Quote:
Originally Posted by First Lady
They are handing out tickets for
smoking
urinating
alcohol consumption
vehicles being used as a method of expression
They are not handing out tickets for
being in park after 11 PM
camping in the park
placing signs in a park
erecting a tent being used as a method of expression
ALL these laws are covered in the (one) document I linked to earlier.
Why are some being applied and not others?
|
Fair enough I suppose, and there is something (in a technicality sense) to this way of looking at it. Although I still think the truck stunt was misguided for the reason I highlighted (also an argument about technicalities, a little more pedantic than I'd like to be usually).
I think this is where we philosophically diverge. The solution to the overall problem of the occupiers has to be more nuanced than simply enforcing the letter of the law every time, with the tradeoff being that doing so would probably cause more problems than are presently being caused: which could include violent confrontation with police with citizens, riots of varying scale, and national or international intrigue. Not to say that bylaws shouldn't be respected and upheld, just that it may not be that simple or practical on the ground in every situation.
This is all rather beside the point of my main problem with today's stunt and the lead-up to it though, which is the motivation. I may as well spell it out.
In my view, the criticism of how the Occupy Calgary issue has been handled has been motivated by wanting to score political points for the people involved and their partisan leanings. This includes Ric McIver, you and your husband.
How this has played out on Calgarypuck is indicative of this trend as well (not the best practice to use this place as an exact cross section, to be fair). Almost all the people that have been most vocally critical of Naheed Nenshi, well prior to the Occupy movement ever came about, are critical of his handling of this as well. Pylon, CaptainCruch, RedMileDJ, yourself, Stay Golden would be included here. Not to trivialize all of the arguments brought forth by these people, because some certainly have validity. However, the trend is telling. I think most have been looking to pounce for awhile and have done so, more moderate and practical approaches be damned. It's also somehow forgotten that this thing is bigger than the office of the mayor of Calgary and involves police, city administration, by-law enforcment, and all of council including aldermen.
I think we all agree that the occupiers have outstayed their welcome, if they even had one to begin with. Let's put the partisanship aside and find a way to get them to leave without having us make international headlines or giving the occupiers' "message" more acknowledgement than it deserves.