What would your government do?

[Guest lazyphil]

i'd have been the ref!!

[Wallenda]

In The USA, the SWAT teams would show up, the personnel carriers that look like a tank would show up, and most of, if not all the 'Red Shirts' would be dead.

 

I don't think most protestors would be dead. Exaggeration? If there were people amongst them brandishing weapons though, you could be pretty sure that in the US there'd be a force out there taking it apart the moment the weapons appeared. You would never see these backing down situations that you saw again and again by the Thai military. Of course it goes without saying you would not see the police firing at the troops. But if it was New York City, nearly ALL the blackshirts would have been shot on site anywhere they appeared. Sharpshooters would have been brought in immediately to deal with that. There'd be no Seh Daeng character who could possibly behave that way.

 

There's a part of me that thinks one problem is that the Thai military is basically not as well trained or experienced in such things as in our countries. And that starts at the very top. Nor are they as professional. Military and police (leadership in particular) are mainly experienced at how to be most profitably corrupt. Other things take a backseat.

 

[Bangkoktraveler]

In The USA' date=' the SWAT teams would show up, the personnel carriers that look like a tank would show up, and most of, if not all the 'Red Shirts' would be dead.[/quote']

 

I don't think most protestors would be dead. Exaggeration? If there were people amongst them brandishing weapons though, you could be pretty sure that in the US there'd be a force out there taking it apart the moment the weapons appeared. You would never see these backing down situations that you saw again and again by the Thai military. Of course it goes without saying you would not see the police firing at the troops. But if it was New York City, nearly ALL the blackshirts would have been shot on site anywhere they appeared. Sharpshooters would have been brought in immediately to deal with that. There'd be no Seh Daeng character who could possibly behave that way.

 

There's a part of me that thinks one problem is that the Thai military is basically not as well trained or experienced in such things as in our countries. And that starts at the very top. Nor are they as professional. Military and police (leadership in particular) are mainly experienced at how to be most profitably corrupt. Other things take a backseat.

 

 

 

1. In the USA we are limited in our assemblies, that id if we can assemble.

2. When there is an assembly, the police are generally nearby to stop it especially if it is an assembly they do not like.

3. To protest like the Thais is met with severe Police repercussions, especially in Arizona.

 

[USVirgin]

The Democratic National Convention in 1968 in Chicago comes to mind. It only took a mayor to wreak that havoc!

[cavanami]

No one died in Chicago during that incident.

No real damage to any property...I was there!

Jefferson Airplane was there, with a very hot Gracie Slick...ohhhh, the days....

[Old Hippie]

Kent State...Philadelphia 1985...got to be others as well...

[cavanami]

In the past few years, there have been protests in New York City, that the media ignored but the protesters were subjected to the "sonic cannon", rounded up and put in an asbestos filled old warehouse, etc.

Just google for youtube videos on the US protests.

[shygye]

... and forced to eat alar apples.