Last year, while tootling around London, England, our tour guide pointed out a protester who was camping on a grassy area in front of their parliament buildings. He had been there for quite some time, it was noted, and had become somewhat of a local celebrity, though no one could say what, exactly, he was protesting against. The same can now be said of the "Occupy" movement that has been sweeping the world. Why are they there, camped out in our public parks? What are they trying to prove? What do they stand for? What are they doing?Even Wikipedia couldn't provide me with a clear answer to those questions.When it began, I believe the protesters were speaking out against one per cent of the population holding one per cent of the wealth, bringing attention to the impoverished among us. I totally agree that is unfair, and deserves some attention from us all, especially the one per cent - a group, I believe, is morally bound to share their wealth instead of wasting it on stupid extravagances (does anyone really need 27 luxury cars? No. But starving people around the world do need food.)However, I don't understand how camping on municipal property is helping to prove anything. Especially in Canada, with winter coming. All they're proving is that they may just be too dumb to come in out of the cold. Stray cats and dogs, and homeless people, likely looked at those protesters in consternation - "You mean, you have somewhere warm to go, and you're not going? Really?"What started out as a bid to gain attention for the 99 per cent has become somewhat of a joke. Municipalities are getting fed up with people squatting in local parks. They are starting to throw these protesters out, having police disassemble their tents, putting out their campfires and taking away their port-a-potties.I completely agree with the municipalities on this. If they don't allow homeless people to camp out this way in local parks, then how can they let these people do so?Of course, these encampments have likely been good for the homeless population. They had somewhere they could blend in, and relax for a bit, without being worried about being chased away. I would suggest, however, that the money the protesters spent on tents could have been put to better use by donating it to the local homeless shelter, so that those who do have to live on the streets can have a warm, more permanent place to sleep. Yes, I think it's time for the Occupy protesters to go home. Had they actually been out protesting every day, trying to get their message out, I may have changed my mind. But they seemed more intent on setting up a small tent city, and singing around the campfire than actually getting their views across to people. They did not, like union workers on strike, walk a picket line day and night, in all kinds of weather. They just camped out. They got lazy. And like my Grandma, I don't put up with lazy. No one in Saskatchewan does. I agree with their goals. I think a world where more of the wealth is shared would be a better one. I just don't think we'll get there by camping in the park and singing around the campfire.
