There is a news article there about mayor Bloomberg pretty much saying the occupiers need to leave for a while and let some repairs and cleaning be made. He did this not out of an outbreak of sanity on his part, but because the private owners of the park, who have generously opened the park to public, have requested city aid in maintaining the park. Here is the letter. I hope. Trying this embedding thing...
Brookfield's Letter to NYPD asking to "clear" Zuccotti Park of Occupy Wall Street protesters
Hah. Works. Awesome.
Now, note the date the letter was sent. The eleventh. Today is the 13th. Yesterday, (the twelfth... just case you were confused) The mayor replied with this.
Deputy Mayor Holloway's Statement about Mayor Bloomberg and Zuccotti Park
Now... I agree, we have the right to free speech. In fact, I shall paste the First Amendment here, for our shared perusal. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
Let us consider a few things. One... The right to peaceably assemble does not negate the right to protect or keep private property free of trespassers. Any private property has the right to remove those that the owners do not want on their property. You may protest in the street, on the sidewalks, and in a city owned park, fine. But this park is privately owned, and, by the kindness of the company, is allowing public access. Two... the right to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Hrm. You know, these old farts writing the amendments... I think they may have know a thing or to about petitioning for a redress of grievances. May have done it, once or twice... you know. Just a few times. Hrm... wonder what that looks like.
Wait.... wasn't there something they wrote which listed exactly what they didn't like about being under King George III? Oh yeah... that pesky little Declaration of Independence, which they list 27... 27... hold on... let me say it one more time 27 separate and SPECIFIC issues that the Colonies had with King George III laws and his ruling of the empire in DIRECT RELATION to the colonies. And, right after listing these issues they said, just to be clear, that "In every stage of these Oppressions we have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble Terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated Injury." How... compared to the Occupiers, these old farts were patient. Cause... I don't even know what the Occupiers are wanting to change beyond "Government corruption," and "Capitalism." Very... non specific, those desires are.
Now... you may ask, "But why are you on their case? You said you support the First Amendment!" And I do. But let me ask you this... Inhabiting a park for three weeks, in which there is trash overflow, sex, drugs, loud chanting at night, harassment of local business and residents, and defecating on a COP CAR peaceful? Or, to put it this way, sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these? I would say no. I would argue that a peaceful assembly would have an area for a speaker to get up and speak, maybe some signs, maybe even songs and chanting... during daylight hours. With respect towards all. With love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Nor should there ever be.
There is a vital difference between a protest against the government, and an all out rebellion against the lawful establishment. But may I remind you that it took 27 separate and specific abuses of power over the colonies for there to be an agreement that "We must, therefore, acquiesce in the Necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of Mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace, Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the World for the Rectitude of our Intentions, do, in the Name, and by the Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly Publish and Declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be, Free and Independent States; that they are absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political Connection between them and the State of Great-Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm Reliance on the Protection of the divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."
Protest. Go ahead, its allowed. It is even a good thing, I dare say. But do it with Class, Responsibility, and Care. Remember, you are upset at others destroying whats yours? You are destroying what is theirs. Double standards won't get you anywhere.
Back to where I started. Come Friday, the occupiers must de-camp (I am not sure of this is being done in portions, or as a whole) and allow the cleaning crew in. One wonders if they will assist in cleaning up after themselves or not, and I hope they will. One also wonders if they will protest against the move. I found this news on The Blaze and Fox.com, but as of 11:00 am CST, its not on CNN.com, MSNBC.com, or the Huffington post. Reuters has an article suggesting that the protesters will resist a cleanup effort from the owners of the park and city workers. As a fellow American, I ask that the protesters across the US respect the law, respect the property they are on, and allow the sanitary workers to do their jobs.
Anyway. That's my two cents.
(This post has been edited. The edits were purely typographical in nature.)
(This post has been edited. The edits were purely typographical in nature.)
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