From The Blaze comes this video of a wheelchair bound lady that is unable to leave the building where the AFP "Defending the American Dream Summit" was being held. It seems that the Occupy DC folks decided that trapping the attendees in the building, including this disabled lady, would advance their cause. Now, being supportive of AFP and its principles of limited government and free markets (having been chosen to be AFP’s Activist of the Year for 2011, I guess they think so too!), I can tell you that if they were looking to influence hearts and minds, making life difficult is not the way to do it.
As one way to carry out political street theater, the disregard for the physical infirmities shows a callous lack of concern for an individual. A lack of mere simple manners and politeness is what is on display here:
Note the wooden stick put through the door handles on the outside as the camera swings around towards the door making it impossible for the wheelchair to go out. Or anyone else, for that matter. When I saw that, the first thought was "would they really take it out if there was a fire?"; I’m not clear that I know the answer. I also noticed that as the camera came close, the Occupiers kept hiding their faces as if they were ashamed of being seen. Then they started up their signature mantra: "This is what democracy looks like!" (and the crazed laughter in the background)
The wheelchair bound lady got it right when asked about it – "Do you think this is what democracy looks like?":
"No, that’s what mob rule looks like. Democracy is not about mob rule and that’s mob rule".
Empowerment (AFP) or Entitlement (Occupiers) – this is one of the decisions America has to make.