Squelched

I will avoid using extreme terminology such as fascist, or police state, or fascist-police state, because I know such words are a turn off to the common free thinker. These words smack of tired, paranoid delusions which seek to ramp up fear in the gullible, and they are cause for dismissal most of the time. So for now I will avoid calling a spade a spade, and offer my comment pertaining to the civil discourse in our country.
Currently income disparity is at its most grotesque level since ever, which we all know. Credit is locked, causing a shortage of exchange, making it impossible for economic activity to prosper. For the most part, this dark blanket of stagnation has locked us all down for more than four years. Many people have experienced the worst grief and loss second only to the death of a loved one. Those who haven't are scared to death that their own house of cards may fall at any time. Not only has this caused a prolonged state of fear in the national mood, but it has fatigued the minds of otherwise sharp individuals.
Most people find themselves in dire situations through no fault of their own. Many had decent jobs, and most had no reason to suspect it all would suddenly end. Today there are people with Masters degrees who cannot find work. I do not have anything near a Masters degree, but I did have a good paying job for eighteen years. That job enabled me to build an excellent credit rating and take on a mortgage for a humble home. People will say the crash was in the fall of 2008, but I know the economy was tanking for years before that, and finally the glass bottom fell out. I noticed in 2005 that I was being laid off occasionally, a Monday here, a Saturday there. Later it was common to only work three days in a week. Making $200 a day made it possible to stay alive on a three day week, but it was apparent that our best days were behind. Eventually it was bad enough that I had to push for a career change. I settled for a part-time job, having no idea that there would be zero growth over the next four years. Over the course of this period I nearly lost my home, I've had liens placed on my house by the city and county, which is worth half of what I owe for it. My credit card accounts have been removed and collections agencies call me and my wife morning, noon, and night. I wait daily to see where it goes from here, knowing that there isn't really anything I can do about it. If a judgement is placed against me I don't worry about it, because the burden is on them to get their money, and this wallet is empty. The irony is, leaving my old job was still the best thing I could have done. There is no old job to go back to, because that small company is still floundering from a shattered housing market.
So there is no argument against the anger and frustration of those participating in or supporting the 'Occupy' movement. I know a great deal of people who understand that there are fundamental problems in the current econo-political system, but they loathe the occupiers and dismiss them as douche-bags and hippies. They say the movement will fail because sooner or later someone must take charge and then corruption will ensue, thus repeating history and so on.
Cities are complaining that the movement is costing them millions in extra security, when most are over vamping their forces, and going overboard with their batons and tear gas. I heard someone say once, "If you want to know who started a riot, just look at who came dressed for one." This holds true today, and the reason I am saying all this is that first, I have noticed an awful lot of police in riot gear on the television these days, and my own fatigued mind is getting used to it; even starting to except it. Much the same way I learned to except that we are always at war abroad. Secondly, whether you are behind the Occupy movement, or if you just wish it would go away, some part of you must be uneasy about the irrefutable truth. That if the people of this nation do stand up to power because their votes don't cut it, they will be met with brute force from law enforcement, and silence from those who should have their backs. This concerted effort between 18 cities across the country to forcefully evict the occupations is a boot on the face of the disenfranchised. You cannot turn away from it because it is real, and it is happening here, there, and even far way in places like Japan, Egypt, and Australia. The people are awake now, whether the occupations last or not. They will not be silenced with mace and clubs.