“Pros and Cons of Protests”

By William L. Garvin

In another appalling example of the United Nations “acting stupidly,” it appointed Iran as a member of the committee of the Commission on the Status of Women! This is a culture that stones and kills women for adultery, whips and beats them senseless for appearing in public without wearing their burkha or having a female child instead of a male, gives children to middle-aged men as brides, and exports “honor killings” of wives and daughters throughout the globe. Where is the outrage? Where is the protest?

The National Organization of Women is missing in action and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been mute. Of greater concern is the lack of involvement of our United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice. One would think that Ambassador Rice would have objected to this vile proposal in the strongest of diplomatic terms. She did not. In fact, she did not even attend the meeting. In fact, she wasn’t even in the building. In fact, she did not attend ANY of the four meetings where the UN was appointing Iran to committees. If this is how this Administration increases diplomatic pressure on our enemies, get ready for a nuclear Iran and the spread of sharia law!

Another missing protest is for our national legislature. For four years, congress has refused to pass a law outlawing insider trading for members of congress. They sit there and rip Goldman Sachs for shorting the housing market while letting the congressional members do exactly the same thing with impunity. Martha Stewart should be storming the gates! Why do they continually exempt themselves from the laws, rules, and regulations they impose on everyone else? They should be ashamed.

On the other end of the scale, the May Day protestors in Santa Cruz engaged in a full scale riot for International Workers Day. The ABC news story states they were responsible for nearly $100,000 in damage. Spray painted on the wall of one of the vandalized businesses was the slogan “Destroy the Destroyers.” A curious exercise in logic ensues. Since they see themselves as having been destroyed and exploited by business and industry, now they feel righteous in their persecution. But, by becoming the destroyer, should they not now turn their hate and destructive forces inward against themselves, the new destroyers? However, don’t expect any logical rationale from the Industrial Workers of the World and their international socialist goals of “social justice” and “redistributing the wealth.”

Another interesting protest was staged this week at the University of California at Berkeley. About twenty students are beginning a hunger strike to protest the Arizona immigration law. Apparently they believe that any Mexican family walking down the street to get an ice cream can be confronted and rousted by police demanding to “show me your papers.” After all, that’s what the President and much of main stream media reported. It is so far from the truth, it must be deliberate. If any of them, including the protestors, had bothered to read the law, they would know that law enforcement could never question anyone unless they had already stopped them FOR AN ILLEGAL ACTIVITY! The issue of citizenship was always a secondary activity and a misdemeanor. Contrast that to Mexico where illegal entry results in a two-year prison term. Maybe we should boycott Mexico until they have more humane immigration laws. Or at least until they make Cinco de Mayo a Mexican holiday.

In an era of multi-tasking youth, the Berkeley protesters also have multiple causes in their protest. They want the University to drop all charges against student activists. Let’s see. University fees are too high so activists damage University property in protest but don’t want to pay the damages. Therefore, the University must pay the costs of the damage plus the costs associated with policing the protests. Since they will be unable to get additional financial aid from the State, the only option left is to…wait for it…raise student fees! And these are our best and our brightest?

They also want the University to rehire laid off union workers and stop layoffs of low-wage employees. This will of course be paid by…see above paragraph. They also want the campus to become a sanctuary for illegal immigrants. Certainly they’ve considered the impact on federal funding when they knowingly break federal law. Of course, they will have a means of separating those who are just looking for a better life from those who are looking for a better life by dealing in drugs, kidnapping, and the other violent activities that keep our prisons overpopulated. In their kumbayah world, everything is wonderful, everyone is beautiful, and there is unlimited funding for everything they want. No wonder they want pot legalized.