Wake Up Chicago!

When protestors requested permits to march at the G28 Summit, Rahm Emanuel determined that they could not legally march in the vicinity of McCormick Place. Then he raised the cost of an arrest to $1000. Is this how he promotes democracy in the heart of the country? What is he afraid of? Does he think the people of this great city are going to go crazy and turn into an angry mob? Or is he afraid that he might be seen to be powerless over the force of innocent people voicing their opinions. Almost all of the reports I have heard frame the debate in terms of a mass of people with unclear aims. I think the aims are very clear. Stop running businesses and countries as if profit were the most important part of life. One of my favorite quotes is "If you want peace, work for justice," which is attributed to both Mencken and Pope Paul VI. The reality is that this movement is the global response to the globalization of business. Profit is NOT the most important thing. Read Article 1 of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights:

• All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

We are faced with people in positions of power that don't know how to share. Maybe they never made it to kindergarten. Maybe they're not even aware of other people's needs. That doesn't mean they can ignore the law, write their own law, and enforce their own law. Laws are provided to prevent injustice. While they will never be perfect,  they will never be fair unless voices are heard from all parties involved in the law. I only took one policy class, but that point was perfectly clear. Wake up Chicago: to the exciting events occurring in the city this weekend, to the attempts by the media and government to discourage us from participating, and to our responsibility to make our voices heard. Stop insisting on having it your way, and learn to compromise. Use the new tools to communicate and collaborate, but keep an open mind. For Pete's sake, stand up for your rights!