Re: Is it necessary to make protestors your enemy?

Dear New York City Police Commissioner, Raymond Kelly:

I have been reading with great apprehension about the ultra-high tech weaponry and gear that Homeland Security is planning on utilizing during the Republican National Convention, particularly to fend off protesters. (See: Treating protesters like Terrorists by Gwen Shaffer, The New Republic, July 22nd, 2004, http://www.stopftaa.org/article.php?id=425).

As a citizen, I'm not one to take a genuine threat of terrorism lightly, and certainly join other citizens in fearing for my own safety and for the safety of my family. However, it seems as if Homeland Security is confusing protesters with genuine terrorists, and I would urge you to try and distinguish between these two very different groups.

I am a very peaceful and law abiding citizen who happens to feel quite passionately about politics, and quite passionately about exercising my right to speak freely. I have attended several protests here in New York City over the past few years. I can assure you that the majority of people joining in these demonstrations are law abiding citizens such as myself... families, elderly folk, college students, veterans, business people, etc. who have no interst in altercations with the police. The so-called "anarchist faction" is quite small, although watching the news reports you would think we were ALL a motley crew!

I hope as police commissioner you understand that the more extreme the police presence at a heated protest such as the one planned for the RNC, the more extreme the protesters are going to react towards the police... if protesters are forbidden from marching through the streets and exercising their right to assemble, and then the police show up with riot gear and scary looking suits, I fear that this will create a climate of antagonism and fear, making violence likely. I suppose it is human psychology... a climate of fear begets violence. And Homeland Security seems, for some reason, intent to make us perpetually fearful.

Of course I understand the need for police presence at these protests. If the terrorists are out there, I pray that you will get them. But please don't think of us citizens as your enemy! I would like to rest your anxiety about us protesters so that you can concentrate your force and energy fighting the impending threat of terrorism.

Sincerely, Citizen Kay