Last weekend GamePolitics served up live Twitter coverage as anti-war protesters marched on the Army Experience Center.
The high-tech recruiting facility in Philadelphia uses PC and Xbox 360 games to attract potential recruits.
As we reported, seven protesters were peacefully arrested when they refused an order by police to leave. One of those arrested, Elaine Brower, the mother of a U.S. Marine, writes about the experience for Op Ed News:
I myself, was part of a group of protesters who donned death masks and the names of fallen soldiers and stood directly in front of the AEC, which was at that point surrounded by police...
It seemed to me that the recruiters were becoming a bit unnerved, and the police were becoming extremely impatient... since the AEC is open to the “public” many demanded to go inside, but weren’t allowed...
After only one warning, the police decided to aggressively arrest seven of the protesters who were wearing death masks, peacefully standing in front of the AEC and not blocking the entrance. Taken to a distant precinct, the civil affairs Captain vowed vengeance by trying to charge the seven with a “misdemeanor in the third degree.” After 6 hours in the most deplorable conditions, they were released to return to court in June...
What is happening right under our noses is a transformation of the way in which the military plans on re-wiring the brains of kids at a very young and impressionable age to turn them into silent killers. By allowing anyone from the age of 13 to 18 to handle a machine gun, or use games that promote violence, it creates a generation that is wired to kill and think that killing is something that is easy and sanctioned.
GP: My observation was that the police gave at least two warnings; this can be seen on the video footage I took at the protest. In any case, it seemed like the masked protesters planned to be locked up in order to make their point.
Comments
Re: Protester Writes About Her Arrest at Army Video Game ...
Did you know that an American prison is a far better place to live than the average citizen in Africa or some parts of Asia gets to live? Deplorable my ass, just because you yuppies are used to your select-comfort beds. You want to protest? Take what you get coming to you.
Re: Protester Writes About Her Arrest at Army Video Game ...
In some places, the floor is also your bed and your toilet.
"That's not ironic. That's justice."
Re: Protester Writes About Her Arrest at Army Video Game ...
Not in any American prison or jail. Prisoners here need to be kept comfortable, because they might start to feel bad.
Freedom of speech means the freedom to say ANYTHING, so long as it is the truth. This does not exclude anything that might hurt someone's feelings.
Re: Protester Writes About Her Arrest at Army Video Game ...
Exactly what I thought, too. She makes it sound like they were shipped to Guantanamo or something.
Re: Protester Writes About Her Arrest at Army Video Game ...
She should be...
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Re: Protester Writes About Her Arrest at Army Video Game
I was mostly supportive of the protesters, but as far as these seven go... they're idiots.
Re: Protester Writes About Her Arrest at Army Video Game
I really hope some cell phone paparazis were there and can debunk what she's saying.
Re: Protester Writes About Her Arrest at Army Video Game
Folks, I am no papparazzi. I was at the Army Experience Center that day. Her protest group was warned THREE times. The first warning was at 3:00pm. How do I know? The police announced it - and told the AEC staff- I saw it and heard it. Elaine Brower was standing right next to the Phila. Police Dept Lieutenant who was on the bullhorn. The 2nd warning was at 3:15pm - the Phila. Police told them "you will get your 3rd and final warning in 5 minutes, and if you refuse to leave, you will be arrested". At 3:20pm, they received their third warning. At that time, most of the protestors started moving off, but 7 or so didn't move, and were arrested. It was pre-planned, and even the Phila. PD knew it.
Deplorable conditions? Unless they wisked her down to the back alleys of Port-Au-Prince, Haiti to conduct dismounted foot patrols at night knee-deep in garbage and human waste, she doesn't know what deplorable looks or smells like. (Been there, done that, got the gamma globulen shots...)
The AEC (on the Internet and on the ground) is quickly becoming "ground zero" for the anti-military/anti-war movement in the northeast US right now.
If you are interested in seeing this campaign in full swing, check out the Army Experience Center's fanpage on Facebook. It's rather interesting.
