We
The People
United Won’t be Beaten!
The slogan was being chanted by a red-haired young woman in the small hours of the morning during the G20 protests in Toronto. Of course she was wearing the ubiquitous neck-scarf, looked well scrubbed, pretty perfect dental work. Not your typical downtrodden government-oppressed victim.
Before I go any further, let me say that I don’t agree with the G8 or G20 Summits, and find them a colossal waste of time, manpower, natural resources (how much jet fuel was burned for this event?) and my (as a tax-paying citizen) money.
In addition, labeling the opening gala event at the G20 as a “working dinner” when everyone was sporting tuxedoes and gowns speaks of an arrogance beyond belief. To shut down a city in such a fashion, at such expense and for a period of time when no actual work could reasonably have been conducted and to expect us to believe they were being productive shows how little they, our leaders, respect the intellect of the people who put them there.
But then again, we did put them there, so more fool us.
Anyway, this piece isn’t intended to be about the summit. As wasteful as I find it, even I understand that if Canada wants to be a world player, Canada has to follow the game rules. It’s just that the game rules are incredibly stupid. Have these people never heard of conference calling?
This piece is more about my observations of the myriad protests that took place on Saturday and Sunday, many of which actually do seem to bear out the impression our politicians have of the public’s limited mental faculties.
Don’t get me wrong—I totally support the right to peaceful dissension and public protest. I’m sure the planned labour protests actually had a point to make, as did many of the smaller, less advertised rallies and marches taking place. Unfortunately these points have been totally overshadowed by the violence and criminal acts perpetrated by a number of professional shit disturbers and their cadre of mentally challenged hangers-on who resembled nothing more than herds of startled sheep every time the police started to round them up or move them along.
We
The People
United Won’t be Beaten!
It doesn’t even rhyme!
Observation:
As a freelance photographer I had toyed with the idea of heading into the city to document the “action”. So did every other person on the continent with a camera, apparently, and most of them did. At times it appeared that the demonstration was actually about the right to carry a camera and wave it at the police line!
Observation:
To Lindsay, the fat chick from Cleveland who was detained in a cell at the old movie studio for 19 hours: quit complaining about being cold (while still holding the sweatshirt, pants and socks that Toronto Police Services gave you), cramped, and having dirty hands. Hey, guess what? Don’t come to my country and my city to protest, get arrested, and expect to be put up in a 5-Star hotel. I wouldn’t go to Cleveland and do that. Actually, I wouldn’t go to Cleveland at all. And by the way, can you get salads in Cleveland? You should try.
Observation:
As a social activist and oppressed member of society (aka spoiled suburban brat whose parents are putting me through U of T and paying for my lodging, food, entertainment and lifestyle) I think the best chance I have of effecting meaningful positive change is to follow a bunch of black-clad strangers with covered faces as they rampage through my city setting fire to police cars, breaking windows and storming businesses and exhorting me to do the same. That would be businesses such as Starbucks, Tim Horton’s, The Pickle Barrel—you know, the one’s that hire people who basically have few skills and give them meaningful employment and a chance to advance so they can raise their families and be good citizens. Not good citizens the way your friends in black are, but actual good citizens.
Observation:
Also, as a social activist and oppressed member of society (aka spoiled suburban brat whose parents are putting me through U of T and paying for my lodging, food, entertainment and lifestyle) I will bravely and without shame allow the world to see the symbols of my oppression; the Roots sweatshirt I’m wearing (various prices, Roots); the Hunter rubber boots (Cdn $189, Accessorize Me, Bloor West Village), FCUK T-Shirt (available at FCUK), LaCoste polo shirt (LaCoste, too expensive to be credible) and smart-phone with video capability with which I will record the police oppressing my by stopping me and my little friends from setting fire to anything we want.
We
The People
United Won’t be Beaten!
I don’t generally condone violence as a solution (okay, I do, so sue me!) but when you say “won’t be beaten”—who actually has been oppressing you recently? I’d beat you.
Observation:
There was some humour in the events of yesterday. At one point the police line surged forward and the throng of pasty, white-faced out of shape idiots started to run away. And two fat girls ran towards the camera, giggling and laughing at what was going on. I thought that was funny because generally you don’t see fat girls running. As the old song says, “must be jelly ‘cause jam don’t shake like that”!
Observation:
There was also great bravery shown in a couple of cases. Like later in the evening when the crowd was gathered around the busted up Starbucks and that brave guy with the white cloth around his entire head went in through the broken door and came out after stealing something. That was courageous! And humble, not wanting anyone to witness his courageous act.
Observation:
How come most of the oppressed claim to be—well—oppressed, yet don’t realize that if they really were oppressed they would have been shot by now?
Observation:
To the well-muscled black fellow with the corn-rows and aviator sunglasses—yelling out several times from a distance “Fuck the PO-lice” and then ducking back into the crowd isn’t getting your point across. If you really want to get someone’s attention, why don’t you arrange an appointment with Chief Blair and when you get into his office say to him “Fuck the PO-lice.” I’m sure he’ll understand you then, and you’ll both feel better.
