Scouring Pesky Democratic Stains Off Your City's Walks

A couple days ago I was talking to a friend, wondering how the Occupy movement could keep their protest sites clean, peaceful, healthy and safe, wondering how we could better work with local governments to continue spreading awareness throughout the winter, etc. etc.

But last night (at 1 am) the NYC police showed up to evict protesters with timing and tactics right out of a "How to Throw a Pogram in Your Neighborhood" manual.

Lesson from history:  No matter whose side you're on, whenever a large force armed with weapons and riot gear turn people out on the streets in the middle of the night with only the possessions they can carry, then trash whatever's left--that force will ALWAYS come across as the badguy.

This is America. We shouldn't be treating our citizens like a rat infestation.

In the last few days, it seems like the mayors and media have teamed up to put out the message that the Occupy movement is made up of misfits and anarchists. I'm including a video with this blog, which I hope will help remind everyone that the Occupy movement is made up mostly of reasonable students, teachers, seniors, workers, parents, labor unions and others who love their country so much that they won't stand by and let greed destroy it.

And lest any of you politicians out there forget (particularly the ones who order pograms at 1 am), the Occupy movement is made up of VOTERS.

muon

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Hooverville, 2011

I've been following the Occupy movement from Week 1, long before the media even knew they were there and began actively ignoring them. We've now even got an Occupy group in my hometown, though there's no one to protest against here. Corporations pulled jobs out of our area long ago. Main Street never recovered. Our local industries right now seem to be food banks and homeless shelters.

I was struck by a question posed on PBS News Hour's Facebook page today, with a link to an article about Occupy Portland :

"In your opinion, should Occupy protesters be allowed to

stay camped out in public spaces?"

 

The photos with my blog today aren't protesters' tents. They're American tent cities filled with those who've lost their homes. Shanty towns like these are springing up all over the country.

Amazing that the tents of a few Occupy protesters should be so offensive, while the tents and living conditions of our poor are so easy to ignore.

Please consider letting PBS and your government representatives know that protesters camping out is far preferable to seeing our next generation raised in tent cities.

muon