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This from Ted Rall -- please follow link to originalo
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The Battle of Oakland

Posted by Ted Rall on Wednesday, October 26, 2011 at 7:18 am

Now it begins.

Oakland CA police have carried out a violent raid against peaceful protesters at Occupy Oakland. They used tear gas and cracked heads.

Some victims defended themselves against thuggish cops with rocks and bottles. Good. Authorities should know that they will pay a price when they attack people without cause. Demonstrators fighting for fairness and decency in our rotting plutocracy have the right to the dignity that comes with fighting back.

There will be criticisms from within the movement of those Oaklanders who refused to be treated like cattle. The cult of militant nonviolence has taken over the Left.

There is nothing wrong with self-defense. The reason we oppose the system is that it is so violent.

Yesterday we got a tiny taste of the system’s brutality. Support Occupy Oakland. Do not second-guess the defenders.

In the meantime, look for things to heat up as the weather cools down.