealthy private interests is not really all that different from the fascist occupations of Europe and Africa, or the Soviet occupation of Eastern Europe, the British occupation of the American Colonies, or the monarchal occupations of France and Russia befoe their respective struggles for independence. Wall St is just more insidious and subtle in most ways. Orwellian, you might say:

(Marcos wrote this in 1997 during the Zapatista uprising, and IMO, this is the essence of what we, and the other movements are struggling against:

"The global power of the financial centers is so great, that they can afford not to worry about the political tendency of those who hold power in a nation, if the economic program (in other words, the role that nation has in the global economic megaprogram) remains unaltered. The financial disciplines impose themselves upon the different colors of the world political spectrum in regards to the government of any nation. The great world power can tolerate a leftist government in any part of the world, as long as the government does not take measures that go against the needs of the world financial centers. But in no way will it tolerate that an alternative economic, political and social organization consolidate. For the megapolitics, the national politics are dwarfed and submit to the dictates of the financial centers. It will be this way until the dwarfs rebel . ."

http://www.raptorial.com/Zine/Marcos/Marcos6.html

It takes all kinds to make a world. There will always be a pretty fair number of "Good Germans" or "Tories" in any occupied land.

It's frustrating, but it is what it is. Your passion is completely understandable, and eminently forgivable.

Thank you, coalition_unwilling, for your actions in trying to help free our country from the yoke of Wall St.

Peace and solidarity

[Fire Walk With Me]

20. Visit the LA camp on the 17th in solidarity!

You are not alone. We must be constructive with our anger, use it against TPTB. It is time.

[sabrina 1]

21. I did not see the thread you are talking about, but you are

in no way alone in your disgust at the silence 'of our friends' regarding the harming of peaceful protesters, in many cases on the orders of Democratic Mayors.

Many people feel as you do. Our government dares to criticize the leaders of other countries for censoring their people, but when it comes to THIS country, it has become more than clear, that both parties are on the side of the 1%.

We all have to reflect what to do about this, whether it is moral to go on supporting any political party that is clearly not on the side of the people.

I also did not see what happened in NYC last night as yesterday was a very busy day and I did not have much access to news.

But I was already enraged, as you are, by what happened over the weekend in so many cities, so I'm glad in a way I did not see this as it was happening, I would certainly have joined you in your anger.

You are NOT wrong, and a vast majority of Americans are waking up to the fact that the people do not have representation in this government and now they are proving it, graphically with their hired goons who we the people pay for.

[ellisonz]

22. It's not in politicians natures to get into pissing matches with mayors and police chiefs...

[sabrina 1]

23. All they had to do as the people's representatives, was to

condemn the violence against the people which has put many in the hospital and which IS a crime after all, publicly.

The fact that none of them, other than Kucinich and Barbara Lee has done this, speaks volumes.

It is now time to list their donors and publish them in newspapers, fliers etc so that the people can get a graphic image of why our Government no longer works for the people.

[ellisonz]

25. Again - they really aren't going to start beef with local pols.

http://www.opensecrets.org/

[Taverner]

24. I feel your pain, dude

And yes, I've been everywhere you just described