Jake Tapper at ABC News taped an interview with President Obama to air tonight (Tuesday - 10/18/2011). In the interview President Obama states “The Occupy Wall Street movement is not that different than Tea Party”. ( http://abcn.ws/nZiDAB )
REALLY?
Let’s look at that. If told by authorities, a Tea Party event was unlawful, the event would be moved and or rescheduled and we’d all go on about our business. Oh, wait a minute. The Tea Party organizers would have a lawful permit and respect private property rights. If told by authorities individuals at a Tea Party event were engaging in unlawful activities, those individuals would stop those activities. If not, they’d be asked to leave. Short of that, they’d be ostracized by the event goers and organizers.
Did the OWS crowds peacefully disband and leave so the privately owned park could be cleaned? No, they did not. Have the OWS crowd peacefully and lawfully expressed themselves? With over 700 arrests, that answer is clear.
How many Tea Part events have been conducted without proper permits? None that I know of. How many Tea Party events had run-ins with local law enforcement? Again, none that I know of. I’m sure the Main-Stream Press would have been all over that event. It would have been a 48-hour, never-ending news story. What about arrests at Tea Party events? One, two, three? Don’t know, can’t say. I haven’t seen any news stories. But again, I’m sure the MSM would have been all over that news story as well.
So what’s my point? Beyond my exasperation at the President’s comments, the only thing I have in common with the OWS crowd is exercising my right of free speech.
I know why I’m a Tea Party believer and participant – A smaller, less intrusive federal government leading to lower taxes and more local control of my affairs.
The OWS crowd doesn’t know what to think. At least until they have to be told by their ‘message’ committees. One common theme I’ve heard from on the street coverage – Overly expensive college tuition rates and large student loans.
Again REALLY?
My wife and I worked a combined 5 jobs to pay for our college education. We went part-time. We went full time. We worked all sorts of hours to pay for it. Were there loans to pay for some of it? Sure – and long ago paid off. We choose schools that we could afford without acquiring a massive debt load.
What did I hear from the OWS on the street interviews? Stuff like “I owe $235,000. How am I going to pay that off” How about attending a school you can afford with a reasonable amount of debt?
For the third time – REALLY?
I do not understand the lack of personal responsibility and the idea that anybody is owed anything. Where did these people grow up? It must have been on Mars.
OK. My rant is over and I do feel a bit better for it.
