Claim: 'Occupy' Protesters Are Mostly 'Bored Morons Who Want Handouts'
Regarding Downing, Oct. 13: The American economic system is a meritocracy: Work hard, and you will succeed. Some believe this survival-of-the-fittest system is unfair, because all people are not born with equal aptitude. Capitalism is not fair to everyone. But it gives the largest number of folks the best chance to succeed, because there are many different routes to prosperity.
But the Occupy Wall Street protesters want bureaucrats to manage the economic shots. They believe governments have a moral obligation to provide a measure of success and education to everyone, no matter the cost. This, of course, is impossible.
I respect dissent, but not stupidity. Do these anti-capitalists ever read a newspaper or a history book? Greece and other European countries are collapsing under entitlement debt, and the entire world is suffering economically because of it.
The Soviet Union fell apart under communism. Cuba is a disaster. Zimbabwe is unspeakable. Every place on Earth that tries to seize private property implodes. Most human beings are built to better themselves, not to throw their talents into a collective kitty usually run by corrupt killers.
Generally speaking, the Occupy Wall Street crew is comprised of bored morons who want handouts. Every American has a legitimate complaint about something, but most of us don't want to burn the system down. The protesters do.
Maybe if their brains were occupied with some perspective, we could get somewhere.
Lorin Wainwood
Correction
In "Finish Line" (Currents, Nov. 3), we reported that Green Party mayoral candidate Mary DeCamp was living in a tent at Occupy Tucson's Armory Park protest after she was evicted from her foreclosed home. Actually, she was living in a tent at Occupy Tucson while facing a Nov. 10 eviction from her foreclosed home.
We apologize for the error.
