Devin's Blog # 4 Occupy Wallstreet: The Revolution America doesn't need.

As I hear more and more about the occupy Wall Street movement, the more and more I am not in favor of it. I favor that people want to take action against corruption and the overwhelming greed in this country, but these are the reasons I don't favor it. 

1. Doesn't have a clear message. After weeks and weeks of protests around the country I still have no idea what the meaning of this occupy Wall Street is. Revolutions and protests succeed when a group of people have similar goals and directions on how they want society to change, but Occupy Wall Street doesn't have any of that. The protesters are not going to change anything just by saying "Wall Street sucks" People need concrete ideas such as "Higher Taxes for the rich, Government reform, No Lobbyists in Washington etc..." Then stick to those ideals. What I fear is that these people will protest then come election time re-elect the same politicians who are doing nothing to help this nation. This is what happens when there are no goals.


2. Meaningless action. Protesting is not always the solution, critical action is needed to make a point, but the Occupy Wall Street people say "We want to keep it peaceful" Well, that doesn't always get your point across. If you are going to Occupy Wall Street then actually occupy Wall Street itself. Why not take the building for the people? What are the police going to do? Arrest hundreds of thousands of people? I saw what failed action did when people protested in Madison Wisconsin against Scott Walker, all that happened is Scott Walker passing horrendous bills. Walker might be recalled, but that didn't stop the damage.


3. Lack of enlightenment. If you look back in history, when revolutions and changes happen, an enlightenment period is usually born, but in the case of Occupy Wall Street, there is no enlightenment. I don't see the people suggesting any ideas on what can be done. Maybe they are all thinking of Lenin's book "What is to be done?" and trying to figure it out, but at least start sprouting out suggestions. Just being liberal minded doesn't cut it, it takes a deep sense of wanting to restart or change society, not just acting like you do.


4. No Clear Enemies. When you oppose something, naturally what you oppose is your nemesis or enemy and in Occupy Wall Street there are no clear enemies. It seems to me that people are blaming just Wall Street, but that is too broad. The protest need to start blaming certain persons who are causing this problem, whether it be a politician or a CEO.

Devin's Blog # 3 Republican debates are pointless

As I check the news from time to time, you come across all kinds of interesting stories, like Iran possibly hiring the Mexican Cartel to kill a Saudi diplomat, come on Iran, first of all you are taking away ideas for the last season of Breaking Bad, secondly I guess the USA and Iran has something in common: hiring Mexican labor to do the jobs that Americans and Iranians don't want to do. Time will tell if all the information is correct, but now on to these wonderful Republican debates. Personally I don't watch them, but honestly do you need to? What new ideas have the Republicans created? Yes lets hear how we can enact failed Reagan policies like the "Trickle Down Effect" and continuous tax breaks for the rich. Yes lets make America into a theocracy and continue capital punishment, but in a funny way the Republicans have spoken with the help of candidate Herman Cain. Not only is he the only black republican candidate (hey you have to have the token black guy if you are republican) and has a name you could put as the main character in an action block buster, but has said what should be on every republican slogan "If you are poor it is your fault". Ah how refreshing to hear those words because it has been the truth all along for the republicans, yet oddly the democrats haven't done anything to oppose that notion. It's funny because Hank Williams Jr. gets fired from Monday Night Football because he said "Obama is Hitler", but no one is censoring this guy? Funny the priorities in America, blame the redneck singer for his views, but don't blame the politician for his 6th century view points.

Devin's Blog # 2 Modern Warfare: The use of drones on the battlefield

Well it is has been about a few days since The US Government put out the hit on American born Anwar al-Awlaki and successfully executed him in Yemen. There are many viewpoints on this issue such as was it a good thing to use drone attacks on terrorists? Did the President overstep his boundaries, not only constitutionally with not giving an American citizen a trial and internationally by bombing in countries that we are not at war with? These questions have led to many opinions and debate. My opinion is that drone attacks, although useful so that US soldiers won't be killed or used to lessen casualties, is going to create more wars and continue to create American hatred around the world. Many countries that we use drones in such as in Yemen, Libya, and other Middle Eastern countries is breaking international law by bombing in a countries' territory and creating wars that are not officially declared. Drones could have the opposite effect that the Atom Bomb had, that instead of hastening the desire to go to war, Drones would make it an easier option to just bomb an individual or individuals without the effect of actually destroying a whole city. Drones are being used on countries that are defenseless against them and this has to be questioned, how does one distinguishes terrorist from civilian? The result is probably many civilian casualties. The Military Defense budget is already overextended to the point that it is causing a deficit, money that could be used to create better education, jobs, infrastructure, modern mass transportation, and a health care system just to name a few. As for the terrorists and Awlaki, why is the government's position just to kill them? Shouldn't they be put on trial? Why is it that the American people are for this? Shouldn't we prove that we have a better system of justice than killing? To use an example, John Adams, the second President of the United States, defended the British soldiers who fired on the Bostonian people in the Boston Massacre. This was a brave decision to take the case and to defend the British because the people just wanted to find them guilty and hang them, case over, but John Adams decided that they should be given a trial, so the soldiers could defend themselves in court without a mock trial and execution and to show that the people of Boston were better than this form of justice. It is time that the United States owns up to what it preaches around the world about our system of justice.