Thread: Knuckleheads must stop rally violence

New story on the Fremont Attack.

http://www.insidebayarea.com/argus/oped/ci_4140482

Knuckleheads must stop rally violence


THE tradition of peaceful protests in Fremont was shattered recently at an illegal-immigration rally.
Violence erupted July 28 after members of the East Bay Coalition for Border Security — an anti-illegal-immigration group — left their normal stomping grounds at Fremont Boulevard and Mowry Avenue and walked south nearly two miles to Irvington's Five Corners area.

Police said they gathered peacefully there until five males, ranging in age from 16 to 28, attacked the coalition members — some of whom were elderly — striking them and knocking signs out of their hands. A police officer also was assaulted in the melee, and six people ultimately were arrested.

"I'm afraid we've unknowingly unleashed the hounds of hell on Fremont," coalition member Mary Washington said.

Hyperbole aside, the violence and aggression surrounding the illegal-immigration rallies is deeply disturbing, and police hope to quell any future incidents.

"What we'll try to do is get the two sides to talk, instead of having them stand on opposite corners and yell at each other," Sgt. Chris Mazzone said.

We'll put it more bluntly: Knock it off, knuckleheads.

The illegal-immigration rallies have been acrimonious ever since counter-protesters — most of them members of the International Socialist Organization from outside the Tri-City area — joined the fray. Each side has accused the other of chanting racial insults, just as each predictably blamed the other for starting the July 28 brawl.

We don't believe either side is entirely blameless for the steadily increasing aggression. However, all the evidence indicates the coalition members were the victims of the July 28 violence.

It's clear the ISO was seeking a confrontation. Although most of its members were not in Irvington when the brawl started, they acknowledged that they followed coalition protesters there when they found virtually no one at the intersection of Mowry and Fremont.

Those who were arrested are Fremont residents and are not members of the ISO, but the organization is forming a defense committee to weigh legal strategies for them. Instead of distancing itself from the violence, the group has embraced it.

"We are them. They are us," ISO leader Michael Smith said. "They are not members of the ISO, but they're with the protest. We're proud that they're there."

We also were unimpressed with ISO members' attempts to blame coalition members for the confrontation.

"You don't go to a community as diverse as Fremont and say, 'Immigrants go home' and 'Build a fence on the border' unless you're looking for a fight," Smith said.

Really? We were under the impression that in a free society, diversity also extends to points of view.

Coalition members are entitled to protest illegal immigration, just as ISO members are entitled to disagree. They may disagree strongly. They just can't disagree violently, and they shouldn't excuse or encourage those who do so.

"What we'll try to do is get the two sides to talk, instead of having them stand on opposite corners and yell at each other," Sgt. Chris Mazzone said.

I don't understand this statement. The ISO has always refused to stand on an opposite corner until the day of the attack. Usually they are right in your face screaming or trying to block the view of your sign from the passing traffic.

StokeyBob,

Your right, you can't communicate with a bunch of irrational thugs.
Besides, you are going to come out of any controlled meeting with the same attitudes and logic that you went into it with. ISO is coming to the Fremont community to start some crap. Simple as that. There is no action in their backyard so they've gone looking for it. Clearly they are the aggressors. If they were just out to protest, they would have stayed down the street and had their protest, instead, they followed the EB Coalition to the new location. Every week, ISO's behavior escalates.

Be safe,

Dixie

Knuckleheads???


Knuckleheads??????


W

Thanks Dixie,

As for getting both sides talking I have been under the impression the talking has ended. I have bruises, knots on my head and chronic headaches since the attack.

We the people of California have won in the polls and passed Proposition 187. What did we get but dictated to.

We have won in the Senate and House and have had numerous laws passed and what did we get but lied to.

Oh sure they got around to the amnesty parts and the gravy parts for the illegal aliens.

Where is the enforcement of the laws that make it a crime to hire illegal aliens?

Where is the law enforcement that calls for deportation?

I think we are all talked out and now should expect some action.

We have nearly a million people in law enforcement that have been sitting on their butts while they pretend the Federal Government has some Constitutional mandate to allow people of the world, that it has no legal jurisdiction over, to loot the resources of this country. Many of which are used to cover the cost of health care and social services for the criminals in businesses illegal labor.


Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock.
Will Rogers
US humorist & showman (1879 - 1935)

Knuckleheads???


Knuckleheads??????

I hear ya W.

Calling them knuckleheads is like calling a Rhinoceros a pet rock

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Originally Posted by StokeyBob

I have bruises, knots on my head and chronic headaches since the attack.

I may have [s]exaggerated[/s] lied about the knots on my head. The knucklehead thing sort of bent me out of shape.

Actually I have had bruised areas on my head for over a week. The worst is on and behind my right temple.

We had people across the street, punkers I call them, yelling stuff at us too. We also had police on each corner, one next to a building on horseback and a few on bicycles. When these counter protesters started yelling !@#!@#!! bad words at us, one officer came to me and asked me "Ma'am are you offended, I said yes but what can one do?" He replied, We will write them a ticket but do not engage yourselves in any way with them. Well I didn't but others did and it really frightened me a bit, but I felt safer with the police there.
So I suggest, any time you are going to protest, you always alert the proper authorities, believe me they are on our side! They couldn't come right out and tell us but they did say "GLAD TO SEE YOU HERE TODAY"...we even had postal clerks delivering mail stop and say, Can't relly tell you much, but IT IS SO NICE TO SEE YOU HERE TODAY.
THE ONLY PROBLEM WE HAVE NOW IS, WHY CAN'T WE GET MORE TO COME AND JOIN OUR PROTESTS... I think it is fear and the knowledge that American's have the right to vote out those that do not agree with our beliefs.

OK, I'M DONE PREACHING.

I still don't understand why the THEIR protesteors were not checked for green cards etc! Our president just refuses to uphold the law! I am still stunned by the non action of our ELECTED goverment!