The point of politics, one would think, is to get something done.
It’s an idea apparently lost on the Occupy movement, which began just a year ago with its takeover of New York’s Zuccotti Park and then rapidly spread to cities across the United States. Boston’s own version, located on Dewey Square, began Sept. 30. With clever slogans (“the 99 percent”) and novel tactics (such as the encampments), the media were enthralled. Something big, it seemed, was in the wind. When police arrived on Dec. 10 to move the protesters out, they were greeted by these defiant words: “You can’t evict an idea.”
Comments
Dude, Here's the deal: first, menino is the mayor. He has tremendous power, both legit and illegit. The occupiers were up against the entire weight of the economioc, political and police power of the state and the economic system. Not to mention professional spin dudes like you who loved to mock them. If menino is so smart, why is there so much economic disparity poor education for kids and poverty in Boston? Here's idea: lets switch their roles. Give the occupiers the political power to change the economic fabric of Boston and force menino to camp out in public squares to make his point. Which begs the qustion,if menino is so clever and uses power so well, why is there so much economic disparity poor education for kids and poverty in Boston? And lets not forget that it took a strong civil rights movement not that dissimilar from Occupy before politicians even began to realize that it might score them some points to support gay rights.
The point of Occupy was to point out the disparity between rich and poor. The job has been done. No one is debating the growing economic disparity.
Keane is absolutely right about Occupy. It is such an incoherent mess that not even the Globe, NY Times or any other liberal media can make sense of its "purpose" (much less point to anything it "accomplished"). Menino was a fool to violate city law in order to waste over a million dollars allowing a group that never made any sense to "protest" for months on end. It was a corrupt action by Menino as well because it favored one group's speech over all others because it promised to (somehow) further the political agenda of the mayor. Keane is absolutely wrong about Chik-fil-a changing its position, however. It hasn't (see link at end). Keane is not only wrong about that fact he would be wrong about his interpretation of "results" even were it true. Again, Menino, in his position as a government official, looked to squelch the freedom of a business to conduct its perfectly legal affairs because he DISAPPORVED of their politics. This is corrupt, plain and simple. Imagine the outcry of the ACLU if a Republican official similarly sought to bar a business with liberal attitudes from operating in the city. That Keane can voice approval of a public official acting tyrannically towards a business exercising its freedom to legally operate as it sees fit because he disagrees with their, legal, beliefs and actions is astonishing coming from a (supposedly) "liberal" paper.
Chick-fil-A Sets the Record Straight by Karla Dial
In response to media reports that Chick-fil-A has agreed to stop making charitable donations to groups like Focus on the Family, the company today released a statement to set the record straight.
Contrary to reports first made by the gay-activist group The Civil Rights Agenda (TCRA) on Tuesday and later picked up by mainstream media outlets, Chick-fil-A and its charitable-giving arm, the WinShape Foundation, did not agree to stop making donations to groups that support the biblical definition of marriage in exchange for being allowed to open a franchise in Chicago.
http://www.citizenlink.com/2012/09/20/chick-fil-a-sets-the-record-straight-2/
Tom Keane colunmist for Globe apologist for Menino, tramples First Amendment. One of two things, A) Tom doesn't understand first amendment (possible) B) writing for the globe he doesn't care (probable)