VINSON: Casting stones at the WALL — ‘numbers’ on The Murfreesboro Post

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VINSON: Casting stones at the WALL — ‘numbers’

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By: MIKE VINSON, Post Columnist

Posted: Sunday, October 16, 2011 6:01 am

“Then shalt thou bring forth that man or woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die” (Deuteronomy 17:5).

Granted, casting stones at someone for a wrongful act is a primitive form of punishment, even if condoned in the Bible.

In reality, though, a situation could arise where casting stones would prove beneficial.

Scenario: A deranged gunman is chasing you.

You are about 30 seconds ahead of him, and you know he’ll kill you if he catches up.

You come to a “wall.”

If you can find a way to break through this wall, it will allow you to evade your would-be assassin.

There’s a large pile of stones/rocks nearby, and you quickly pick up as many stones as possible, hurl them against the wall, and form a breach in the wall large enough that allows you to escape to the other side and live another day.

By now, most are aware of “Occupy Wall Street,” which has captured our nation’s attention, as well as putting the same nation on edge.

As best research can discover, the Occupy Wall Street concept was conceived in mid-July 2011, when a “hacktivist” with the anti-consumerist magazine “Adbusters” began reaching out to Americans to band together in an effort to protest corporate influence on democracy and the lack of legal repercussions behind the current “global financial crisis.”

Indeed, Occupy Wall Street grew from concept to stark reality on Oct. 1: “In a tense showdown above the East River, the police arrested more than 700 demonstrators from the Occupy Wall Street protests who took to the roadway as they tried to cross the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday afternoon,” wrote the “New York Times.”

Since that incident at the Brooklyn Bridge – via YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, e-mail, cell phone, etc. – Occupy Wall Street has spread with near-mercurial rapidity and appears to be gaining a huge number of new followers, thus more strength, with each passing day. (It reminds me of how “Gay Pride Day” took off like a rocket back in September-October 2010.)

While groups of demonstrators have staged protests in major cities all across America (even at the Legislative Plaza in Nashville), the core group of protesters, strategically, are camped out all across New York City, home to Wall Street.

One television news anchorman compared it to “Woodstock.”

Reportedly, Occupy Wall Street has issued “13 demands,” dealing with everything from jobs, wages, and healthcare to immigration, racial equality, forgiving debts, etc.

While some of these demands (if they actually exist) make good sense, others appear to be not well-thought-out.

As I mentioned to a colleague, numbers equate “power,” which can evolve into a “movement,” which can be deemed by some as a legitimate “threat.”

With the Occupy Wall Street movement you have this: concerned, well-intended citizens who are fed up and, simply, want our government to do be held accountable; mixed with rabble-rousers whose main purpose in life is to party and raise as much as hell as possible with everyone about everything; topped off by fork-tongued politicians and media outlets seeking reelection and a boost in ratings and sales, respectively.

Where, exactly, do authorities draw the line that separates the Constitutional right for citizens to assemble in public and speak freely versus maintaining national security?

Tough question, no perfect answer.

Drawing from the dramatized scenario a few paragraphs above, maybe it’s time for many Americans – metaphorically speaking – to cast many stones at the WALL that, for years, has shielded Wall Street, its dubious players, and their shenanigans.

If enough people throw enough stones, something will give, one way or the other.

It’s the “numbers” that count.

(NOTE: Though I can’t say so with official certainty, I wager that a large number of “actual stones” have been physically thrown at whomever and whatever since Occupy Wall Street came to be.)

Mike Vinson can be contacted at mike_vinson56@yahoo.com.

Tagged under Mike Vinson, Voices

Member Opinions:

By: Gman1 on 10/17/11
You'd better believe this Occupy Wall Street thing has turned into a "Movement!" And like Vinson said it was the numbers" of people that have joined in that turned it into a movment. I'd like to be a fly on the wall and hear what our politicians are talking about in private, how they are going to handle this Occupy mess, and who they blame when it really gets bad.

By: squeaks on 10/17/11
It's refreshing to read a column written with a non biased opinion instead of the same media script handed down. I hope people realize that this movement isn't a bunch of college hipsters camping out in a park. It is filled with Democrats, Republicans, young and old alike for many different reasons.

It has spread even with an almost complete media black out for the first few weeks. The Tea Party and this combined should send a message to politicians, the American people are not happy. Neither group is performing the way their constituents expect.

This has went global with other countries protesting and chanting "We are the 99%." Or one could say, the dissatisfaction the media has shown us in other countries has spread to the USA.

By: canalou on 10/17/11
Yep, got Pentecostal excited about this column....thought provoking....Washington/Wall Street, your days are numbered....

By: songwriterdad on 10/19/11
I would go to wall street and join them but I am part of the poor affected by our greedy leaders, lying, pandering, basta...s. I would like to see every last one, congress and senate, fired and a lottery system used to put average citezens in their place. we, the people, need to take our country back and stop wasting billions on stupid shi'. It makes me sick. we don't have a democracy because we don't have worthy candidates. this is a big mess and greed is the root cause!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!