Observation:
What was that thing strutting around between the police line and the protestors? My wife said it was a chick, but to me it looked like a guy. Incredibly effeminate guy, but way too flat to be a chick. Anyway, the gender doesn’t matter—looked like Gollum in a green hat, t-shirt and shorts. So Gollum was on camera a long time, intermittently taking pictures with a silver-coloured dSLR, then talking on a cell phone, then grinning at the camera. And actually strutting in front of the police officers! I have to say that our cops showed remarkable restraint. Put me in that situation and Gollum’s going home with a 9mm lobotomy!
All in all, I have to say that I’m disappointed in the people who took part in that protest for being so easily led and played by professional assholes who want to destroy society as it currently exists, but haven’t presented us with a better alternative.
I have a feeling if half the people marching yesterday would volunteer some time to work with the homeless, the addicted, the mentally ill, (really) disadvantaged youth or some other worthwhile cause, instead of looking at the protest as one big street party, they might actually be able to bring about some positive change.
As long as they continue to act like spoiled brats whose sense of entitlement has blinded them to how lucky they actually are, nothing will change.
Oh, and by the way, idiots, social net-working works both ways. While you’re protesting, spitting on cops, breaking the law, threatening to destroy society, shitting on capitalism and posting it on You Tube, guess who’s watching you? Toronto Police, OPP, RCMP, CSIS, CIA, FBI, Department of Homeland Security, NSA, possibly MI6, definitely FSB!. Good luck next March break getting into the USA and trying to make it to Daytona Beach or Fort Lauderdale! Hope it was worth it!
In closing, I’d like to say how proud I am of our police force for dealing with a situation which was none of their making. On the one hand the government forces us to host a useless fiasco, and on the other hand a group of rabble oppose it, leaving the Police Services in the middle. Not a pretty situation, but they handled it like professionals. And to anyone who got hurt going up against them—what are you, new? They’re cops—how stupid do you have to be to get into a physical altercation with a cop?
By the way, this column does admittedly contain a vast number of generalizations so if you feel you have been included unfairly in any way please feel free to comment, and I’ll be happy to tell you how wrong you are.
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G20–Observations on a Colossal Waste of Money and the Actions of Sheep.
We
The People
United Won’t be Beaten!
The slogan was being chanted by a red-haired young woman in the small hours of the morning during the G20 protests in Toronto. Of course she was wearing the ubiquitous neck-scarf, looked well scrubbed, pretty perfect dental work. Not your typical downtrodden government-oppressed victim.
Before I go any further, let me say that I don’t agree with the G8 or G20 Summits, and find them a colossal waste of time, manpower, natural resources (how much jet fuel was burned for this event?) and my (as a tax-paying citizen) money.
In addition, labeling the opening gala event at the G20 as a “working dinner” when everyone was sporting tuxedoes and gowns speaks of an arrogance beyond belief. To shut down a city in such a fashion, at such expense and for a period of time when no actual work could reasonably have been conducted and to expect us to believe they were being productive shows how little they, our leaders, respect the intellect of the people who put them there.
But then again, we did put them there, so more fool us.
Anyway, this piece isn’t intended to be about the summit. As wasteful as I find it, even I understand that if Canada wants to be a world player, Canada has to follow the game rules. It’s just that the game rules are incredibly stupid. Have these people never heard of conference calling?
This piece is more about my observations of the myriad protests that took place on Saturday and Sunday, many of which actually do seem to bear out the impression our politicians have of the public’s limited mental faculties.
Don’t get me wrong—I totally support the right to peaceful dissension and public protest. I’m sure the planned labour protests actually had a point to make, as did many of the smaller, less advertised rallies and marches taking place. Unfortunately these points have been totally overshadowed by the violence and criminal acts perpetrated by a number of professional shit disturbers and their cadre of mentally challenged hangers-on who resembled nothing more than herds of startled sheep every time the police started to round them up or move them along.
We
The People
United Won’t be Beaten!
It doesn’t even rhyme!
Observation:
As a freelance photographer I had toyed with the idea of heading into the city to document the “action”. So did every other person on the continent with a camera, apparently, and most of them did. At times it appeared that the demonstration was actually about the right to carry a camera and wave it at the police line!
Observation:
To Lindsay, the fat chick from Cleveland who was detained in a cell at the old movie studio for 19 hours: quit complaining about being cold (while still holding the sweatshirt, pants and socks that Toronto Police Services gave you), cramped, and having dirty hands. Hey, guess what? Don’t come to my country and my city to protest, get arrested, and expect to be put up in a 5-Star hotel. I wouldn’t go to Cleveland and do that. Actually, I wouldn’t go to Cleveland at all. And by the way, can you get salads in Cleveland? You should try.
Observation:
As a social activist and oppressed member of society (aka spoiled suburban brat whose parents are putting me through U of T and paying for my lodging, food, entertainment and lifestyle) I think the best chance I have of effecting meaningful positive change is to follow a bunch of black-clad strangers with covered faces as they rampage through my city setting fire to police cars, breaking windows and storming businesses and exhorting me to do the same. That would be businesses such as Starbucks, Tim Horton’s, The Pickle Barrel—you know, the one’s that hire people who basically have few skills and give them meaningful employment and a chance to advance so they can raise their families and be good citizens. Not good citizens the way your friends in black are, but actual good citizens.
