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That's a bold statement. I'm not saying I know that you're wrong, rather, my response is the same as it often is in political discussions: I think that things are more complicated than that. For example, more money tends to give people more freedom to decide things for themselves. Some people may want self-determination for their people, or their nation, more than they want money. But others would defenitely take the money!

An impoverished African is probably more worried about getting a good job than about who runs the country, and would probably vote with his feet by jumping at the chance to migrate to the First World (though he would probably prefer a good job at home).
That he is governed by someone with a similar skin colour does not mean he is free; supporting a black despot just because he is black is just racism. Of course, these tribal loyalties often make people support despots not worth the air they breathe. Yes, there are more than economics involved, but this does not mean just noble ideals like political freedoms - it also means tribalism, religious fanaticism, etc.

wait a minute! I have been in riots(6 Berkeley People's Park demonstrations and 4 street actions in Seattle) where tear gas was discharged and serious damage was done to property. We were shot with rubber bullets and blasted with water cannon. The rubber bullets and the water cannon was not brought to the front lines by those of us in the streets, it was done in a methodical way by those just as determined to bring about control.
The STATE is who gets excited and ORGANIZES and then blames it on mob mentality. I saw police smash cameras into the eyes of news photographers so they could not publish the 'mob mentality' that they were crafting themselves.. . I know what they are trying to hide.

Merle

Uh-huh, so its ALWAYS the states fault when a protest turns into a riot and gets out of control.
Ever heard about what happeneed during the 2001 Mardi Gras mayhem in Seattle???
The police certainly did "excersize restraint"-NO tear gas, NO rubber bullets and guess what....A group of Drunk guys
got out of control, vandalized, GANG-raped, and even Killed a man in the melee that ensued. Remember the paris riots of 2005 where the french goverment made Refused to bring out the military when the riot police were vastly outnumbered.
If the cops didnt bother to show up in force for demonstrations like the ones you were at we ALL know what would happen-there would be a riot and you'd be Shocked how violent guys will get when they get the chance.

well, that might be the difference. When we went into police action we weren't drunken revelers out to kill people. Matter of fact we were protesting violence. Different mind set. and if you really want to know how that works, this is what my grand father was in http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/specia ... labor.html and what we were trying to emulate.

far cry from drunks on a binge.

Merle

The Cops are there for a REASON:to prevent demonstrations from turning into Riots because when the cops arent there they frequently do. There are PLENTY of guys out there who will take ANY oppertunity they can to go on a rampage. EVEN IF they arent drunk-when a demonstration becomes a Riot-it doesnt take much for people to get out of control and indulge their violent impulses-which includes gang-rape and thrill beatings.I just read this morning in the New York Times that western tourists who were in Lhasa during the riots were shocked to see the lack of police/government troops to crush the revolt.
The delayed government response emboldened Tibetans to attack, beat, rape, and kill ethnic chinese in Lhasa. I guess the Tibetans really are just typical Humans after all . I get so irritated at naive liberals who deny the reality of human behaviour
No Matter How Many times we see people doing the SAME DAMN THING whenever they get the chance. If you want an anarchy-goto Waziristan or somalia and you can see what its REALLY like to live in a society where people can do Whatever they want to you and get away with it.