For those who think that non-violence is not working and are claiming that they want to step-up to the baiting of violent agencies and bodies, the question is are you going to be the one to take charge of a situation and be on the front line, the buffer to take the hits?
The question now is what and how can you help to prepare a revolutionary body for self-defense against a well armed and well trained violent body (bodies). Are you ready to pony up the the rail and be the great big sacrifical lamb? I have been in the line watching as the police come at you with their batons, riot shields and pepper spray tanks. It is hard for one person to want to stand against that wave of black and blue riot gear. I have watched as the numbers of Police have been dwarfed by those of the protestors, and still the police have been able to back down and divide an empassioned crowd, by using thug and street psychology. The psychology of posturing and physical escalation. A man is just a man, regardless of the uniform he wears. If you want to triumph over the violence, in a situation where physical endangerment is emminent, and not just engage in symbolic mass arrests; where as evident in philly more physical endangerment occurs. Then you have to be the one who pushes back, that watches and waits for a moment when the police have seperated one protestor from the mass and is attacking and brutalizing his/her rights, and then you have to be willing to quickly organize and liberate. The fact is that at a protest, the disenchanted have the numbers, you have to use that. Use the crowd, disapear amongst the melee and chaos of police brutality. If you want to do it, start out slow.