NATO summit protests (Chicago, Grant Park, Time: homes, cost of, airplanes)

[urza216]

Originally Posted by 55degrees

I know the protesters are causing a lot of inconvenience for everyone, but I'm surprised at how right-leaning this discussion has been. I know we're not from San Fransisco, but we're not supposed to be like Mobile, Alabama.

It never ceases to amaze me on Chicago City Data how conservative people are..

[j_cat]

Originally Posted by 8loody

The CPD did a great job.

...at standing around watching a peaceful protest, and keeping it needlessly "contained". I suppose we can at least give them kudos for not beating anybody?

I can't believe how this seemingly progressive city has uncritically bought into the official hysteria about "dangerous protesters".

[j_cat]

Originally Posted by jdiddy

I'm not sure what the protestors thought they'd get out of this,

I've heard this smug criticism several times, as if free speech and free assembly have to accomplish some goal in order to be allowable.

[j_cat]

Disclaimer that shouldn't be necessary but maybe is: I'm not a protester. I just live here, and I've been disturbed by people's overreaction to the whole thing, so I went down to see it all for myself first-hand every single day. The protest crowd was the usual mix of thoughtful people and total nuts, and the cops... well, they were nice enough for the most part, but the human walls blocking off totally random streets were rather creepy and seemed pretty unnecessary. And did you see that huge barricade of snow trucks dividing Grant Park?

I think there has been some confusion about the real threat of terrorism at a NATO summit, and people conflating that with hippies who couldn't be less threatening if they tried! I blame cynical media sources for some of that confusion. (I'm not someone who thinks the media is necessarily right-biased or left-biased, I just think that sometimes they do their job poorly and sometimes they are propagandists for the "official" story. The worst example I've seen in my life was of course after 9/11, when every TV news outlet had "America Strikes Back" flashing across its screen.)

[lenniel]

Originally Posted by GoCUBS1

I'm pretty sure that many of the smart people on this thread have a good understanding of what profit is and how it relates to real estate investment. And, btw, the mortgage/expenses does not take into account the total opportunity cost/risk of a venture. Please tell me why an investor would risk money without the reward of profit? Because business should be altruistic?

But, to clarify your post... The evictions where the owner (may or may not be a big bank financier) "breaks even" and makes no profit (is not "profit-oriented") would be acceptable to the Occupy protestors? So, they are just protesting those trying to make a profit from real estate investment. Because profit is bad, right?

I'm trying to think who would invest in real estate that is not "profit-oriented".... hmm. Oh right, the big govt. And how would they afford to do this? Oh right, more taxes.

Excellent post GoCubs!
The problem with many (a vast, vast majority) of these people protesting for economic reform don't understand the simplist economic concepts such as revenue/expenses/profit.

All they know is that they read what some lefty said about profit, in any form, being evil and therefore, we should protest it.

[lenniel]

Originally Posted by callmemaybe

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying SOME of the protestors behavior (mostly Black Bloc and not Occupy) was unacceptable, but what do you guys suggest we do? Just be complacent and accept whatever the Powers want, because obviously anything they do is out of humanitarian love for our species?

Our planet is dying and our liberties are surely but slowly being stripped away in the name of corporatism and 'security', what are we supposed to be, just be quiet and go with the punches? Do you guys think people's right to assemble and protest should be taken away just so you can get to work a couple minutes quicker?

A lot of my friends are there in Chicago and some of them have been arrested and probably beaten too. The police are NOT being very nice.

There's a difference between "liberties" and lawlessness. No one is against the right to assemble or protest. What people are against is some numbnuts getting in the face of Obama or Rahm or Romney or whoever and potentially having something bad happen.

[lenniel]

Originally Posted by callmemaybe

Sure it's not very bad now, but what about in the future? It's obvious the direction this country is heading, it is not the right way. I have seen pictures from the protests of people bloodied. It doesn't matter if it's just a couple dozen people, even one is too many.

Just because we're 'not Iran' doesn't mean we should just shut up and let the powers that be taken control of our destiny as a species. Don't you think the general public should at least freakin' know what NATO, G8/20 etc are TALKING about?

I was happy to see a few protesters get tuned up.

Once you cross the line and become physically confrontational with a cop, all bets are off and he/she has the right to defend themself. This usually turns out bad for the protester as you saw.

Great job CPD!

[lenniel]

Originally Posted by urza216

It never ceases to amaze me on Chicago City Data how conservative people are..

Well, suck it up and join the crowd.

[tribecavsbrowns]

Originally Posted by j_cat

...at standing around watching a peaceful protest, and keeping it needlessly "contained". I suppose we can at least give them kudos for not beating anybody?

I can't believe how this seemingly progressive city has uncritically bought into the official hysteria about "dangerous protesters".

We've never claimed to be "progressive" in the sense that you want us to be -- to let our city be a stage for slackers and loons to spout their "wisdom."

[deliz]

Originally Posted by urza216

It never ceases to amaze me on Chicago City Data how conservative people are..

How does not wanting dissent in my home elude to you that Im conservative .. Just wondering?