Friday, October 14, 2011

Torah Trumps Occupy Wall Street

While watching the disorganized and increasingly chaotic “Occupy” mobs, one thing has become painfully obvious: All people need leaders. The pileup of garbage, used condoms and human stench are reminders that directionless persons are without respect. This is also to be seen in the violence now rearing its head in Egypt, “democracy” showing itself to be nothing more than either majority rule or the law of force. While one may say that Occupy and Egypt have nothing in common, the marketing of Occupy designees billed these rallies, at least initially, as inspired by and geared towards a repeat of Tahrir Square gatherings held in the spring of 2011. It should therefore surprise nobody if Occupy dissolves itself into melees and rioting. But for now it is disturbing enough to witness the slovenliness with which these “protesters” conduct themselves and the disrespect they accord to the property of private citizens, not to mention that of the public.

Let us recall that the Tea Party gatherings have nearly all been free of violence and litter. No arrests were made at any Tea Party meeting, regardless of size. When Glenn Beck held his 8/28 rally in Washington DC (not technically a Tea Party event), not a speck of refuse could afterward be discovered. Even when Jon Stewart held his mocking Rally to Restore Sanity, there was every expectation of peace and cleanliness, even if only to show Glenn Beck that his leadership abilities were not unique. However, Occupy protestations have in many cases been leading to an increase in hostility and land pollution, not to mention rudeness and poor hygiene. For anyone to ever again equate the Tea Party with mobs or vice versa is simply intentional disparagement for reasons of ideology.

What is frightening must be the plain truth that those who have no respect for civic beauty, the calm assembly of petitioning, and in actuality each other will be the same souls who are going to begin making demands, and expecting counteraction if those demands are not met. If they cannot conduct themselves with dignity at this beginning stage of their movement, we should not expect them to cultivate any better manners or class at the latter stages. Believe me, painting this picture affords me no pleasure. Yet, I cannot see at this juncture any further than a brainless herd repeating partial sentences from the mouth of an equally deranged failed life coach on megaphone.

Let me lead now to my conclusion, which is that the rules of human conduct seem to be disappearing. This is unfortunately as I have predicted. When those without a firm foundation come upon one with a sweet message and similarly gelatinous scrip of regulation, there is a marriage of sorts which can go a long way. This, however, is not beneficial to society. It in fact makes community quite unbearable. Apparent among the Occupy crowd is the propensity to surrender individuality for arbitrary ordinances. Nevertheless, they are not arbitrary but well-documented by would-be dictators. This leads inevitably to fascism or communitarian compact, both of which are undesirable (whether or not you believe we currently serve under such regime).

The solution is Torah. The tried and true rules which are the Law of God trump in all cases the play-pretend dictates from amorphous group control. Torah is morality, and is the basis of everything from Christ. Even Islam is based on Torah. It is also the foundation of our Constitution. The atheist also knows Torah, as the “golden rule” and “love your neighbor.” With Torah, there is no need to conduct assemblies through political call-and-response. If you already to subscribe to this correctness, the evil performed as soul-sucking at Occupy millings is abruptly manifest.

Each person should hope for, or be himself or herself, a potential leader at an Occupy, willing to redirect individuals from the collectivism of the megaphone to the freedom of Torah rule. In this way, each person may not only be aware and awake but also responsible. This is not to send them packing but to instill in them a maturity which acknowledges a future. For it is not apparent that anyone there is thinking beyond the next moment, and this is truly hopelessness.

No comments:

Post a Comment