"The President’s position is that obviously every municipality has to make its own decisions about how to handle these issues." That was the quote from Jay Carney, President Obama’s Press Secretary regarding the simultaneous clearing of multiple Occupy assemblies that happened in the early morning of November 15th. This flaccid statement is the official word from the Obama Administration on what was and continues to be a terrible violation of Constitutionally-protected human and property rights of the Occupy protesters. These American citizens did nothing wrong, and were brutally beaten, had their possessions (including thousands of books) destroyed and trucked away to landfills, and faced numerous variations of pepper-spray and other “non-lethal” attacks, none of which anyone reading this would consider acceptable to experience. Ever.
And yet, all the President can be bothered to say about both that night and the continuation of the police brutality we’ve seen perpetrated against the Occupy movement is that these law enforcement forces and the ones who run them must make their own decisions. Well, so must we, Mister President, in the Primaries and Caucuses that are about to run their course for the 2012 election season. And there IS a choice.
My name is Aldous C. Tyler, and I am running in the Democratic Primaries and Caucuses, challenging President Barack Obama for the nomination. As one of the 99%, and a fervent supporter of the Occupy movement, I am sickened to see not only the vicious attacks being rained down upon these good people who are standing up for the rest of us, but also the complete neglect being shown to the rights and well-being of American citizens by President Obama. Even if we ignore the claim that these militant activities are being coordinated with federal help, as President he has a responsibility to stand up for the people when their rights are being trampled, not condone the atrocities with pallid homages to municipal sovereignty.
Let’s not forget that President Obama has aligned himself with protesters’ rights in the past. In January of just this year, he boldly proclaimed, “I want to be very clear in calling upon the Egyptian authorities to refrain from any violence against peaceful protesters. The people of Egypt have rights that are universal. That includes the right to peaceful assembly and association, the right to free speech, and the ability to determine their own destiny. These are human rights. And the United States will stand up for them everywhere.” Yes, he has stood up for peaceful protesters and their “universal” rights to peaceful assembly and association, as well as free speech. He simply hasn’t done so for American protesters or their rights.
I am calling on President Barack Obama to join me, the only Presidential candidate of either major party who has done so, in strongly and thoroughly denouncing all actions taken against the Occupy movement. Further, he must ensure that the Occupy movement is protected from these local authorities who feel they can grind the rights of We the People under their petty bootheels. Anything less is a continued allowance that the President is granting these parochial tyrants to violate, plunder and destroy a movement made of the people exercising their Constitutional rights - the very ones he swore to uphold and protect on January 20, 2009.
America Changes Today,
Aldous C. Tyler
http://www.americachangestoday.com/