The first time we had riot control training while I was in the Guard, one of the first questions that was asked was can we withdraw from the line and/or stack if we see our own relatives on the other side of the barricade? What do we do if children are involved? How violent are we allowed to be if we're attacked? etc. And then we all mustered out in full riot gear to rehearse some maneuvers with the refs telling us to act like it was the real thing or we'd fail the exercise and have to do it over and over again, with us giggling at each other like girly teenage mall rats in a dressing room because we all looked so "bad ass dangerous and intimidating". Some guys from the unit were acting as agitators, throwing shit (not literally) swearing, taunting, trying to get someone to break the line and charge them. It seemed so surreal that we'd be tasked to do that kind of thing, to tear gas, pepper spray and shoot our friends, neighbors and fellow citizens with bean bags and rubber bullets. OK, well there were a few psychos amongst our midst that would actually enjoy having a few days and nights like that, but still, what with being brought up from childhood that the Aloha Spirit is what binds us all together as Islanders from Hawaii, it just felt like it wasn't the pono (righteous) thing to do.
Well sure, it's whole 'nother thing actually being in the shit, but there's always that question in the back of the mind of how your conscience is going to compel you to behave once you're face to face with a fellow Hawaiian and following orders is as immutable as death. I decided to be as humane as possible up to the point where me and my buddy's lives were imminently at stake. Never know until it actually goes down....