Occupy Wall Street

            Shouting, sign-holding, protesting.  Occupy Wall Street has reached beyond New York City.  All across the United States, average citizens are protesting the way the government is running things.  They’re fed up; they want change.

            But I foresee dire consequences to these protests, and I’m afraid even the most adamant protesters may regret rising up (albeit non-violently) against the government.  Should we allow things to continue when we’re dissatisfied?  No!  But if we undermine the institution that protects us, it can no longer do its job.

            If you want the government to fix the roads, enforce the laws, and protect your safety, you can’t pull the government apart.  If you take down the government, you take down ALL of it.  If you’re unhappy, change the government from within; it is purposely set up so you can do that.  But protesting in the streets is NOT the way.

            Now for a moment imagine you’re not American.  Maybe you live in Japan, or Europe, or Iran.  News of Occupy Wall Street has reached you.  America—land of the free and home of the brave—is having trouble controlling its own citizens!  There’s rioting in the streets.  The people are unhappy.  Your opinion of America would go down.  As a result of Occupy Wall Street, tourism could drop, foreign trade could drop—we are more vulnerable to attack from other countries.  We are seen as weak; this is their opportunity to take advantage of us.  Is this what you want?

            The United States of America has an amazing—indeed, a remarkable—constitution.  We need to learn it and stand up for it; shouting won’t get us anywhere.  Occupy Wall Street, or Destroy America?