It’s getting ugly out there. The Occupy mobs are getting bolder and bolder in their shows of strength — vehemently asserting their right to flout the laws, forcefully proclaiming that their rights to protest as they see fit trumps all laws and all others’ rights. The latest example: the Occupy DC crowd. There, they found out that a group who believes differently — the attendees of the Americans For Prosperity event. The Occupy barbarians figured the best way to counter the arguments of the AFP folks was to besiege the hotel. When they couldn’t get in, they fell back on Plan B — keep the attendees from leaving. They blocked the doors, trapping the attendees within — and brought children with them, placing them in the path of the doors’ travel.
Meanwhile, in Boston, the Occupy thugs made a rather remarkable leap of logic: they’re against “big business” and especially “big banks.” So they decided to take that message to, of all places, the Israeli Consulate. Good thing they didn’t actually invade the Consulate proper; that’s sovereign Israeli territory. As in, “you’ve just left the United States, and committed a crime against and within the state of Israel.”
The authorities, by tolerating these abuses, are sending two very bad messages out to the vast majority of people who aren’t protesting. The first is, these tactics are now acceptable. If you want to protest something, and you feel strongly about it, then you can freely violate the law and the rights of others to demand your own way. Just make it clear from the outset that you have no intention of following any of the existing rules for protests, and you will be given a pass on all you do.
The other is more subtle, but far more dangerous: if you happen to be the target of these mobs, or simply happen to get in their way, the authorities will not protect you. They will not break up the mobs, they will not enforce laws against trespassing, obstructing traffic, illegal detainment, assault, child endangerment, or even public sanitation ordinances. So should you find yourself on the wrong side of one of these mobs, be prepared to defend yourself and those around you — because calling 911 will do about as much good as clapping for Tinker Bell or clicking your heels together and chanting “there’s no place like home.”
This is what the breakdown of democracy looks like. This is the face of anarchy and mob rule. This is where civilization ends and the Law of the Jungle reasserts itself.
That’s how it is, folks. We didn’t create it, we don’t have to like it, but we have to live with it.
