In 1962, John F. Kennedy said, “Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.” The occupation protests of Wall Street, Monument Square in Portland, Capitol Park in Augusta and other locations around the country and the world are examples of those peaceful revolutions in support of democracy and an economy that enables everyone to earn a decent living.

Those camping out, mostly young, are onto something good for our country. We need to listen and learn.

Additional Photos

A pedestrian on Oct. 4 walks past signs placed on the fence of Lincoln Park in Portland by the group Occupy Maine. 2011 Press Herald file

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, bank executives, wealthy individuals and other elected officials who fear this democratic movement are trying to use police raids and arrests to stop this move toward democracy, just as dictators did in Egypt, Tunisia and other parts of the Middle East during “Arab Spring.”

If these happen, state and local politicians and their wealthy supporters will be making these peaceful revolutions impossible. It will be their fault, and not the occupiers, if there is any violence.

I urge all Maine people who believe in and want democracy and a fair and just economy in this state to support and join these occupations.

Larry Dansinger

Monroe

Why are these people occupying Wall Street, Maine and other places around the country? They are occupying the wrong institutions.

Do they really know what they are protesting against? What do they expect of all this hoopla? Why are they protesting against the financial institutions that gave them a loan?

They should be occupying themselves for being stupid enough to sign the bottom line on that loan application without reading the fine print.

Why aren’t they occupying the colleges and universities for charging outrageous fees for that education? Why aren’t they occupying movie theaters for charging $7 for a bag of popcorn? I could go on and on about who they should be occupying.

Why don’t these people find a job, contribute to society and stop wasting our resources and taxes?

Nelson Belisle

Portland

 A particular line of attack seems to have emerged against the “Occupy Wall Street” protesters in New York City and elsewhere, that would be funny if it weren’t so painful: “The protests are costing us money.”

Already cash-strapped municipalities are paying their police forces overtime in order to monitor the protests. Streets need to be shut down, and traffic rerouted, in order to accommodate the protesters. And stores that find themselves on the front lines are supposedly losing customers, who don’t wish to brave the crowds.

Here’s where the comedy comes in: The costs involved in managing these protests are utterly dwarfed by the trillions of dollars that the targets of the protests have stolen from the American taxpayer.

You want to complain about the costs of police overtime? Don’t blame the protesters. Blame the wealthiest among us, who pushed for an extension of the Bush tax cuts.

Blame the defense contractors who continue to profit from our expensive and seemingly endless wars. Blame the investment firms who gambled big with our retirement funds, lost, received government bailouts, and then handed out millions of dollars in bonuses to the same employees responsible for the whole mess.

Every dollar that went to these recipients of corporate welfare, is a dollar that couldn’t be funneled back into state and municipal coffers, couldn’t be used to help small businesses, and couldn’t be used to create jobs.

The Occupy Wall Street protesters are engaging in activities that are enshrined by the First Amendment to the Constitution. It’s distasteful at the very least, and unpatriotic at the very most, to turn public opinion against them through the use of a price tag.

Despite what the corporate news media believe, political speech shouldn’t be limited to those with the bank accounts to pay for it.

David Sanborn

South Berwick

 Concerning the editorial of Oct. 6, “Protesters with bullhorns unlikely to fix our problems”: The Americans involved with the “Occupy Wall Street” movement are democracy in action.

Dissent is the most important aspect of democracy. That’s why courts write dissents, there are more than one political party and more than one arm of government. Without dissent, our government would not function.

All articles so far state that these people have not stated a single cause or goal as a group. Your opinion: “It’s one thing to paint your face, grab a bullhorn, scream slogans and block ordinary citizens trying to cross a bridge to get home or to work. It’s something else to create a careful agenda of reform and calm and present it to voters so that the democratic processes can be allowed to work.”

Government is the problem, not the solution. And a good-functioning government doesn’t exist in America any more.

Finally, “Producing real reform and not just spouting slogans based on tired and worn-out ideologies, is the only true path out of this mess we are in.” We the people didn’t create this problem, government did.

Tonight, ask yourself about a few things you enjoy, like weekends, vacations, 40-hour work weeks, overtime, OSHA, FMLA, Social Security, unemployment rights, a living wage and many more that most take for granted. Were these things given willingly by government or business? No! They were acquired through protest and dissent. Many working people fought and died to get these benefits for all Americans.

The “Occupy Wall Street” group has my respect for voicing their grievances, showing their courage, taking to the street and making a stand. I personally don’t think the crowd is anywhere near big enough.

Bruce K. Hixon

Bowdoin

 Wow. Looks like Generation “Whine” finally has something to do besides playing game apps on their smart phones. Based on the looks of, and comments made by, these crybabies, America has more to fear from these malcontents continuing to suck at the public teat than anything else.

When asked why they’re protesting, they have demanded everything from having their college loans written off, to completely opening U.S. borders to all comers. Nothing like not knowing why you’re marching around carrying signs. What dopes.

So, now Obama and his merry band of leftist loons stated their support for these misguided dolts. Leftist financiers, such as George Soros, various unions and others, are financing many of these so-called protests.

Mind you, the corporate bailouts that are the object of these protests, have, for the most part, come from the Obama administration.

So much for Obama’s promise not to divide, but to unify America.

Meanwhile, we have Operation Fast and Furious, Solyndra, Light Squared and soon to be others to ponder before the 2012 elections. And you thought George Bush was bad?

Dennis Gervais

Portland 

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