Occupy Boise… Our Lazy Protestors

Is Boise lucky to have an “Occupy” encampment in our very own downtown? I believe some in Boise would agree that we are blessed to have a group of strangers who have come together to publicly stand against the um… well I’m still not sure what they are standing against, but I’m very sure it’s bad.

I didn’t sit down to write about what the occupy movement is standing against. I’m actually here to write about what they are accomplishing. Or, rather, not accomplishing. When you and I think of protesters we usually think of people marching down the street with signs. Chanting or singing out their message, protesting some atrocity. Or among the less confrontational protester they are sitting, chained to a tree or building and protesting by being in a place where they are very apparently not supposed to be. THAT is protesting. Sadly, though, Boise has lazy protesters and there is nothing noble about a lazy protestor.

I went to the Idaho Statesman and did a search for “occupy Boise” to educate myself and to find out if I’m wrong in my assumption. As it turns out, I’m right-on in my assumption and the lack of news proves it. Here are the recent activities of Occupy Boise according to the Idaho Statesmen. Last week in an article noting the disproportionate number of tents to people (many more tents than people) the occupiers held a rally on Jan. 9th to mark the opening of the Idaho Legislature. 6 people showed up for that. That isn’t really a protest if you ask me. Before that the next most recent activity I could find happened on November 26th. It was labeled “Consumer Zombies”. In this protest two months ago protestors were to walk around the mall dressed as zombies in “silent protest of… excessive consumerism”. Wow! Here’s some advice: when you protest you have to say something so people get your message. Don’t walk around in silent protest because you quickly become the weirdo walking around dressed like a zombie on a day that is clearly not Halloween.

I’ve checked the Occupy Boise calendar and they have nothing scheduled in the future except for a bunch of workshops. I’m doubting that anyone shows up to the workshops. Just an assumption on my part. So, to sum it up. Two non-protests in the last 2 months. Somebody is not doing their job.

Yesterday the Idaho Statesmen published an article about the Legislatures bill to evict the Occupiers from the Capitol Mall. It is titled “Our View, Idaho Legislature: Occupying time with a pointless exercise“. The complaint is that the Legislature has more pressing items to deal with than the Occupiers. Maybe they do but in truth the occupiers are being dealt with immediately out of their own laziness. The Legislature has no fear of the Occupiers. They see the Occupiers, in my opinion, as a bunch of transients that Boiseans have to look at every day. They probably think they are doing the important work by cleaning up the Capitol Mall and the Occupiers have no one to blame but themselves.

Here’s the bottom line. The Occupy Boise movement wants to “occupy” the Capitol Mall but they don’t want to pay the rent. What’s the rent? PROTESTING is the rent. If you want to claim to be protesters and that it is your right to occupy that space, then protest. Don’t sit around like a bunch of campers waiting for the sunset. Get out and protest. Pay your rent and you won’t be evicted so easily. You haven’t even made the National News. The Legislature has nothing to fear. There will be no public outcry when you are quietly swept into the streets and wished a “good day and don’t come back.”

Nobody respects the Occupy Boise movement.