That to so many people the violence of police against people for gathering peacefully in places to share food and ideas as well as educate each other to flaws in our culture, appears to them to be justified or does not even cause them to take notice reminds me of this quote "The philosopher Voltaire said "the art of government consists in taking as much money as possible from one class of the citizens to give to another." The economist Adam Smith wrote that "Civil government, so far as it is instituted for the security of property, is in reality instituted for the defense of the rich against the poor, or of those who have some property against those who have none at all." The political economist John Lock wrote the that "government has no other end but the preservation of property." We've built our system on the ideas of these idiots. The basis of today is property law, protecting one person's rights to the other person's fair share, and it's so embedded in our culture that we nothing wrong with it." - George Draffan (excerpt from "How shall I live my life?" -Derrick Jensen. The article above is about an instance where a permit was not purchased by people coming together in part to discuss the kind of oppression and abuse people deemed poor by dominant culture experience and then how to end it. The police made clear how they are being used, by whom they are being used and the amount of violence some of them are capable of on behalf of those using them. We can mince details and argue over them "why not just buy a permit for sound amplification, or not use it?". Poor people do not have money for sound permits nor do they have money to rig the education system, the media, elections and police activities in a way to benefit themselves. A minority group of super rich do. That group of Super rich does not care for people to freely gather to share things and discuss ideas about governing ourselves, sure they have money and could just leave us be but its not about the money its about the result of the concept of money. The result of the concept of money is a ruling group of self defined hard working elites that have convinced people whom are outside of their group of super right that people without money don't deserve to have parties in public, housing, food, health care, authority over their own lives or even a say in deciding whom should lead them. Sure buy a permit, how do you get the permit? Why that is easy, just capitalize on someone or be capitalized upon by someone else to get the dough to buy a chance to get to use a space and sound amplification equipment in order to have a party where you share what you have without using money and exchange ideas on how to live without a ruling class that uses the magic idea of money to get people to blame themselves for short comings designed by others as a part of institutional systematic oppression of free thinking and self actualization in order to make an easy to control of domesticated population? The police don't have to work to help this system of oppression, some disagree with it, some try to spend more time helping rather then hurting however that does not change what the institution they are a part of is designed to do. It is as written in the quote above from George Darfan. The camps that sprang up over the fall inspired by Occupy Wall Street demonstrated the truth of these ideas again and again. Mostly peaceful people gathering to share food and ideas of other ways of doing things then the ones being forced upon us, were met time and time again by violence of varying degrees from police, time and time again being forced to disband. Kudos to those whom were brave enough to weather the the storms from nature and those created by the police and their masters in order to share food, entertainment and thoughts with each other freely.

Basically, the police are a heavily armed gang, hired at public expense to protect the one percent from the rest of us. Either the public or the police themselves should get wise to this fact. I was at the celebration, and not one of the sixteen officers would look me in the eye. They know that they are doing something shameful, and its eating them alive. Just check out their mortality statistics and the numbers for suicide. This adversarial attitude, popularized by television and movies, is not good for any ones health in the long run. And what do they get out of it? The same contempt and disdain the rest of us get from those who have ascended to "elite" status.

Dude, honestly, what exactly are you stuffing into your bong these days?

First of all, the US has been sending carriers into the Arabian Gulf for years now. This is not new, and it is most certainly not a provocative gesture. What makes this any different than any other CSG's that we've been sending to the gulf 365 days/year for the last umpteen years?
Second, she may be 51 years old, but she still operates exactly the way it did when she was new. Better, in fact, as the combat systems, sensor suites, ship-defense weaponry, aircraft control systems, propulsion control systems, and numerous other critical systems have been upgraded and modernized many time since her construction. And the preventative and corrective maintenance procedures used throughout the Navy ensure that she remains fully combat ready while deployed. This is NOT a 1987 Yugo we're talking about here.

Finally, and most significantly, there is absolutely no possibility of a "false flag" incident. US Navy aircraft carriers are unmistakably American, and incredibly well defended. So not only can nobody make the same "mistake" that the Israeli's did due to the easily identifiable nature of the vessel, but it would be prohibitively difficult for any Iranian forces to put enough destructive power on this ship. While they (the IRGCN) certainly harass the smaller surface combatants quite regularly, not one has approached an aircraft carrier during any of the hundreds of transits through the Straight of Hormuz made by US CVN's.

Your ridiculously irrational conclusions are utterly vapid and unsubstantial. You haven't a single clue about any of this. Honest to God, man, it actually saddens me that someone has given you the webspace to post this kind of tripe.

I might even pull a tab now.........

Doctor, thx for this story. We cannot begin to address the atrocities going on and created by our own government until people realize what is going on. Unfortunately, our corporate media are not going to enlighten the masses anytine soon. But you already know that. Appreciate the article, keep them coming....

BRAVO!!!!!!

