Thoughts on repression and (our) complacency

After joining the pro-life (anti- pro-choice) rally along the Embarcadero, I was glad to see so many concerned people come out and raise their voice against the mindless, fear-mongering, power-driven control freaks that have targeted San Francisco based on their false sense of empowerment the completely undemocratic elections have given them.

But once again, I can't help but be very frustrated with the city's militaristic approach to "free speech" and our unwillingness to confront it.

Why is it that from the get-go, the police are focused on "reigning in" those trouble-making pro-choicers, and yet the out of town right-to-lifers are protected by the police? Why do status quo marchers get red carpet treatment and any group that questions the status quo are vilified and treated to a "zero tolerance" enforcment policy in this city that's supposed to be a "bastion of liberalism"?

Why are free speech laws being applied so selectively here in San Francisco?

Who the hell does Heather Fong, Kathleen Harris and Gavin Newsom speak for?

After today, every left-leaning group should organize and make this city friendly to the movements and beliefs that make us who we are. One of our supervisors announcing something through a press release, but doing nothing about enforcement policies that step all over our rights is nothing but lip service and an insult to the beliefs they claim to share with us.

We need to stop letting the police coral us in to "protest zones" and we need to really take the streets when we protest. We outnumber the the 5 to 1, yet we complacently follow orders when they load us on to buses or shove us onto sidewalks hold us in place.

These soft, faux protests have gotten us NOTHING these past four years. Unless we are willing to make some real sacrifices, get focused and organized and --god forbid--get aggressive in fighting for our rights or change, then we will continue to be seen as nothing but "pesky ragamuffins" who can easily be ignored or controlled when it comes down to it.