27-12-2011, 07:54 PM
Retired police Captain Ray Lewis had worked for the Philadelphia police department for 24 years and had been retired from law enforcement for 8 when he decided to heed a call of duty from Liberty Plaza. He was not planning on becoming a voice in the Occupy Wall Street protests on November 17th when he was arrested along with many other protestors that day. It was his 60th birthday and it was the two-month anniversary of the movement. His new mission has since become to help the police understand that they are part of the 99%. Captain Lewis believes that it is possible to win the hearts, minds, and peaceful cooperation if not outright support of the police.
Captain Lewis and his radical friends used to protest against The Vietnam War. He had long hair in the 70's, which he shaved off in order to join the police force so as to change the system from within. His friends were supposed to do the same with him but he was the only one who followed through on it. He feels he has the experience of having been on both sides of the barriers. He understands the mind of a police officer and can share that knowledge with protesters. He realizes that many protestors may be frustrated and angry with the police because they see them as protectors of the 1% and so they share their anger and frustration with the police rather than with the 1%. Captain Lewis believes that there is a tremendous amount of potential to get the police to support the Occupy Movement which should not be wasted. He personally believes that without their acceptance and support that the movement will not be fully successful.
Captain Lewis does not watch TV or read newspapers because they represent corporate America. He gets his news from the internet where there are millions of true Occupy stories. The videos he saw online inspired him. He said he would not be able to feel comfortable with himself had he not joined the movement after witnessing the protests online. He had wanted to visit Liberty Plaza sooner however he was occupied with something no less important at his home in upstate New York. "Fracking is a major issue. Corporate America is raping the earth." He organized a grass roots campaign in his highly conservative town, with barely a dozen neighbors, to replace two incumbent Republicans with two members of the community who had no political experience but who were anti-fracking. He stood for 12 hours outside the polling station handing out leaflets on Tuesday November 8th. He didn't take a single break, because he was determined not to lose a single vote. He was afraid that the vote would be close however it wasn't. They shocked the town by wining 2 to 1. The following Monday he came to New York City and he was shocked again to learn that Liberty Plaza had been violently evicted.
On N17 Captain Lewis carried a sign that read, "NYPD watch Inside Job and join us." He closely watched the interaction between the NYPD and the protesters that day. He wondered why white shirt cops engaged in the fight when their mission is supposed to be to supervise? He also wondered who was supervising since the supervisors were engaged in the fight! He believed that this was a bad example to set for the other officers. He was inspired by the moral character and dedication of the protestors toward social justice and freedom. "They inspired me to get arrested. They gave up their freedom for justice." In spite of all the medals on his uniform, Captain Lewis doesn't hesitate to say that the moment he crossed the line of protesters and was handcuffed was the proudest of his life.
He did not resist arrest. In fact he made it as easy as possible for the officers to arrest him in order to win their sympathy. Although he knows all of them were curious as to why he allowed himself to be arrested, none of them dared to ask him anything for fear of being observed doing so by their supervisors. But he had planted the seed: "You are one of us" was the message. "I'm showing you I'm here and that it is ok for you to be here too. No police officer wants to be the first to enter this arena. If one does, then others will feel more comfortable." Even if they can't yet physically enter the protests, they can begin to identify with them through Captain Lewis.
He believes that a whole new dynamic between police and protestors is possible. He has expressed his views in the General Assembly of New York City. Like everyone else he is careful not to force his opinions or offend anyone else. "I come and leave inconspicuously, anonymously. I never asked who the leaders or the goals are. I just did my own individual protest and I only express my opinions when I'm asked to."
He believes that the police are susceptible to the cause of the Occupy Movement because things have grown difficult for them and their families over the years as well. "When I first joined the police we had lifetime health care. Then it went down to 3 years of healthcare after you retire. Now they are currently in negotiations to make it zero. The police know that. Ten years ago we didn't have as much money deducted from our paycheck to support our pensions as officers do now. New recruits are having more money deducted from their weekly paycheck to get the same pension as the old timers are getting. We always got at least a cost of living increase in salary. Now there is no pay raises, not even a cost of living. As you can see the economic problems in this country also affect the police."
Expressing anger with the police will not help the movement according to Captain Lewis. He believes that the police will dig their own grave by pepper spraying innocent people. "No one on Main Street America believed that the people at UC Davis deserved to be pepper sprayed. That sociopathic cop contributed to the movement's cause beyond his wildest imagination. Any brutality against peaceful people will put Main Street America on the side of the movement. However if America sees the protesters fighting back against the police, they will assume that the protestors started it and that the use of brutality will be justified.
His advice for those who agree with his insights is simple. "Go to the barricades where the police are and express your hard feelings without screaming. Keep it short, 3 or 4 minutes. Start politely with something like, "good morning, officer, I would like to tell you why I'm here." They won't even look up at you. They are trained not to be distracted, but they will hear you and they will hear your respect. They will hear your suffering and your family's suffering. And this is a very important message for them to hear. I understand that it takes a lot self-discipline and a lot of will power to control one's rage and anger with injustice, but what's more important? To vent your frustrations or to help the movement? There are millions of Americans like the police who are open to changing the system. They will be supportive if they can relate to the messenger."