Observation:
Also, as a social activist and oppressed member of society (aka spoiled suburban brat whose parents are putting me through U of T and paying for my lodging, food, entertainment and lifestyle) I will bravely and without shame allow the world to see the symbols of my oppression; the Roots sweatshirt I’m wearing (various prices, Roots); the Hunter rubber boots (Cdn $189, Accessorize Me, Bloor West Village), FCUK T-Shirt (available at FCUK), LaCoste polo shirt (LaCoste, too expensive to be credible) and smart-phone with video capability with which I will record the police oppressing my by stopping me and my little friends from setting fire to anything we want.
We
The People
United Won’t be Beaten!
I don’t generally condone violence as a solution (okay, I do, so sue me!) but when you say “won’t be beaten”—who actually has been oppressing you recently? I’d beat you.
Observation:
There was some humour in the events of yesterday. At one point the police line surged forward and the throng of pasty, white-faced out of shape idiots started to run away. And two fat girls ran towards the camera, giggling and laughing at what was going on. I thought that was funny because generally you don’t see fat girls running. As the old song says, “must be jelly ‘cause jam don’t shake like that”!
Observation:
There was also great bravery shown in a couple of cases. Like later in the evening when the crowd was gathered around the busted up Starbucks and that brave guy with the white cloth around his entire head went in through the broken door and came out after stealing something. That was courageous! And humble, not wanting anyone to witness his courageous act.
Observation:
How come most of the oppressed claim to be—well—oppressed, yet don’t realize that if they really were oppressed they would have been shot by now?
Observation:
To the well-muscled black fellow with the corn-rows and aviator sunglasses—yelling out several times from a distance “Fuck the PO-lice” and then ducking back into the crowd isn’t getting your point across. If you really want to get someone’s attention, why don’t you arrange an appointment with Chief Blair and when you get into his office say to him “Fuck the PO-lice.” I’m sure he’ll understand you then, and you’ll both feel better.
Observation:
What was that thing strutting around between the police line and the protestors? My wife said it was a chick, but to me it looked like a guy. Incredibly effeminate guy, but way too flat to be a chick. Anyway, the gender doesn’t matter—looked like Gollum in a green hat, t-shirt and shorts. So Gollum was on camera a long time, intermittently taking pictures with a silver-coloured dSLR, then talking on a cell phone, then grinning at the camera. And actually strutting in front of the police officers! I have to say that our cops showed remarkable restraint. Put me in that situation and Gollum’s going home with a 9mm lobotomy!
All in all, I have to say that I’m disappointed in the people who took part in that protest for being so easily led and played by professional assholes who want to destroy society as it currently exists, but haven’t presented us with a better alternative.
I have a feeling if half the people marching yesterday would volunteer some time to work with the homeless, the addicted, the mentally ill, (really) disadvantaged youth or some other worthwhile cause, instead of looking at the protest as one big street party, they might actually be able to bring about some positive change.
As long as they continue to act like spoiled brats whose sense of entitlement has blinded them to how lucky they actually are, nothing will change.
Oh, and by the way, idiots, social net-working works both ways. While you’re protesting, spitting on cops, breaking the law, threatening to destroy society, shitting on capitalism and posting it on You Tube, guess who’s watching you? Toronto Police, OPP, RCMP, CSIS, CIA, FBI, Department of Homeland Security, NSA, possibly MI6, definitely FSB!. Good luck next March break getting into the USA and trying to make it to Daytona Beach or Fort Lauderdale! Hope it was worth it!
In closing, I’d like to say how proud I am of our police force for dealing with a situation which was none of their making. On the one hand the government forces us to host a useless fiasco, and on the other hand a group of rabble oppose it, leaving the Police Services in the middle. Not a pretty situation, but they handled it like professionals. And to anyone who got hurt going up against them—what are you, new? They’re cops—how stupid do you have to be to get into a physical altercation with a cop?
By the way, this column does admittedly contain a vast number of generalizations so if you feel you have been included unfairly in any way please feel free to comment, and I’ll be happy to tell you how wrong you are.
Like this:
About Wes Shepherd
Hi, I'm Wes Shepherd, a photographer based in Toronto, Canada. A member of the News Photographers Association of Canada I specialize in street and urban photography and portraiture. Funnily enough, some of this translates into the fine art field and has been shown in galleries and purchased by private collectors. You can see more of my work at: www.wesshepherdphotographers.com All the images you see in this gallery are available for sale. 8 x 10 Framed prints start at CDN$150 (plus taxes and shipping). Other sizes and display options are available upon request. ******************************************* Recent Exhibitions: Dec. 2008 "Photolab" Gallery DK, Toronto, ON ***************************************** ******************************************** To purchase a print, discuss an assignment or arrange a booking please contact me at: wesshepherdphotographers@rogers.com wesshepherd@rogers.com 416-817-3224