Do you personally not aknowlege the growth and advance mining offers us? Are you maybe- against- growth? Grow up. The world wont end with us. You need to understand the growth of our earth so your offspring have a shot. But Im sure you know that as you are so unusally smart. Do you understand sarcasim i hope? It is a wave of the "future"

Not by Andrew Olson, but by Kristine Osbakken

In our online oil paintings gallery there is oil paintings to suit everyone's wall space and art work taste.

You can buy a cheap oil painting because it is a duplicate and much less expensive than an original oil painting

Doctor, I think you missed one: We have guided missiles and misguided men... Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Water is life. The risk of toxic sulfide mining impacting residents and visitors for thousands o years in our lakes district is NOT worth the rewards for a few locals. Global corporations eying profits in our water-rich environment would not be reliable stewards of Minneotans' health, livelihoods, property values, or future generations.

You can't drink copper or make beer from it or swim in it or grow wild rice in it ...

Hi Carla,

I saw my name pop up in an opinion column you wrote last week for the Reader. Frankly, I’m a little bit flattered by the assertion that I am at the beating heart of a vast international conspiracy to deceive and defraud the citizens of Minnesota. But more than that, I’m hurt by the insinuation that I am engaged in purposely deceptive activities in my professional life, activities intended to deceive and harm my family, friends, and neighbors.

To set the record straight:

The reason I didn’t mention Duluth Metals at the Executive Council meeting is because Duluth Metals has nothing to do with Agate Lake Resources, and Agate Lake Resources has nothing to do with Duluth Metals. End of story. The details are perhaps complicated, but probably don’t need to be aired on a public internet discussion board. Let’s just say it’s similar to how you don’t talk about your employment history, report the details of your investment portfolio, or mention every nonprofit organization you belong to every time you write an opinion column.

Agate Lake Resource’s leases were optioned by Aquila Resources Inc., as reported in a February 27, 2012 press release. You can monitor their plans for the property at their website – www.aquilaresources.com.

It’s important to remember that mining and exploration professionals are not always able to speak freely about all aspects of what they are doing. We are required to comply with a host of disclosure regulations designed to prevent insider trading and protect the investing public. If we violate these rules, we can be fined or even go to jail. However, when it comes to our on the ground, day-to-day activities, rest assured that every aspect has undergone environmental review, and is in the public record. We are more than happy to discuss with you, or anyone, our ongoing permitted activities.

If you’d like, let’s sit down over a beverage of your choice the next time I make it up to Ely. We can talk about the things we think are important – trees, water, fresh air, children. I’ll share with you what it means to be a 5th generation northeastern Minnesotan, and you can tell the story to me of how you came to fall in love with this beautiful land my family has called home for generations. And when we’re done talking about the important things in life, we can talk about our different visions for the future of northeastern Minnesota. I’m certain that when we’re done, we’ll find we have more in common than we think, and will be on better terms as we all move forward with what must necessarily be a conversation aimed at forging a consensus about the future.

If you’d like to take me up on my offer, you know how to get a hold of me.

Best Regards,

Phil Larson
Managing Director
Agate Lake Resources LLC
Duluth, MN

Hi Phil,

"Frankly, I’m a little bit flattered by the assertion that I am at the beating heart of a vast international conspiracy to deceive and defraud the citizens of Minnesota."

You must have a vivid imagination to get that out of what I wrote.

Thank you for informing readers what company optioned your mineral leases. We do have a difference of opinion when it comes to testifying in front of the Executive Committee concerning an industry that one is an integral part of - I believe connections do matter. Having been quite open about being a teacher, if we were speaking about education it would certainly be part of the discussion.

As for the word “deceive” in your comment, the sulfide mining industry has a long, documented history of deceiving the public – in the present as well as the past.

I would be happy to meet with you sometime. Give me a call. I have no doubt we do have a lot in common. The one thing we do not is the belief that sulfide mining is the future of northeastern Minnesota. Our water is.

Best,
Carla

can't make beer without copper either http://www.sciencephoto.com/image/409979/530wm/F0036837-Worker_at_copper_tank_in_brewery-SPL.jpg

I understand your points totally! Minnesota makes it too easy for people who just come here to reep what we and our parents have sowed. I love Minnesota and Duluth but think about it if you can live here for three weeks and be considered for all the emergency assistants then what happens when you been living here all your life and need some help and then you get denied cause you make 15 dollars more than the limit that month then you get no medical assistance nothing, that ain't right! And btw that mailman is quite creepy!

i agree completely....but I'd call Duluth's solution to the road's a band-aid. They never fix anything correctly the first time. They use a band-aid until the damn problems festering and we as citizens are screaming at them to fix. Then and ONLY then will they do something.
BTW...yes the mail man can be creepy. :)

whats up with creepy mailmen these days anyway? Prevert!!!

pervert!!!!!

Amy your article defintely brings up some good points. I agree with both of the comments made earlier, I cannot think of much more else to say about it . I'm glad that you are rejuvinated from your vacation we all need to get away from our workplace once in a while :)