Occupy Wall Street: Here Come the Marines

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” — Mahatma Gandhi

I guess we're on stage three of the Gandhi plan for social justice.

His name is Scott Olsen, but in reality, it could have been any of the thousands of protesters who have taken to public streets and parks to call attention to the corruption of corporate America and the demise of democracy. He is a marine who served two tours in Iraq, only to return home and get his skull fractured by a police officer in Oakland.

Olsen, who is currently recuperating in an Oakland-area hospital, has become the face of the struggle between American citizens who wish to exercise their First Amendment rights to assemble and protest, and the police state tactics that subvert and oppose the exercise of those rights.

His bleeding head and dazed face is an image many of my generation will carry with them for their entire lives. The video footage of a wounded Olsen, laying lifeless on the ground while other protesters rushed to his aid, was touching enough. But then, as the group gathered around to begin first aid treatment, another cop tossed another flash-bang grenade...directly at the critically injured Olsen.

Here is a video showing the attack on Olsen and subsequent attack on Olsen's first aid responders. It is not for the faint of heart.

Unfortunately for the Oakland police, the Mayor of Oakland, and the elites who seek to control and dehumanize the freedom-loving American people, Olsen was a marine...and marines leave no one behind. Ever.

A group of marines and former marines calling themselves "OccupyMARINES" has come together to call for a series of changes in Oakland. The group also put all other cities across the country on notice that they, the marines, take quite seriously their oath to the Constitution, and to fight all enemies therein, foreign and domestic.

OccupyMARINES released a statement earlier today, detailing their position and making demands on the city of Oakland.

"OccupyMARINES have watched closely the response from the OPD, the Mayor, the Governor, and all others involved in the Oakland attack on peaceful demonstrators; we have observed these pathetic cowards refuse responsibility for their actions that may very well alter the course of our brother's life. Additionally, many other police departments nationwide deploy similar riot tactics against demonstrators honoring The OWS, 8 A peaceful declaration of assembly; We will organize peacefully against these departments."

"In Response To The Oakland Shooting Of Scott Olsen OccupyMARINES Request The Following:

• The GOP Cowards Responsible For Influencing This Event Be Brought To Justice. Track Names And Photos Of Each And Email Them To Us
• Identify The 300 OPD Riot Officers By Name, Photo, And Badge Number With Boots On The Ground Engaging In Illegal Excessive Force Acts Against Peaceful Americans For Prosecution.
• Identify The Officer Responsible For Harming Scott Olsen By Name And Photo For Prosecution.
• The Honorable Resignation Of Oakland Mayor Jean Quan And Acting Police Chief Howard Jordan.
• A Public Apology From California Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. For The Unlawful Injury Of Our Brother Scott Olsen.

We fully intend to make an example, legally and peacefully, of the cowards associated with harming an American veteran. We will not stop until our aforementioned demands are met in their entirity.

God Be With Scott Olsen. We Pray A Speedy Recovery For Him And His Mother.

Semper Fidelis Scott Olsen

Keep Pushing Forward America We Support You."

In response to the attacks on innocent protesters by police, Occupy Oakland's General Assembly voted to call for a general strike on November 2, 2011. On that day, to show support for the movement and to oppose police state tactics against civilians, do not go to work. Do not go to school. Do not shop and spend money at the institutions that feed the machine, as it were.

If the bankster class was convinced they could simply wait out the protesters, as winter and boredom set in, they were wrong in that assumption. Shooting Scott Olsen and then tossing an explosive at his injured body and at those rescuing him, has ignited a spark among military personnel who take their oath very seriously.

Soldiers who have spent months and years of their lives holed up in some jungle in Asia or a 120-degree desert hellhole are not about to bend because of weather or long odds or the seemingly unbreakable indifference of the ruling class. They have long since pledged their lives and their sacred honor for this country; you think they won't see this through to the end game, whatever that may be?

The First Amendment is very clear on the rights of all Americans to peacefully assemble and protest the government. This may be an inconvenience to local authorities, who would prefer not to deal with the messy, beautiful parts of democracy. This may be a difficult pill to swallow for police officers, who are used to ruling their little fiefdoms with the power of a protected class, hiding behind a badge, a gun, and a baton. Tough.

We are here. We are right. We are loud. We are the 99 percent...and we are not going to take this anymore. #occupyeverything

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