Occupation

Since the whole "Occupy" issue has been getting so much attention, I figured I'd add my two cents for what they're worth.

I agree with the occupiers on one count, and one count alone. That is the right, provided for under the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution to peaceably assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. Having said that however, this whole Occupy such and such a place thing has gotten way out of hand. I also think that, from the beginning, the movement has been about a whole lot of nothing.

From the get go, the occupy movement has provided no solid list of demands for the government to address. Sure, people have the right to protest in a peaceful, and orderly manner. But unless they actually give a reason for the protest and possible solutions for the protested body to pursue, it is, to quote the bard, "sound and fury, signifying nothing". Until and unless an actual list of formal demands is presented, demands the government can actually do something about, the occupy movement is meaningless.

I have heard a few of the arguments being provided by the protesters, and let me tell you, they do not give me a warm fuzzy about the condition of this nation. I've heard that many protesters want those who are very well off financially to be forced to give up the money they have earned either through their own hard work, or the hard work of their company and the approval of the people who run the company (the shareholders and board of directors, many of whom are just like you and me) and have it given out to those who can't manage to be as successful. Does that mean that, if I should find myself in a position of having saved a million or so over the years while working my ass off, I should be forced to give up some of that money so that someone who didn't have the same foresight I did can live a life of leasure? I sure hope not. While I'm sure there are some moneyed individuals who were born into their fortunes (which I'm sure their ancestors worked their asses off to achieve), many of today's materially wealthy did in fact work their fingers to the bone for that money. Doesn't seem fair of those less inclined to do a good days work to say someone else should pay their way.

Another thing I heard was that a bunch of these protestors are college students who believe that, because they were unable to get a job in their chosen fields upon graduation, the government should forgive any and all debt they incurred to afford their classes. Could someone please show me where it says in either their loan contract or their college applications, that they were guaranteed a job upon graduation. Where does it say that should they be unable to find such a job, the bank would forfeit on the terms of the agreement, and all should be forgiven? Now, I've never taken a student loan before, but my wife has, and if I ask her, I'm sure she'll tell me there is no such clause. I have however, taken my own share of classes in the hopes of getting into a specific job, and there was never anything in any of the paperwork I filled out or signed, that said I was guaranteed to be hired on in that profession. I realize the job market is filled with more workers than there are jobs. I've had to deal with it myself. But instead of bitching that I deserve such and such a job because of my training and education, I've done what I had to to pay the bills, put food on the table, and keep a roof over our heads, and so has my wife. It isn't fun. It isn't glamorous. But it is necessary, as many of my friends can attest to. So how about, instead of camping out in a park somewhere and complaining over something they have no right to, and that the government really has no control over, go to the nearest temp agency, employment agency or burger joint, and work on getting yourself a job to at least hold you over until you can get the dream job you went to college for.

I've also heard complaints of police brutality against the protestors. Hmmm... is it possible? Sure. It's a tense situation, and anyone who's as stressed out at the cops can screw up. Do I endorse it if the cops overstepped, no. Do I think the protestors and the media (who don't air anything if they don't think they can get good ratings off of it) are exaggerating the case? Sure do. If you've actually been to one of these protests and been on the wrong side of police brutality, I'm sorry. No one should ever have to live through mistreatment at the hands of any arm of the government. If you haven't, and you're just parroting what the news media is piping out, then please shut it. You have no real evidence of what's going on, and what you've seen on tv has most likely been twisted and spun to present as much of a ratings grabbing story as possible. If you have any kind of intelligence, you have to realize that those stories can be, and most often are, edited in any way possible to show only the side of the story that the media network's execs want it to. What's that saying? There are always three sides of every story... yours, theirs, and the truth. Or, as a wise Vorlon once said, the truth is a three edged sword.

Finally, to the people who actually did participate in the protests... clean up your act. You've been camping on public land for weeks now, monopolizing it's use, scaring children, and keeping other people from enjoying what should be a nice serene place for people to unwind in the middle of the vast urban jungle. When you leave, it is only polite that you clean up behind you. Pick up your trash, your empty bottles and coffee cups, your used wrappers. Take your bodily refuse with you. Leave your campsite in as good or better condition that when you got there. Do you treat your home, your friends' place, your parents' place, with such utter disrespect? Do you show up to a family event, toss half eaten food on the floor and shit in places even the dog knows better than to make a mess? I honestly can't believe that you do. So why on the gods' green earth, would you treat a public park in that manner? Is it because it's a government created area? Guess what folks... that park you just thoroughly defiled was paid for not out of some private government fund, but by the taxes paid by folks like you and me who live by the sweat of our brows. In essence, you did just shit in your parents', and your friends', and your neighbors' back yards.

To recap: I do believe the people have a right to assemble peaceably, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances, but this isn't the way to get it done. I don't believe the protestors even have half a clue what they're protesting, or how to fix it. I don't believe that the few things that actually have been demanded, are things the protestors even have the right to demand. I do believe that the police have used force in some cases, to either control or remove protestors, and that in some cases, it may have been excessive, though I have no first hand experience to say for sure. I don't believe that those excessive uses have been as bad as some people claim. I do believe that a large number, if not all, of those who have participated in the protests are disrespectful and lazy, and simply want an excuse to not do their fair share. And I fervently do not believe that what's needed is violence and bloodshed. A change of government, yes. People in control who look beyond the broken two party system, yes. People who recognize the sovereign right of the people to live their lives the way they choose, most definitely. But using violence will not bring that about.

Anyone care to comment?