Riot Reunion

The Tribune is picking up on the upcoming event:

• The violent clashes between police and protesters during the 1968 Democratic National Convention aren't typically considered proud moments in Chicago history.
  
  But some members of the Fraternal Order of Police want to change that. On June 26, the Chicago police union will hold a "Chicago Riot Cops Reunion" at its hall to set straight "what really happened," according to the reunion's Web site.
  
  "The only thing that stood between Marxist street thugs and public order was a thin blue line of dedicated, tough Chicago police officers," the Web site says. "Chicago police officers who participated in the riots continue to endure unending criticism -- all of which is unwarranted, inaccurate and wrong."

Most polls taken at the time showed widespread support for the police actions that week. It was only with the passing of time and a politically motivated witch hunt that blame was affixed to a supposed "police riot." Not mentioned anywhere were the months of threats by yippie and hippie groups, the outright provocations, the bags of urine and feces hurled at police. The entire event was rewritten as some heroic struggle against the system instead of a bunch of overly rich spoiled college anarchists intent on being as disruptive as possible.

Our predecessors still have our utmost respect for the fine job they did in 1968. Full info on the reunion over at this link.