You can also go to the various websites they (the protestors) have plastered all three stories that protest leaders Pat Elder, John Grant and Elaine Brower have written about the protest. Some website "headlines" state that "AEC Bows to Protestors", and "Protestors Shut Down the AEC".
They shut it down all right - so bad that a dozen folks walked right through their crowd to come inside. Oh, and a Dad and Son went in to get some "no crap" info about possibly joing the Army. And two people actually committed 4 years of their lives THAT DAY (literally joined the Army during the protest) to protect the protestors' right to call them fascists, tell them that "we hate you", "f--k you", and chant about how Soldiers are trained to torture, rape, kill and..something else, there was so much they chanted! I think that block of instruction (torture, rape, etc.) was right after the "Consideration of Others" block of training back I got back in 1994. (Yes, I was there that day - I heard the protestors cursing the Soldiers. They will deny it, but it happened.)
The AEC does NOT have M16s in the mall. We store tactical nukes instead. NO - the AEC has pneumatically operated (high pressure air) M4 rifle simulators that are part of the HWMMV simulator and the UH60 Blackhawk simulator. They do not shoot live rounds. They use a laser pulse. To do what? GO SEE FOR YOURSELF. Go and see if it's "just a video game" or if it's telling you visually the story of HOW REALLY HARD it is to be a Soldier today, but just because it's really hard doesn't mean that that is BAD. Ask any Soldier that works there - if you walk into the AEC with an open mind and the only thing you leave with is a better appreciation of just how much you really DON'T want to be in the Army (because it's so hard)...well, maybe you leave appreciating the sacrifices of the people that DO serve. And that's ok.
In the end - Don't listen to me - or them. Go to the Army Experience Center (if you are within a 2-hr drive of northeast Philly) and see the place, talk to the Soldiers who work there - THEN judge for yourself. Their website is www.thearmyexperience.com. Best time to go is on a weekday after 4pm or SATs after 2pm. They are closed on SUN.
Decide for yourself.
Re: Protester Writes About Her Arrest at Army Video Game
"Dear ms. Brower, you mentioned deplorable conditions. Could you be so kind to testify to us about those conditions so that if protocol was violated, we can take action? Also, you mentioned one warning only, which would have been reason to take action for, but video footage shows at least two warnings given and the police waiting for several minutes. We apologize for the misunderstanding.
Sincerely,
actual cops instead of fictuous ones."
Re: Protester Writes About Her Arrest at Army Video Game
If she goes much farther with what she's saying, she could even be leaning towards libelous (as in, not protected) free speech!
-If an apple a day keeps the doctor away....what happens when a doctor eats an apple?-
Re: Protester Writes About Her Arrest at Army Video Game
We have a provable lie, and the language and tone of the letter are probably enough to establish intent to defame, so this could be a slam dunk.
"That's not ironic. That's justice."
Re: Protester Writes About Her Arrest at Army Video Game ...
Ya man, i hate protesters that try and manipulate situations to make them worse and then try to slant it in their favor. What people forget is you DON'T have the right to protest WHERE ever you want to.
Honestly just makes them look like a bunch of idiots, how can you protest for peace while causing conflict?
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Re: Protester Writes About Her Arrest at Army Video Game
"GP: My observation was that the police gave at least two warnings"
It makes you wonder, if they lie about the amount of warnings what else are the protesters lying about?
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Re: Protester Writes About Her Arrest at Army Video Game
Considering that she calls sitting around while being booked, "After 6 hours in the most deplorable conditions, they were released to return to court in June..." I'd be suspicious of quite a bit more personally. Particularly about stuff like this part: "Taken to a distant precinct, the civil affairs Captain vowed vengeance"
-Gray17
Re: Protester Writes About Her Arrest at Army Video Game
Agreed.
Pretty much the entire 3 paragraph is twisted, and skewed. It is a vague attempt to attempt to raise feelings and generate anger toward the recruitment office and the police (probably why they had themselves arrested anyway). Sadly there are going to be some that will beleive her though.
Well lady I am sorry you were miserable.. maybe next time you will think before taking part in a protest.
Re: Protester Writes About Her Arrest at Army Video Game
Giving all this thinking may not be one of her pasttimes.
