Occupy ...more problems, no solutions.

I do read the newspaper each morning, and sometimes after reading on a subject, I hit the major news sites on the net to see what is up. I was hoping the "Occupy Wall Street" people would come up with some ideas. Just complaining about something won't make it better. Try saying to your kid,  "Your room is dirty" and staring at them...how fast do you think anything will change???? Right, never. The other issue I have with it, is that "share the wealth" idea is way too communistic for me.

My solution? Maybe it is as simple as "lower your prices". Maybe just making a billion instead of 5 billion profit would be good. See how easy that was, I didn't have to leave my home to come up with a suggestion.....I also didn't have to do the things that people in places like Oakland and Atlanta did. They ended up having to be removed. Because they were speaking out? No not at all, there still are many groups out there doing their "occupy" thing without any problems. So what happened?

There is ALWAYS, and I mean ALWAYS a person or group , who will take a good thing and ruin it. There is ALWAYS a person or group who will find their way around the rules, mores of society, and structure to get what is in it for them. There is ALWAYS a lazy person or group who takes the rewards and doesn't do a thing for them. That applies to "occupy" groups.

There are HUNDREDS of small businesses who have had their business profits lessened, buildings damaged or temporarily closed (and yes they are also the 99% by the way), because people either don't want to walk through the protesters or cannot. Roadblocks (to keep people from trampling protestors) are keeping people out of these businesses. Fear of being in the middle of a mob when it suddenly goes bad is also keeping people away from small businesses that are stuck in the  middle of "occupy" groups. This is not in every city, but it is happening , too often and just one small business being harmed is just too many.

Many small businesses are also reporting physical damage. From small accidental breakage to things that come as ridiculous. One lady who allowed protesters to use her bathroom in her restaurant, ended up with her sink ripped off of her wall, by the same people she was trying to help. They were just messing around, not trying to "harm" her, but they ruined her bathroom. She is one of the 99%

Huge sanitation issues exist. Many of these areas are being cleared out because they smell of human waste. One officer said he had not even seen that much of a mess, even on New Year's Eve. Sidewalks, grass, shrubs, doorways, and stairwells all fouled with urine, feces and vomit. All on the property of the 99%. This isn't just unpleasant, but unhealthy.

Drug and alcohol issues. Probably the reason for the high sanitation issues. Fights having to be broken up, and people needing medical attention due to drugs and alcohol. This brings up ANOTHER issue. Due to the mess and number of people, it is almost impossible to get emergency personnel quickly to people in the larger groups.

Garbage.....people sitting around in one spot for weeks make a lot of garbage.  They also throw off bottles and such that have been used as weapons. They are making a mess when they are in any neighborhood, and a HUGE mess when in a residential neighborhood. Making a mess on the property of the 99%.

Then there are the jerks....throwing fireworks at police when they come to patrol and check on things. Defacing property. Attacking others in the group. Theft. It only takes one or two jerks to ruin it for the group.

Protesters are complaining that homeless people with mental issues, drunks and drug addicts are filtering in to hide. Really? And you didn't see that coming????

Then there are those who get a little too much alcohol or have "crowd muscles" develop and attack police. I guess they think they will look good to idiots who say "Oh look at the bad cops". This isn't the 60's. WAKE UP! Not only are there more stringent penalties for officers, they carry recorders, both audio and video, ever since the 80's in most big cities. When you resist, say dumb things, throw firecrackers, or bottles, I can guarantee you, your life is about to go sideways, and well it should.

Then there is the group in a residential neighborhood that was drumming all night. Now I like drumming, but I doubt that the people in the houses around me would be too fond of it at 2 AM. Not to mention it is illegal, it is called disturbing the peace, or making a public nuisance.

They made their point, now it is time to pack it up. They are harming their 99% they so claim to love, not the president of Exxon. He is laughing his butt off.  They probably don't care that some are going to jail, as those who do aren't really part of the original idea anyway, and are most likely the "camp troublemakers", but still, they harm others, and make the cause look bad. Until they come up with an idea, a good idea, they need to stop causing health and safety issues, and stop causing harm and damage to people and property. Many cities are now dispersing the groups that have popped up. The mess that is left behind is disgusting. I think there was less mess after Woodstock.

Sometimes it just becomes something bigger than what it was originally intended to be, and that "bigger" isn't always better.

One friend commented.....they worry about the money out of the poor man's pocket. Who do they think is paying taxes to empty the garbage, protect them, pay police overtime, provide medical care? They have just cost themselves more than they profess they can afford. When their taxes go up next year to pay for all of their mess, they will just start complaining all over again.

As I said the other day.....are you part of the solution or part of the problem????

Complaining does nothing. Having good, sound, viable solutions changes the world.

Wall Street needs to change, but does ruining small businesses,making a mess, causing unsanitary conditions, doing damage, disturbing the peace and attacking people make it better? Uh no, it makes it WORSE.



Peshaui Wequashimese

(C)2011 Dr. R M Wolf. May not be used, copied or reproduced without prior written permission.