When I was a boy my father would tell me never let another person to get you upset. When you let them do that to you, you are giving your power to them. In that moment they win. It was the first thing I thought of when I watched this:
Occupy Wall Street Evicted in Late Night Raid; Lawyers Secure Injunction to Reopen Zuccotti Park
Checkmate. From day one of Occupy Wall Street there has been a question as to whether the group stands for anything or will be considered legitimate. The NYPD just answered that question.
If these protests didn't matter the NYPD wouldn't have been ordered to evict them in the middle of the night and there wouldn't have been a media black out. By doing this they have legitimized the movement.
I've lived in the city (well Chicago) and I've been involved with protests (like this one) and they really aren't much more than an annoyance. It's like an influx of pigeons or perhaps more accurately homeless. I've scene a Dave Mathews concert shut down the city much more effectively than any protests.
If there was no threat to the statuesque, politicians would be talking about how this strengthens our democracy, and then sending police protection down there to occupy the occupation (while busting hippies for possession, urinating in public, and whatever other incidental thing they can get away with). Politicians get re-elected.
But the NYPD attack on the freedom to assemble prove that the order came from a position of fear. If they really wanted to clear people out put up a 30 day notice on all tents. evict them legally. Sending in the storm troopers only proves that someone in authority sees them as a threat. It's especially stupid when you consider that OWS became a world wide phenomenon the last time NYPD overstepped.
Thank you NYPD.
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