G8’s move is no win for “Occupy”

By Samuel Charles

The G8 Summit
 has been moved from Chicago to Camp David in rural Maryland, per President Barack Obama’s order. That much we know. Obama said he moved the summit because he wanted a more intimate environment to host the leaders of eight of the world’s largest economies. For the most part, I buy that rationale.

But if you were to ask anyone from
 the Occupy “movement”—and yes, those quote marks were put where they are because I challenge anyone to show me one piece of tangible proof that this group is an actual movement—why the summit changed locales, they’d say the government changed plans for fear of what Occupy planned on doing.

I’m surprised the group can see with its heads so far up a certain orifice, let alone claim “victory” for something it had next to nothing to do with.

In fact, if it was indeed responsible for the move, it would go against the very principles Occupiers hold so dear.

Taking a step back and looking at things logically—something Occupiers should try once in a while—the only thing that could actually scare the government out of hosting G8 in Chicago would be if it received a credible threat.

Occupy has inundated the public with its constant self-righteous preaching of non-violent resistance, and up until now they’ve held true to their word.

But if G8’s migration east is indeed the result of the group and its plans, then how could one not think them hypocritical?

If Occupy did pose some kind of threat—did I mention that they don’t? — Its waning credibility would be gone. It would have sunk to the level of any other group of lunatic fringe zealots, kind of like a cult.

The simple fact that the group still exists is enough evidence to show it had no role in the government’s decision to move the summit.

The government has a not-so-great history of disregarding protesters, no matter what the general public thinks of them. In 2000, the Ku Klux Klan marched in northwest suburban Skokie, home to many Jews, and police ended up arresting anti-Klan protesters. The moral of the story is that, for better or worse, the government doesn’t care who you are or what you say about them.

I agree with many of the things Occupy stands for: financial accountability, transparency, etc. But I can’t help wishing Occupiers would just shut the hell up and actually think about what they’re saying once in a while.

It’s a shame that people in my generation are being represented by them.