Re: Protester Writes About Her Arrest at Army Video Game
I don't believe for a minute anything she said. Especially when it comes to the whole handling machine guns thing. There's no way the Army recruiters would bring M16s into a mall.
Re: Protester Writes About Her Arrest at Army Video Game
I would assert that anyone who thinks the army has live ammo in the mall's recruitment center is delusional. The most I could see is a few firearms that they have for the sole purposes of assembling and disassembling, if that.
"That's not ironic. That's justice."
Re: Protester Writes About Her Arrest at Army Video Game
Considering the type of people protesting these days, to her deplorable likely means having her Iphone confiscated.
Re: Protester Writes About Her Arrest at Army Video Game
I work as a clerk at my local police station, and one of my duties is to keep an eye on our arrestee processing room via camera while the officers have someone in there. Considering how I've seen some people act to officers that are just trying to explain the arrest process to them, it really wouldn't surprise me if her "aggressive" police and "deplorable conditions" are just being told to shut up and having to wear handcuffs. Especially since I've seen people take swings at or immediately start screaming at an officer just for being told to stop talking on their cell phone and listen to what the officer is saying.
Re: Protester Writes About Her Arrest at Army Video Game
I did a ride along with an officer in Tampa once and the Deplorable part came from the people getting arrested, dear god most of them smelled like they hadn't showed in months. The waiting area had about 7 or 8 people at the time and the officer i was with had arrested someone who also stunk to high hell, we just kinda held back a laugh while in the car as we gagged and ran with the windows open trying not to be all rude to the poor guy.
At least in my experience with TPD (i worked for the City's IT department) they're very accomodating and the only people treated badly are the people who are unruly to begin with. Anything 'deplorable' in the booking area of the jail could be traced back to the criminals, not the police.
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Re: Protester Writes About Her Arrest at Army Video Game
Nothing says "moral high ground" like outright lies. Just ask Jack.
Re: Protester Writes About Her Arrest at Army Video Game
EVERYTHING.
Re: Protester Writes About Her Arrest at Army Video Game ...
"By allowing anyone from the age of 13 to 18 to . . . use games that promote violence, it creates a generation that is wired to kill and think that killing is something that is easy . . . ."
Is it just me, or does this sound like she's quoting Jack Thompson?
Re: Protester Writes About Her Arrest at Army Video Game ...
Very much it does, and thats the last person that you want to be quoting, ever.
Re: Protester Writes About Her Arrest at Army Video Game
Generation that is wired to kill, or generation of manipulative protesters? I'll go with killers over hypocrites. At least they have interesting stories to tell.
Re: Protester Writes About Her Arrest at Army Video Game
Your response reminds me of the Chinese curse: "May you live in interesting times".
I go with the protesters over the murderers. I'm all for violent games being used to entertain, and although I do not for one minute believe that violent games make people violent, Im 100% against games being used as recruiting tools to persuade people to risk killing or dying for someone's political agenda.
Re: Protester Writes About Her Arrest at Army Video Game
[quote]Im 100% against games being used as recruiting tools to persuade people to risk killing or dying for someone's political agenda.[/quote]
^^^This
Because the Department of [b]Defense[/b] is made up of 100% of "political agenda." DoD has no other purpose except for that.[/sarcasm]
You are entitled to your opinions as the people who have died for "political agendas" have fought for it. I am in the military and using games as a requiting tool is fine by me as long as they are accurate. These games don't use god mode when they try to recruit do they? As far as I am concerned, these games offer you more information on what the military is like as apposed to someone else with a bias opinion telling you what it is like. I know death is bad, killing is bad, war is bad, but there is never peace with the lack of military force. If you let people continually walk over you, they will keep doing it. But if you show that your aren't in the mood to be fucked with, they won't do shit. There are reasons why bully's pick on the weak people, because they know that weak people have substantial lack of force.
What would you do to have people [b]volunteer[/b] for the armed services? If our Military is weak, theU.S.A.
Re: Protester Writes About Her Arrest at Army Video Game
To have peace you must prepare for war.