Were George Washington and his troops in Valley Forge an illegal encampment?
They were on somebody else's property and clearly that somebody else didn't want them there.
Washington and other early patriots were fighting against unjust governmental practices. It's safe to say most Americans today support Washington's actions.
Like Washington, the Occupy folks are protesting unjust governmental actions and are camped on someone else's property and are being suppressed, sometimes brutally, by police.
The vision statement of Occupy Wall Street sounds like something written by the Founding Fathers.
For example, "We envision: (1) a truly free, democratic and just society (2) where we, the people, come together and solve our problems by consensus, (3) where people are encouraged to take personal and collective responsibility and participate in decision making, (4) where we learn to live together in harmony and embrace principles of toleration and respect for diversity and the differing views of others."
It goes on for six more. How could any rational person object to these ideals?
So, the question is — if the Occupy folks are doing pretty much like our Founding Fathers, why are they being persecuted?
I believe that suppression of the Occupy Movement serves the interests of the wealthiest 1 percent. Currently, America has the widest gap of any country in the world between its wealthiest and poorest citizens.
I hope that more citizens wake up to what's going on around them and join the efforts of OCW to make this country great again.
David Dawn, Auburn
Report a correction
Comparing the Occupiers with
Comparing the Occupiers with George Washington and his army at Valley Forge is like comparing the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor with the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedAgree (2) Disagree (1)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Fabricated History
What a crock. Those who know not history just make it up.
1. "They were on somebody else's property and clearly that somebody else didn't want them there."
Decades of historical study have NO WHERE shown me one allusion, let alone actual reference, to even one negative comment, let alone one complaint about the Valley Forge Encampment of the Continental Army.
2. "Washington and other early patriots were fighting against unjust governmental practices."
Washington and the unbelievably ULTRA wealthy of that time ... (How many ultra rich people today have a grand home on an estate of 8,000 acres like Mount Vernon ?) ... objected to ANY taxes long debated and then voted for by Parliament. Washington and the Congress of the "newly free" United States imposed much higher taxes on the citizens than England ever dreamed of seeking from the Englishmen in America to pay for the many years of huge costs defending the Colonists of the 13 Colonies during the French and Indian Wars.
BTW, in 1776, 8 out of 9 taxpayers in England had no vote (thus no "representation") and our Founders well knew this.
"Political spin" is nothing new.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedAgree (4)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Occupy? Are you talking about
Occupy? Are you talking about the folks who protest corporate greed, while at the same time suing each other for a bigger share of the donations? Gee, sounds like the very greed they protest...or are you talking about the peaceful encampments protesting crime, while having incidents of sexual crimes, stabbings and puvlic drunkenness? You know, the ones who decide who can camp next to them and where each protester can be....yep that be occupy....the only thing they don't occupy is their minds!
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedAgree (4) Disagree (1)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Poor Robert
What's the matter, Bob...? Everyone look alike to you? Can't tell the players without a program???
As a former City Councilor you should know how this stuff works. Any time you get a group together, a fringe element gathers around the edges.
With the 'Occupy' Movement - once they decided to 'Camp Out' - it was only a matter of time, perhaps hours, before the homeless, and God knows you Republicans have created many of these - decided these camps might not be too bad a spot to settle down in.
Even 'Run-Aways' wanted to see what it was all about..
But 'Sex Crimes?' I didn't know there were any GOP there.....
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (6) Agree (2)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.And in typical liberal
And in typical liberal fashion when all else fails, page 2 of the play book...deflect....minimalize and inslult the messenger....Ron, I really prefer it when you have intelligent points to make...
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedAgree (2) Disagree (1)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.WTFO?
Insult the messenger???
Your post was insult enough to yourself, Robert.
What sex crimes are you talking about???
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedAgree (1) Disagree (3)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.there you have it, still
there you have it, still nothing intelligent to add....and funny for a guy like Ron who is a prolific poster of other websites suddenly can't find anything about sex crimes in occupy encampments....Ron - here's a hint - start with baltimore and Portland Oregon....just to give you a couple easy ones to look at....
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedAgree (3)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.How
How silly of me - here I thought you would be talking about Maine.
