Hello everybody.

Here is my new column at http://www.inlandutopia.com
Recently demonstrators have protested at UC Berkley and UC Davis and the
behavior of the UC Police Department makes me embarrassed that the
University of California is endorsing the excessive force that their police
department has used on their campus.

The police brutality in Fullerton California has led towards greater
awareness of the issue of police brutality, it has helped lead towards more
people being wary of our law enforcement. Police brutality on the UC system
is not just an issue with the Occupy protesters, but it is a systematic
problem that has happened from the fee hike protests of recent years.

Since the UC system is having fiscal difficulties due to our state budget
crisis, it would be in great interest for the chancellors, UC President and
the UC Regents to learn how to work with the students better instead of
losing money from lawsuits and alumni closing their wallets due to these
incidents.

If students were using clubs and throwing grenades to the police then yes,
I could understand a violent response. However these individuals were using
the same methods of Martin Luther King and Gandhi to demonstrate for the
issues they care about. Just as how the police in the southern states used
fire hydrants on the black civil rights protesters, it is only going to
radicalize and increase the number of supporters for the Occupy movement.

Sadly I thought we were the United States, but more and more we are
becoming a carbon copy of Vladimir Putins Russia. Crony corporatism, the
lack of freedom of expression such as how opposition candidates and gay
rights advocates get the same abuse as the Occupy protesters makes the
comparison all so real.

For 2012, those who are concerned about the issues of the day should get
mobilized in the ballot box so we could change the establishment for the
better by running for office or teaming up with someone else who is so we
can make the government work for the common people.

If the UC Regents and its chancellors fail to change tactics on non-violent
resisters then it is up to the state legislature to write policy for them.

Matt

... ARRRRRGGGHHH!!!! ... Tension breaker, had to be done.
--- FMail/Win32 1.60