Police move in, shut down one camp, arrest dozens

One-hundred percent of the "99%'ers" seem to believe that it is the responsibility of our society and economy to ensure their future well-being. I've heard repeated arguments from this group about "I have education debt I can't pay off" or "I can't find a job."

Actually:

"They are acting to secure conservative aims of re-balancing a society that is becoming dangerously unmoored and increasingly bent asunder." Why? Because it reasonably identifies a truth about today's Conservative/Liberal political environment - that many on the Liberal side of the political equation are often quite philosophically conservative. And that today's "conservatives" are anything but.

The thing is regulation protecting the middle class have been destroyed, while legislation giving huge write offs to special interests, corporations, and businesses partners have been written to give away taxpayer money.

Apparently wanted a meritocracy and capitalism back is now akin to wanting a handout? No one wants a handout, they want a level playing field.

I find it amusing that your hard working immigrant story makes no reference to assembly, or even the thing that gave them the political power to take concessions from the powers at be at the time; Unions.

Anyways, I've seen it. Corporation hiring "interns" and giving them full desks. Corporations hiring "temps" and getting away with not paying them a full wage and benefits because of a loophole. Corporations asking for a 4 year degree or masters degree, on top of 5 years experience for a entry level job; while the boomers doing the hiring have been working in the same few positions with their high school degrees.

To even have a slim chance, we're forced to shell out tens to hundreds of thousand of dollars in debt to get a education; then told to work for free to try to scrape by on $30,000 in a city where the average rent of a 2-3 bedroom (room mate) place is $700-800 a month (if you can find a "deal").

This isn't the little snowflakes complaining. Far from it. It's the rest of us trying to make a honest living; and increasingly seeing the 1% stack up a higher and higher wall for us to climb over, while they line their pockets with taxpayer and shareholder money.

1) You said:

"Try to recall your history lessons. Did the Irish or Italian immigrants (or any other nationality for that matter) of the early 1900's complain about this nonsense? Of course not - they worked hard to make something of themselves and something of this country."

Actually, they did, for good reason. That's when the modern American labor movement took flight, so much so that, in 1920, labor luminary Eugene V. Debs tallied nearly a million votes as the candidate for the Socialists. There were massive strikes and demonstrations (where the immigrant groups you've mentioned were very well represented) around just the sort of issues that are motivating the Occupy movement. I'm sorry if that doesn't fit the arc of history you've imagined, but it's all quite well documented. If anybody needs a history lesson, it's not the occupiers - they're following a well-established, very American tradition. It's just the case that it's a tradition you don't acknowledge, though you've almost certainly enjoyed the benefits its bestowed on all working Americans, from the 40-hour work week to workplace safety regulations and on and on.

2) The demonstrators aren't demonstrating because they believe the government owes them handouts as you've suggested here. They're organizing against undue corporate influence on our political system, from endless wars advocated by extractive industries and bloated defense contractors to bailed-out Wall Street banks that continue to hand out massive bonuses while their fellow citizens (the ones who bailed them out after fat-cat bankers put us all in a terrible jam) watch their prospects grow ever dimmer. It's odd that these people, enduring discomfort in the cold and rain for what they believe in (a thankless job) are accused of a sense of entitlement while Wall Street continues its wanton speculation and unbridled manipulation of our political system and civic institutions with the one hand and holds out the other for hundreds of billions in bail-outs. How does that even begin to make sense?

Try to recall your history lessons. Did the Irish or Italian immigrants (or any other nationality for that matter) of the early 1900's complain about this nonsense? Of course not - they worked hard to make something of themselves and something of this country.

I would also ask you to recall your history lessons, since your memory is clearly failing. They worked hard but they also protested their sweatshop working conditions by joining labor unions, who decreased the duration of the work week and increased wages.

Because it's a large group, and large groups are BAD NEWS for politicians and police.

Pete, you might have a point while they're marching down a street, or blocking the Washington street bridge. Sitting in a park, with the parks owners blessing isn't exactly a reason to crack sculls because you need to have a show of force to put these dirty hippies in their place.

Now the taxpayers are on the hook, and the real face of the BPD and mayor are on display.

How many people were shot, murdered, or assaulted last night in the city while the mayor and his security force were focused on this non-issue?

It's becoming abundantly clear who's side Mayor Menino is on. And it ain't the majority of the residents of Boston. It's the 1%'ers up in their ivory towers mad that they'd be forced to even look at those horrible wretches below.

The greenway demonstrators attempted to obtain permits to peacefully assemble on the Common, Millenium Park, City Hall Plaza, etc and were turned down each time. The city has not provided a "permit based" venue for this protest as of yet.

The protesters have a constitutional right to assemble and petition for redress of greivances but the City of Boston has not provided a sanctioned space for this activity.