Go far afield and one can find birds of any feather.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (2) Agree (2)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.How silly of ME
How silly of me is what you should be saying...I read YOUR initial post which referenced the "Occupy Movement" and NEVER quantified only a local reference...and as we all know the movement is throughout our country I used the initial comments by you to add to...thus if you're not happy that I used references outside Maine, you have no one to blame but yourself....good day sir!
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedAgree (1)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.D. Dawn: Make our country great again
Dave , 11.12.17 4 pm hst •
Mahalo, er . ..thanks for your thoughtful letter
So , the question is — if the Occupy folks are doing pretty much like our Founding Fathers, why are they being persecuted?
A: Because they can ? There some real curmudgeons in your great State . Here , also
Melé Kalikimaka , Mainers . ~ '†is the season to be jolly ~
Further fine LSJ® background reading materials available here --> http://www.sunjournal.com/news/state/2011/11/20/occupymaine-diverse-grou... <--
Aloha from Pahoa , Steve and ohana
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (2)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Big differences between Gen. Washington and the occupiers
Mr. Dawn, I respect your right to have an opinion on this, however, comparing Washington's dealings against the Mother Country with what the occupiers are protesting against doesn't compute. First off, Washington's battle involved freeing the colonists from England's rule, a much more complicated scenario compared to the occupier's desire to redistribute wealth. Is it the wish of occupiers to ignore the rules and disrespect authority in general? And correct me if I'm wrong but I don't recall George Washington demanding the powers that were to forgive his debts as the occupiers constantly do. And there liesthe true diffetence between the two. Washington's vision was to create a land where everyone had an equal chance to succeed at their own freewill. The occupiers are self promoters who are interested in success for those they choose. There's no question the system needs a shove, but it is the right system for us to live within. The real solution is in not tearing it down, but tweaking it in a way that loopholes that allow for cheating the system are removed. If that were the occupier's message then I'd support it, but it's not, for if it were they'd be camped out in front of the White House and on Capitol Hill where the initial decisions that led to this mess were made.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedAgree (4)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.I'm sorry...
...Wasn't Gen. Washing at war at the time and doesn't that change the dynamic, if only just slightly?
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedAgree (1) Disagree (1)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Which of those four
Which of those four do we not have now?
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedAgree (2)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.The fourth one would be nice
The fourth one would be nice except that those who preach tolerance of others seem to practice no tolerance towards those who might disagree with them. Classic hypocritical double standard.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedAgree (1)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.The reason, David, is because
The reason, David, is because the unprincipled right wing, spurred on by FOX News, is opposed to that message of fairness. The media that claims to be fair is anything but. Their minions carry that distorted message and carry it to the extreme. It's sad, but, that's one of the downsides of freedom of speech, the bad guys have a right to their say.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (11) Agree (1)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.See what I mean, Ernest?
See what I mean, Ernest?
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedAgree (1)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.There you go again Dan trying
There you go again Dan trying to blame Republicans for all the Country's ills. Our nation's problems are broader than any one political parity. Your claims are simply statistically impossible.
For example, just this week both Republicans and Democrats created the first ever police state with the passage of the defense bill – the military now has the right to arrest and detain any American suspected of terrorist activities for an indefinite period of time on American soil without due process.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (2) Agree (5)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.if you cannot see what damage
if you cannot see what damage the republican party has done to this country over the past decade, and beyond, then you're a hopeless cause.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (7) Agree (2)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Dan, this seems to be your
Dan, this seems to be your "cookie cutter" response lately to anyone that doesn't agree with you. If we don't see it then there's no hope for us.........are you having trouble digging up facts now? I am looking forward to the next election when, with all your wisdom, you put YOUR name on a ballot.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (1) Agree (4)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Dan, Let me state
Dan,
Let me state unequivocally that I am no fan of large government. Neither the Republican party nor the Democrat party (or any party) has a monopoly on damaging this country. I just gave you a contemporary example.
If thinking critically and beyond party lines makes me a hopeless cause, then so be it. I rather be a hopeless cause (and free) than a slave to a political party.
Keep in mind that Politicians are human, just like you and me, and as such make good decisions and bad decisions. Anyone who faults one party for our country’s problems is not applying critical thinking.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (1) Agree (4)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.