Portland: protesters' outrage grows over federal officers' 'blatant abuse'

[Nevilledog]

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jul/19/portland-police-federal-agents-protest

Juniper Simonis was drawing a line in chalk in front of a federal building on a recent Friday in Portland, Oregon, to mark the property’s boundary and thus where they could protest. Then they felt a hand on their elbow.

Simonis, 35, who uses they/them pronouns, was in an area that has been a hotspot for anti-racist and anti-police brutality protests. They were suddenly surrounded by federal officers. Their service dog, needed for their PTSD, was pulled away. They were handcuffed and maced.

“Wallace is like my wheelchair or my insulin pump,” Simonis, a quantitative ecologist, told the Guardian. “Yes, he’s a puppy dog, but I can’t live without him.”

Simonis said it took an hour before they were read their Miranda rights and told they were being charged with spray-painting federal property.

For the next nine hours, they said, they were held in a cell in the basement of a federal courthouse, with no potable water. Despite repeatedly requesting a lawyer, they were questioned by federal officers, including a special agent from the Federal Protective Service, the security police division of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

*snip*

[stonecutter357]

1. time to move the protest to these thug PIG COPS front yard !

[tblue37]

2. K&R for visibility. nt

[Skittles]

3. "who uses they/them pronouns?

what does that even mean?

[gratuitous]

4. A choice some people make instead of he/him or she/her

I think the term of art is gender non-specific.

[AnotherMother4Peace]

5. I was thinking she was referring to her & her service dog, because they are always together. nt

[Tipperary]

8. No.

Wrong.

[AnotherMother4Peace]

10. How do you know I'm wrong? You don't even know what a quantitative ecologist is.

"Quantitative ecology is the application of advanced mathematical and statistical tools to any number of problems in the field of ecology. It is a small but growing subfield in ecology, reflecting the demand among practicing ecologists to interpret ever larger and more complex data sets using quantitative reasoning."

Sounds like an important field of study.

[obamanut2012]

16. because you afre wrong

Juniper explicitly IDs as NB.

Juniper is not a service animal.

JFC that place sometimes.

[AnotherMother4Peace]

20. Of course Juniper is not a service animal. Wallace is her service dog. They are

inseparable. She depends on him like a diabetic would on an insulin pump.

I thought she could possibly be referring to the both of them.

NB is a new term to me. I can see that this might be the reason for the reference.

Thanks.

edit: were to that

[obamanut2012]

14. that is so insulting

jfc

[AnotherMother4Peace]

19. Why is it insulting? His/Her answer to me was "No" "Wrong" rather curt & rude.

[MissB]

17. No. It's a reference to how Juniper wants to be addressed.

So instead of saying she has a dog, you would say that they have a dog.

Instead of saying she had red hair, you’d say they have red hair.

It’s not just a Portland thing although it’s rather well embraced around here. Many signature lines in professional emails state these preferences.

[AnotherMother4Peace]

22. Thank you for that explanation. It is good to be educated.

That is what I so loved about Harvey Milk. He was so patient, while at the same time being bad ass. He knew it was about educating people.

I always reflect this quote of his: "You must tell your friends if indeed they are your friends. You must tell the people you work with. You must tell the people in the stores you shop in. Once they realize that we are indeed their children, that we are indeed everywhere, every myth, every lie, every innuendo will be destroyed once and all."

[Orangepeel]

6. It means that Juniper Simonis wants to be referred to as "they"

rather than as "she" or "he"

Likely because they don't identify as either female or male, but there might be other reasons, including support for others who don't

[obamanut2012]

13. Many, many non-binary people

Including me.

It is 2020, and this is literally nothing new or trendy.

[Skittles]

15. I guess I have never seen it stated in a news article

[csziggy]

21. I've only learned of that use in the last several months

But I am glad to see that it is an option now recognized by at least some media. I like that there is a defined way to talk about someone when there is no obvious gender identity.

[Skittles]

24. well, maybe it can become the default

that would be OK with me for sure

[csziggy]

27. It reminds me when "Ms" came into use for women

I happily took to it since I am not a "Miss" since I am married, but I am also not a Mrs." since I do not use my husband's surname. "Ms" is the appropriate title for me.

It didn't hurt that I grew up in the South where "Miz" was and still is common usage by many for any woman no matter their marital status or age.

[Skittles]

28. yes I remember when MS came on the scene

I too liked it, because men's marital status was not identified by MR so it was only fair that women could be addressed in a way that did not identify marital status!

[MissB]

18. It's still newish.

It’s only been about two years that I’ve seen it in signature lines on emails. Our employer encourages listing our preferences in our signature line.

But before that? It really wasn’t that prevalent. I try to give my elders some kind leeway and explain when the subject comes up because they may not have encountered it yet in their social circles. I assume folks can learn, as I did.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

31. I use they / them

To me it's because I have no gender,yet my gender is fluid, and I am transgendered and a partial post op. And I am many people inside many genders many selves.
They them pronouns are about identity..

[Tipperary]

7. What is a "quantitative ecologist?"

And why would one bring their dog into such a situation?

[Skittles]

9. that was going to be my next question

[AnotherMother4Peace]

12. Quantitative ecology is the application of advanced mathematical and statistical tools to

any number of problems in the field of ecology. It is a small but growing subfield in ecology, reflecting the demand among practicing ecologists to interpret ever larger and more complex data sets using quantitative reasoning.

This sounds like a very nerdy & important field of study. It sounds like a field my brilliant friend with Asperger's would love.

[Skittles]

29. I would like to know what that means in layman's terms

like, maybe an example of how it is used

I guess I need to research.

[AnotherMother4Peace]

11. It is a service dog. Should we not be able to bring our service animals to peaceful protests?

She was delineating areas of property: fed, public, etc., with chalk. According to the article she was suddenly manhandled.

[TryLogic]

23. I am appalled that the comments are about "they" rather than about the despicable abuse perpetrated

by Barr's and Trump's SS/Gastopo.

[OMGWTF]

25. X 1,000. Stay on topic people!

[CCExile]

26. Why should ANYONE obey

commands from UNMARKED, and therefore unidentifiable, persons? How would we know that they are not just militia clowns? Or hired bikers having fun? Unknown thugs wearing military garb with NO identifying insignia should be THE FIRST ones arrested by legitimate law enforcement.

[machoneman]

30. I hope they all stop and go home! Like now! Then Trump's SS officers will have nothing to do.

Think we all need to cool it until Election Day and not give Trumpypants the opportunity to send his goons out to harass peaceful protestors.