Thursday, November 3, 2011

"Occupy" movement - where is the limit on hurting other people?

I wrote about  "Occupiers Of Wall Street - Listening - And Educating" on October 18th.

Yes, they are expressing their free speech rights, but does that include hurting others and running up big bills?

They are asking for benefits and compassion, yet hurting businesses and costing them and the cities hundreds of thousands of dollars.

They even shut down the Port of Oakland, depriving fellow "99%ers" from their daily wages. 

Yes, there must be listened to and there must be free speech, but we must draw the line at other people being hurt and the damage that is being caused. 

I believe that a true leader is needed here, who will be the compassionate but wise adult in the room.  We should have a President who steps up to the plate, even if there is political advantage for him in repeating his 1% against the 99% theme and inciting voters to go to him.

He has an ethical choice here

To do what is best for the nation or
To do what is best for his election

A full blown speech and "talking to" is merited here - one that does not exploit the politics but encourages solution and cooperation.  The President has been light on both, although he advocated them in his campaign speeches, as is pointed out in the chronicling of the President's moves in Ron Suskind's book Confidence Men.

Such a speech would express compassion (a good thing to show to be reelected) and understanding, laying out their concerns and pointing out that particular races, creeds, and types should not be blamed but that the system has to be fixed to support what works.  And then he needs to lay out what will be done and can be done, calling on them to seek positive solutions and to be responsible for producing results as productive citizens operating without blame.

Is there an adult in the room?   Will we draw a line between where someone can flail their arms and where they are hitting us in the nose (beyond the boundary of no harm)?

Will we begin to have an adult conversation that is absolutely necessary and will lead us further to creating a strong America, with each citizen stepping up to pitch in?   If so, we can have a great future.  If not, then...

I hope there is a rational choice made here.

The Rational NonPolitician
(www.thenonpolitician.homestead.com )

I voted for Obama (see the site for why) and I had hoped he would do what he said he would do.  But now all fact finding points to his not following through on his promises plus being unable to govern nor to have the perspective to be able to make the right choices.  Unfortunately, "on the job training" is not effective for a President.  

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