Mike Davis advises Occupy protesters

Historian, activist and sometimes controversial author Mike Davis identifies with the anti-Wall Street protests in a piece for FourStory that includes historical references to post-World War II labor actions and refers "an unholy alliance of arrogant bankers, sneering stockbrokers, and 'liberal' Democratic mayors, as in L.A., Portland, Seattle and Atlanta."

Few events in a young activist’s life are as memorably disturbing as the first time you look into cop’s eyes a few anxious inches from your face and find only robotic murderous hatred staring back at you.

In my day this dehumanizing fury had usually been programmed somewhere in Vietnam’s Central Highlands or Mekong Delta. Today it was likely implanted in a place called Fallujah or Kandahar.

No doubt it is an important rite of passage to a fuller humanity to become, at least for a few terrifying moments, just another Indian.

But—ouch—I’m not very brave and don’t like being clubbed, pummeled, tightly handcuffed, or dragged by my hair (one reason, I suppose, why I’ve always worn a crewcut).

Also at FourStory: Journalist Rebecca Schoenkopf defends Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa against his critics. Lede: "I know exactly when all y’all started to hate LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa: it was when he left his wife for that hot piece Mirthala Salinas. I have no idea how you could blame him for that. Did you see her? I would have left my wife for her too! (And so would you, you big liar.)"