Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones sympathizes with the Occupy Richmond zombies who have set up a tent city in Richmond’s Kanawha Plaza in Downtown Richmond.
Jones was quoted in a Times Dispatch article as saying:
“I understand protests and occupations and I have been involved in similar types of activities during my lifetime,” Jones said, echoed by the chorus. “And for that reason, we have been lenient in terms of your occupation and protest movement.”
By lenient, Jones really means that he has turned his back on the illegal occupation and willfully failed to uphold the laws he is sworn to enforce. Make no mistake, this may be a passive non-enforcement on the part of the police, but it is an active decision by Jones to prevent the police from enforcing the laws that has Jones in breach of his mayoral duties.
He has not been lenient, he has been actively preventing the laws of this city from being enforced.
The same TD article goes on to report:
“As mayor of the city I’m going to have to ensure that the laws of the city are enforced,” Jones told the crowd of about 30 people gathered around him. “We will send representatives to talk to you at some future date about that.”
City code makes it “unlawful for any person to camp, tent, encamp or quarter upon any public grounds, parks, playfields, playgrounds or any public property owned or maintained by the city,” which would seem to apply to the occupation that began Oct. 15.
As one who attended all three of the Richmond TEA Party Tax Day Rallies and “live blogged” the last two of them. I am keenly aware of the diligence with which the TEA Party group made sure they obtained all permits, provided adequate sanitation facilities, security and even paid the city for the use of the park at Kanawha Plaza. Money that the TEA Party is now demanding that they be refunded – some $10,000 – because Jones is not enforcing the laws equally.
We agree. The city should reimburse the Richmond TEA Party. Jones is showing favoritism to a group of people who advocate the abolition of capitalism. These are not people looking for civil rights and freedom. They are looking to destroy anyone with more money than they have. They want a handout, not a hand up.
There is nothing righteous or noble in their demands. And for Jones to sympathize because he was a part of the civil rights struggle only cheapens the Civil Rights movement.
Jones should be ashamed for making the comparison. The occupy “movement” is neither civil, nor right. They are akin to spoiled children demanding new toys from their parents, unwilling to work or even behave properly in exchange.
They are greedy, envious and lazy. The dredges of society that wants to turn the American Dream into a nightmare. They are Communists, Socialists, Anarchists and worse. This is an un-American group of misfits unwilling to make their own way in life, unwilling to earn a living and incapable of earning respect, unless you happen to be Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones.
Mayor Jones: Do your job or step aside. You are a disgrace to Richmond and an embarrassment to Virginia.
Perhaps the Richmond TEA Party should consider filing a writ of mandamus to compel Jones to perform his duty and expel the occupiers from our public spaces. Even if unsuccessful, it will at least bring attention to Jones dereliction of duty and perhaps attract national media attention. Something Jones is unlikely to welcome as incidences of rape, theft and violence grow at these sites around the world.
And in the end, taxpayers will be left with a hefty bill to clean and repair the Plaza, which will harm every citizen in the city of Richmond as their tax dollars are diverted from other areas to pay for the mess Jones has allowed.
The Times Dispatch is conducting a poll.
Should the Tea Party get a refund from the city? (Click here to vote.)
As of this morning, 77% of 940 respondents say “Yes”.
Take the poll and call Mayor Jones and tell him what you think. His number is 804-646-7970.
Below is a message from the Richmond TEA Party. It is good reading. And there is a link to donate. Please consider a small donation (or large) if you can. Even a couple of dollars will help. I am sure they plan another TAX Day Rally for 2012 (at least I hope they will) and we all know that Jones will insist they obtain the proper permits and provide the necessary services at RTP expense.
Message from Richmond TEA Party:
Richmond Tea Party Takes on City Hall
The media and Big-Government politicians have continually tried to compare the Occupy groups to the Tea Party movement. As you know, there are a great many differences. For starters, Tea Party people clean up after themselves and are respectful of those around them, especially police officers (and their vehicles!). The biggest difference, though, is that we are law abiding citizens.Despite that, how does the City of Richmond treat us verses Occupy Richmond? The Mayor is allowing Occupy Richmond to blatantly break the law day after day because “Jones said that as a ‘child of civil rights’ and protests, he had allowed the group to remain in the park.”(RTD)One of the basic principles of our country is that laws should be applied equally. It seems that our city officials have decided that this principle doesn’t apply to the Occupiers.The Richmond Tea Party has held its Tax Day Rallies for the past three years at Kanawha Plaza. We had to start the process weeks in advance in order to obtain the numerous permits required and we had to pay for the use of the park and for police, emergency personnel and sanitation. Occupy Richmond has had to do none of this.In keeping with the principles of our founders the Richmond Tea party has decided to rectify this blatantly unequal application of the laws by sending an invoice to the Mayor’s office of the City of Richmond for a full refund of all charges we paid for our three previous rallies. We hope the city will honor the trust people have empowered them with and faithfully adhere to the principle of equal application of the law by refunding our money for the use of Kanawha Plaza in the past. Richmond Tea Party is also discussing this issue with an attorney.
Would you like to help us fight the unfair treatment of the Richmond Tea Party by the government and the media? The best way to control our message of restoring the constitutional principles and fighting for fiscal responsibility is to buy our own ads to combat the UNEQUAL treatment of law abiding citizens. Please help us:
Also, vote in the Richmond Times-Dispatch’s poll about whether we should be reimbursed for our Tax Day Rallies based on unequal treatment by the City of Richmond:And it wouldn’t hurt to call the Mayor’s office and let them know what you think about this. (804) 646-7970.
Article written by: Tom White
About Tom White
Tom is a US Navy Veteran, owns an Insurance Agency and is currently an IT Manager for a Virginia Distributor. He has been published in American Thinker, currently writes for the Richmond Examiner as well as Virginia Right! Blog. Tom lives in Hanover County, Va and is involved in politics at every level and is a Recovering Republican who has finally had enough of the War on Conservatives in progress with the Leadership of the GOP on a National Level.
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