There’s lots of “occupying†going on recently. I applaud those who actively exercise their First Amendment rights. I’m not sure if I agree with 100% of their position on things, mostly because I’m not completely sure of what that position is. The essence seems to be that they’re opposed to the massive redistribution of wealth that our government has been supporting over the last 30 years, as a bigger and bigger portion of the wealth of our nation rests in the hands of a smaller and smaller percentage of people. The 1%.
I get that, and I agree that this isn’t a good thing. I can’t reconcile it with my spiritual beliefs or my moral principles. As a purely practical matter, such lopsided distribution of wealth always leads to upheaval.
I listened to someone trashing the “occupiers†the other day. I never could figure out what it was that they didn’t agree with, but they sure didn’t like the protesters. When I thought about this person’s comments, it really seemed to boil down to the fact that they didn’t like the “sort of person†who would be an activist for a good cause like this. They didn’t seem to like the “do-gooderâ€. He used the term “bleeding heart†several times – there’s an oldie but goodie!
Which reminded me of something I read once about a comment made by the great Lubavitcher Rebbe – Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. A young man had apparently told the Rebbe that he had decided to avoid social activism because it had been feeding his ego. A bleeding heart.
The Rebbe replied: “And without the activism there is no ego? Better a haughty activist than a self-centered do-nothing!”
Go occupiers!
