Whatever Happened to Peaceful Protesting?

With baby boomers forming such a large part of the population, you would think that we would remember how ugly using excessive police violence against protesters is. For those who have forgotten the tragedy of Kent State, recall the WTO conferences in Seattle and Pittsburgh.

Evidently those memories fade quickly. Not only have they faded, but new technologies and the steady adoption of the latest military weaponry by local police has created scenes that we used to only see in science fiction as the scrappy rebels faced off against the imperial storm troopers. Here are a few examples from recent events in California.

First, here is a scene from UC Davis where peaceful protesters are sprayed with pepper spray.

Or this scene from Occupy Oakland a few weeks earlier as police cleared the area. The wounded man is a Iraq war vet.

Pittsburgh police demonstrated more weaponry against protesters at the WTO meeting in 2009. A armored vehicle equipped with a sonic gun that can permanently injure one's hearing.

What's next? Drones?