Captain Lewis and his radical friends used to protest against The Vietnam War. He had long hair in the 70's, which he shaved off in order to join the police force so as to change the system from within. His friends were supposed to do the same with him but he was the only one who followed through on it. He feels he has the experience of having been on both sides of the barriers. He understands the mind of a police officer and can share that knowledge with protesters. He realizes that many protestors may be frustrated and angry with the police because they see them as protectors of the 1% and so they share their anger and frustration with the police rather than with the 1%. Captain Lewis believes that there is a tremendous amount of potential to get the police to support the Occupy Movement which should not be wasted. He personally believes that without their acceptance and support that the movement will not be fully successful.
Captain Lewis does not watch TV or read newspapers because they represent corporate America. He gets his news from the internet where there are millions of true Occupy stories. The videos he saw online inspired him. He said he would not be able to feel comfortable with himself had he not joined the movement after witnessing the protests online. He had wanted to visit Liberty Plaza sooner however he was occupied with something no less important at his home in upstate New York. "Fracking is a major issue. Corporate America is raping the earth." He organized a grass roots campaign in his highly conservative town, with barely a dozen neighbors, to replace two incumbent Republicans with two members of the community who had no political experience but who were anti-fracking. He stood for 12 hours outside the polling station handing out leaflets on Tuesday November 8th. He didn't take a single break, because he was determined not to lose a single vote. He was afraid that the vote would be close however it wasn't. They shocked the town by wining 2 to 1. The following Monday he came to New York City and he was shocked again to learn that Liberty Plaza had been violently evicted.
On N17 Captain Lewis carried a sign that read, "NYPD watch Inside Job and join us." He closely watched the interaction between the NYPD and the protesters that day. He wondered why white shirt cops engaged in the fight when their mission is supposed to be to supervise? He also wondered who was supervising since the supervisors were engaged in the fight! He believed that this was a bad example to set for the other officers. He was inspired by the moral character and dedication of the protestors toward social justice and freedom. "They inspired me to get arrested. They gave up their freedom for justice." In spite of all the medals on his uniform, Captain Lewis doesn't hesitate to say that the moment he crossed the line of protesters and was handcuffed was the proudest of his life.
He did not resist arrest. In fact he made it as easy as possible for the officers to arrest him in order to win their sympathy. Although he knows all of them were curious as to why he allowed himself to be arrested, none of them dared to ask him anything for fear of being observed doing so by their supervisors. But he had planted the seed: "You are one of us" was the message. "I'm showing you I'm here and that it is ok for you to be here too. No police officer wants to be the first to enter this arena. If one does, then others will feel more comfortable." Even if they can't yet physically enter the protests, they can begin to identify with them through Captain Lewis.
He believes that a whole new dynamic between police and protestors is possible. He has expressed his views in the General Assembly of New York City. Like everyone else he is careful not to force his opinions or offend anyone else. "I come and leave inconspicuously, anonymously. I never asked who the leaders or the goals are. I just did my own individual protest and I only express my opinions when I'm asked to."
He believes that the police are susceptible to the cause of the Occupy Movement because things have grown difficult for them and their families over the years as well. "When I first joined the police we had lifetime health care. Then it went down to 3 years of healthcare after you retire. Now they are currently in negotiations to make it zero. The police know that. Ten years ago we didn't have as much money deducted from our paycheck to support our pensions as officers do now. New recruits are having more money deducted from their weekly paycheck to get the same pension as the old timers are getting. We always got at least a cost of living increase in salary. Now there is no pay raises, not even a cost of living. As you can see the economic problems in this country also affect the police."
Expressing anger with the police will not help the movement according to Captain Lewis. He believes that the police will dig their own grave by pepper spraying innocent people. "No one on Main Street America believed that the people at UC Davis deserved to be pepper sprayed. That sociopathic cop contributed to the movement's cause beyond his wildest imagination. Any brutality against peaceful people will put Main Street America on the side of the movement. However if America sees the protesters fighting back against the police, they will assume that the protestors started it and that the use of brutality will be justified.
His advice for those who agree with his insights is simple. "Go to the barricades where the police are and express your hard feelings without screaming. Keep it short, 3 or 4 minutes. Start politely with something like, "good morning, officer, I would like to tell you why I'm here." They won't even look up at you. They are trained not to be distracted, but they will hear you and they will hear your respect. They will hear your suffering and your family's suffering. And this is a very important message for them to hear. I understand that it takes a lot self-discipline and a lot of will power to control one's rage and anger with injustice, but what's more important? To vent your frustrations or to help the movement? There are millions of Americans like the police who are open to changing the system. They will be supportive if they can relate to the messenger."
"Let me issue and control a nation's money and I care not who writes the laws. - Mayer Rothschild
"Civil disobedience is not our problem. Our problem is civil obedience! People are obedient in the face of poverty, starvation, stupidity, war, and cruelty. Our problem is that grand thieves are running the country. That's our problem!" - Howard Zinn
"If there is no struggle there is no progress. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and never will" - Frederick Douglass
"Civil disobedience is not our problem. Our problem is civil obedience! People are obedient in the face of poverty, starvation, stupidity, war, and cruelty. Our problem is that grand thieves are running the country. That's our problem!" - Howard Zinn
"If there is no struggle there is no progress. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and never will" - Frederick Douglass