Mark Leccese concluded his report on Boston.com with this ominous note:
“The mayor made it clear in in the interview that more police action is coming.
“There is a time and place at which we have to end the encampment, and that time and place will come in the near future, but we have to continue to listen to some of the issues they talk about,” Menino told WBUR. “They have some right issues, but the way they went about it – civil disobedience doesn’t work for Boston and it doesn’t work for anyone.”
Stay tuned. This is about to get even more confrontational, and it is unsettling that the Boston Police Department cannot coherently explain the reasons for its actions.”
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He is officially a traitor to Democracy. Maybe he should be Mayor of Moscow instead of Boston.
Perhaps I don’t really think he should be Mayor of Moscow. But man am I pissed by his actions and threats. People have rights and when a Mayor who’s been there since many of these protesters were born decides freedoms don’t matter anymore, then I stick by my call for him to resign.
If I recall correctly, during the August 1991 attempted coup against Gorbachev, the then-mayor of Moscow sided with the pro-democracy protesters, along with Boris Yeltsin. Menino isn’t even fit to be mayor over there….
That’s why India is still a British colony… oh, wait…
..an authority figure pretty much has to say that laws need to be upheld and civil disobedience is unacceptable. If civil disobedience were officially OK then it would by definition not be “disobedience”. This isn’t to say that such action isn’t morally justified anyway.
We know what it’s gotten us. We can make the conscious choice to tolerate expression and freedoms.
Did you know: It is illegal while driving to make a turn or change a lane without signaling.
And more harmful, I suggest, than camping on the grass.
Until we have riot squads enforcing the traffic laws, please no lofty sentiments about the obligations of authority to uphold every petty clause of the law. In riot gear.
Reason and proportionality count, and the conduct of “authorities” is very much fair game.
There is a difference between authority figure and authoritarian: the former both respects and derives power from a just mandate therefore desiring obedience as a similar expression of respect whereas the latter compels obedience for the sake of obedience.
Can you guess which one I think Menino is… ?
Menino will not apologize, he will not resign and he will enjoy the continued support of the overwhelming majority (57%) of Bostonians who elected him.
He weathers this easily and defends his position of giving space to protestors and only enforced the law when they tried to expand beyond their current tent city.
Somehow the protesters need to find a way to get protection from an authority above Menino (like the state) or move somewhere where he can’t touch them. Failing that, the movement packs up and moves to Cambridge.
Plus it might be closer to where most of them live so they can go home at night.
But seriously… this is all about being noticed and causing a public nuisance so… can “that” be accomplished in Cambridge? Let’s face it, Menino was content with letting them campout where they were and absent any disturbances, it would have faded out like most causes. So the protestors decided to “do something” and expand their camps, close a bridge… and Mumbles threw the hammer down. Occupy Harvard Square might not make the news, just destroy local businesses and raise the unemployment rate. I bet they stay in Boston and continue to find ways to stay in the news.
If they can stay in Boston, they should stay in Boston.
If they did go to Cambridge, they could use the Common, which would be less visible, but out of the way enough to not harm businesses or traffic. If they actually occupied Harvard Sq, that would actually be a problem for traffic unlike Menino’s imaginary problems in Boston.
I’m posting this because I like you John.
As soon as you start mocking Cambridge, it translates to:
Title: I’m an idiot and I have no argument
Comment: n/t
Can’t we have a little humor here and there? You know I was joking and followed with a “But seriously” comment right away.
The postings here are well thought out and informative, I have always said that. But we all, yourself included, throw a humorous jab in from time to time.
I love cambridge, grew up eating the Cheeseburger plate special at Charlie’s Kitchen, lunch at Grendels, drinks at the Wursthaus, Casablanca and Forrest Cafe… my ring says Veritas on it.
Harvard Square has never been the same after losing Elsie’s.
nt
if Baker wins, I’m not so sure of your prediction.
and I hope he wins!
Nice guy, works hard. Blue collar. No?
But it’s not my home so no votes from me, but I’ll talk him up with family and friends who do vote there.
This is what Democracy looks like.
This is an important video you need to see!