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zondag 20 november 2011

Western hipocrisy. I hate it.

US university investigates campus pepper spray use 

I was so disgusted when I saw this video.  It shows students at the University of California who are protesting in solidarity with like-minded protesters of the Occupy Wall Street movement, being sprayed with 'pepper-spray'.

These chemicals were sprayed directly in the faces of students sat still on the floor.

Is it just me, or is there something wrong here? When I see events like these it reminds me of the Stanford Prison Experiment, conducted by Philip Zimbardo in 1971.  The 'guards' in this experiment developed sadistic tendencies and even created their own ways of controlling 'inmates' often via humiliating and degrading punishments.  This came from the perceived identities that the 'guards' thought they should take on and embody. The uniforms also dehumanise them and make it easier for them to control other people, as they have the support of other officers in uniform, often covered up with helmets, shields or even just sunglasses.

I also think about the way 'western' countries have handled the uprisings across the Arab world. They have denounced the 'atrocities' and heavy-handedness of the governments of these countries. They disagree with the use of water-cannons, rubber bullets and the like. However when it comes to their own people, students and others who have a genuine cause to be angry, it seems that it is accepted by our governments that our police forces calmly spray people in the face with chemicals. Wouldn't the US or even the UK government call this something like 'state-sanctioned terrorism'?

I am certainly not saying that the way that previous governments in some North African and Middle Eastern countries have treated their people is acceptable, not at all. My question is about the consistency of our attitudes, and the discrepancies between foreign and domestic policy.  Shouldn't we have the same policy about the way protesters are treated in our country and other countries?

There are of course many factors influencing the decision of governments and their security forces to use force to stop violence or other crimes that may be being committed alongside what is often peaceful protest (don't even use the London riots as an example, as that had almost nothing to do with protest - note I use the word almost; it started with a peaceful protest and others hijacked it and started something else completely).  Surely though, we can all agree that the video from the link at the beginning of this post is disgusting and, as the Chancellor of the University herself put it (after being the one to call the police), "chilling".

1 opmerking:

  1. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2676549357532&set=p.2676549357532&type=1&ref=nf

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