OK, let’s get this straight.
Today’s “protesters” aren’t stopping a war.
They aren’t changing the world.
And the whole world is NOT watching.
What they are doing is disrupting business for hard working, small business owners and they are violating the law.
When they do, they need to get arrested, and that is what happened this week in Iowa, not because they were striking out in the name of the little guy — but because they were striking out AT the little guy.
The protesters were supposedly making a statement about being unhappy with the lack of choices in the coming elections, according to a report from the Associated Press:
“Five protesters were arrested Thursday outside the Iowa campaign headquarters of presidential contender Ron Paul as the group continued its protest against Republican candidates and President Barack Obama.
“The five were cited with trespassing and later released after they refused repeated requests to leave Paul’s campaign office in the Des Moines suburb of Ankeny. The action came a day after seven protesters were arrested outside Republican Mitt Romney’s Des Moines headquarters.
“Eight protesters were arrested at the state Democratic Party offices on Dec. 19.
“Lt. Ben Bowersox, an Ankeny police spokesman, said as many as 15 protesters were at the Paul headquarters. They were told to move to a public sidewalk nearby or face arrest. All but the five moved to the sidewalk.
“He said police received a call from a nearby store operator in the strip mall where the Paul office is located.”
Sidewalks — OK.
Blocking business — not OK.
Gee, that seems so simple. But, apparently it’s not.
It would seem that what is important to these folks is doing whatever will get them some TV time, but in the process it is the rest of the business people in this shopping center, and the other places of business that gets disrupted, who are left to pay the bill.
They were the ones who suffer from the loss of business while the panty-raids go on.
There are plenty of legal means in our culture through while these protesters can make their feelings known, even if they don’t make the TV news. Thanks to the freedoms established in this culture, there can be peaceful protests in public places that do not include damage to private property.
When those rules are not followed there need to be arrests.
Getting your word out at someone else’s expense is not just illegal, it’s poor manners and those of us who are working to pay the bills are fed up.

In the words of the late, great Barney Fife: "Rule number one  -- Obey all rules!"
— Chuck Smith