The GOPNet

In the last few days events in Oakland California during protests by the “Occupy Oakland” group have led to violence by those protestors. This violence has resulted in injuries, damage to private property and to the arrest of many of the protesters.

We at TheGOPNet recognize that the First Amendment of the Constitution United States of America allows for each and all of us the freedom of speech. We also recognize this freedom, as all of our freedoms, to be one of constraint, as has been defined by law. As a nation who has set forth our freedoms, defined by our laws, we believe in that rule of law.

While we do understand times and events may call for civil disobedience to promote a belief and expose injustice, we also understand there are those who are responsible for enforcing our laws and everyone must abide by those laws, or be prepared to pay the price for their decision not to.

To allow those, who in the name of injustice, violate our laws with impunity, belittles what our founding fathers created, a nation built on the political process, where we as citizens use the ballot box, not violence or anarchy to decide the rules of our society.

Politicians in Oakland, rather than abide and call for enforcement of the the rule of law they have taken an oath to uphold, have decided to take advantage of the current situation to their benefit, supporting the protesters at times, then deriding our law enforcement when they perceive the opportunity best for their political gain.

We at TheGOPNet are proud to support our law enforcement officers and we recognize their efforts in providing for our safety and preserving our rights to lawfully assemble and protest. We stand by the members of the Oakland Police Department during these difficult times and recognize them for what they are, the ultimate professionals, dedicated to enforcing the law, that we as citizens, have set forth through our democratic process.

We ask you to show your support by signing this petition, telling the Oakland police officers, those men and women on the ground, in the streets everyday, doing what we ask them to do. And thank them for the job they are doing, regardless of the political games.

The following is a letter from Dominique Arotzarena, President of the Oakland Police Officers Association:

An Open Letter to the Citizens of Oakland from the Oakland Police Officers’ Association
1 November 2011 – Oakland, Ca.

We represent the 645 police officers who work hard every day to protect the citizens of Oakland. We, too, are the 99% fighting for better working conditions, fair treatment and the ability to provide a living for our children and families. We are severely understaffed with many City beats remaining unprotected by police during the day and evening hours.

As your police officers, we are confused.

On Tuesday, October 25th, we were ordered by Mayor Quan to clear out the encampments at Frank Ogawa Plaza and to keep protesters out of the Plaza. We performed the job that the Mayor’s Administration asked us to do, being fully aware that past protests in Oakland have resulted in rioting, violence and destruction of property.

Then, on Wednesday, October 26th, the Mayor allowed protesters back in – to camp out at the very place they were evacuated from the day before.

To add to the confusion, the Administration issued a memo on Friday, October 28th to all City workers in support of the “Stop Work” strike scheduled for Wednesday, giving all employees, except for police officers, permission to take the day off.

That’s hundreds of City workers encouraged to take off work to participate in the protest against “the establishment.” But aren’t the Mayor and her Administration part of the establishment they are paying City employees to protest? Is it the City’s intention to have City employees on both sides of a skirmish line?

It is all very confusing to us.

Meanwhile, a message has been sent to all police officers: Everyone, including those who have the day off, must show up for work on Wednesday. This is also being paid for by Oakland taxpayers. Last week’s events alone cost Oakland taxpayers over $1 million.

The Mayor and her Administration are beefing up police presence for Wednesday’s work strike they are encouraging and even “staffing,” spending hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars for additional police presence – at a time when the Mayor is also asking Oakland residents to vote on an $80 parcel tax to bail out the City’s failing finances.

All of these mixed messages are confusing.

We love Oakland and just want to do our jobs to protect Oakland residents. We respectfully ask the citizens of Oakland to join us in demanding that our City officials, including Mayor Quan, make sound decisions and take responsibility for these decisions. Oakland is struggling – we need real leaders NOW who will step up and lead – not send mixed messages. Thank you for listening.

Dominique Arotzarena

President, Oakland Police Officer’s Association

Editors Note:

We are very concerned by the current situation in Oakland.  As the politicians of the city, particularly Mayor Jean Quan, have consistently failed in their duties to protect the residents of the city, whether through indecision, bad decisions or seeking opportunistic political gain, and have exasperated the situation regarding the Occupy activities, we believe the interest of the city of Oakland would be best served by the immediate resignation of Mayor Quan.

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