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Analysis misses the point

Submitted by Nick (not verified) on Mon, 06/28/2010 - 12:46pm.

Although this article departs from mainstream media coverage in showing how police used smashed windows and cop cars set on fire as political tools, it falls right back into line with the attempt to sort out the peaceful (good) protestors from the violent (bad) black bloc. It would be great to see someone take the time to sort out what we understand as 'violence' when we look at protests. Most of the time, violence is thought to be something overt and physical, like cops beating protestors and the black bloc destroying private property. What's completely missed (and made to seem normal/natural) are more subtle forms of violence:
- the violence that it takes to establish (and continually re-establish) the police as the only legitimate users of physical violence in Canada
- the violence that it takes to make a distinction between 'peaceful' and 'violent' protestors, and to legitimize domination of anyone who doesn't follow the rules of violence

The most insidious forms of violence are the least overt. These are the forms of violence in our minds--so close to us that they appear to be 'common sense'--and we reproduce them over and over again with simplistic, uncritical diatribes about "the right to lawfully protest". Lawful protest is an archaic practice, dating back over 200 years, that keeps everything in place: make some signs, chant some slogans, and then pat ourselves on the back for being so peaceful and civilized.

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