This morning after weeks of disturbing the peace, creating unsanitary conditions at privately owned Zuccotti park, the pseudo-rights movement that has called itself "Occupy Wallstreet" has been evicted. This movement literally took over a privately owned park in order to show support for the so called "99%" while at the same time protesting banks. At first, many saw this movement as a voice for Americans who are going through a hard economic recession. However, as time went on all began to see that this gathering was nothing more than a modern "Woodstock" of young college age people imitating the counter-culture revolutionaries of the 1960's that called themselves "Hippies."
The group did not seem to have a clear message or goal. It was a mix of Anti-Capitalists, Anarchists, Students upset with tuition hikes, the Unemployed, and just people who wanted to present other progressive issues of the Pro-abortion and LGBT variety.
The park became an encampment where people squatted, squandered, defecated, urinated, dumped garbage, had sex and even committed crimes against each other such as theft and sexual assault. The neighbors complained greatly. One business had to fire employees because no one was doing business with them. Residents complained of the smell, unsanitary conditions, loud drumming, music, and commotion heard when large crowds form.
Why this was all allowed to go on is beyond me. Mayor Bloomberg gets a big F for that. Had it been Mayor Giuliani, he would have had the water cannons aimed and ready to wash those crowds away.
It appears Michael Bloomberg misinterpreted the First Amendment by thinking that "Freedom to Assemble, Freedom of Speech and Expression" meant to take over a park, and set up an encampment to squat, disturb the peace, commit crimes and pollute.
The First Amendment does not mention the right to pitch a tent in a park or break laws as free speech. This Amendment does not mean people have the right to do whatever they want at the expense of others.
This Amendment was an answer to the hardships early settlers faced in Europe where they could not speak freely, express themselves freely, assemble freely, or even have their own religion freely.
I understand that the world is going through a recession. I understand that people are unemployed, prices for basic things are too high, things are a mess; however, taking over a park, sleeping in it, making noise and polluting a neighborhood will not fix anything.
Kudos to NYC, and the NYPD for finally taking action to defend the Common Good.
Imagine if someone went into your backyard and set up a camp in the name of "Free Speech and Assembly?" How would you feel?
These ideas unfortunately are irresponsibly instilled in young people. It is not news that most Colleges and Universities foster an atmosphere of Dissent, Liberalism, Progressivism, and that Professors far too often pontificate to students on these views rather than educate them.
College courses should be about the curriculum, not the Professor's views. We do not pay high tuition to hear a professor try to convince us why Liberalism is better than Conservatism, why Pro-Abortion and Pro-LGBT rhetoric is more reflective of a civilized society rather than Pro-Life or Traditional Family views; or why Humanism and Secularism should replace "archaic bronze age" religion and ideas about God and morals. I will touch on this issue in future blog.
My advice to Occupy Wall Street or "#OWS is to be patient. When things hit the bottom, there is only one way to go and that is up. This nation and this world will come around sooner or later.
We are Americans and no challenge is too great for us. We often say with pride that we are the Land of the Free, but we forget that we are also the Land of the Brave. So hang in there, we will defeat this recession. America and the world economy will bounce back. Just have Faith, it can move mountains.
