NEW YORK - ARI On the steps to New York's City Hall last Friday, several
hundred protesters gathered in opposition to common sense and a basic
understanding of life. Passersby who tried to press through the
sign-carrying crowd were met with loud screams and the stamping of feet.
One protester's mother, seventy-year-old Agnes Prowse, walked into the
line and took her forty-five-year-old son by the ear, pulling him away
from the scene. When questioned by this reporter, she replied amid the
screams of her son, "I warned him that I would come get him if he kept
this up." Never breaking stride, Mrs. Prowse drug her son home.
Remaining protesters were arrested a few minutes later. No one went
peacefully. The Precinct captain said that the protesters had failed to
get permits for their gathering, and that they were blocking access to
city offices. Most were later picked up by relatives who paid fines for
the ordinances that had been ignored.
In doing research on those who had been arrested, it soon became evident
that the protesters each had a long history of ignoring basic rules. Few
had finished their schooling. None of them were currently employed. Most
could not distinguish between the sexes. Several had actually deserted
spouses and children. Most had also rejected the faith shared by other
family members. And some of them regularly beat their dogs and kicked
their cats.
Of the millions of New York residents, it is feared that there may be more
would-be citizens who share the sentiments of Friday's illegal protesters,
hating common-sense and refusing all understanding. Some public officials
have estimated that "We may have thousands of people in this metro area
alone who reject common human values." It's also feared that there may be
thousands more in communities across America.
Precinct police have had to repeatedly arrest some of the protesters who
keep returning to the City Hall to cause more trouble. But a few relatives
have finally decided to leave the self-made simpletons in jail, rather
than pay the same fines again and again.
"That's the smartest move, I think," said one arresting officer. "Who
knows? Maybe these simpletons will get some smarts in spite of themselves, if they have
to start paying for their own mistakes and bad choices."
Hank Patterson, of the City Desk.
Jim
©2005 Jim Sutton
all rights reserved
