Once upon a time. I could drive from Sydney to Brisbane, or Melbourne, sitting on 100 miles per hour between corners quite legally. That was my right.

That right has been taken away from me, basically by the bitching of incompetents who could not safely do what I could do.

Strangely I have not blocked the roads, demanding my rights back, because I accept in a large society, some rights must be restricted, for the good of all.

However I am not prepared to have some ratbag block the roads I've paid for with my taxes to complain about something they don't like. If they have their knickers in a knot perhaps we could run a school to teach them how to untie knots.

What ever, I want them removed from my roads immediately, & not in some days time. Most of these people are a waste of space, & have no right to interfere with the legitimate actions of anyone.

If they want to change the system perhaps they should first join it, then do their work from inside. It has worked with the ABC, so why not the finance sector.

Yes I know, the ABC will hire any usless dropkick, & banks are a bit more selective. Perhaps they would have to shower more often, but that may just do them some good anyway.

Dear Lexi,

Every year in Melbourne we have three weeks of being shut out of large areas of public space in the heart of Melbourne and for the last week this is accompanied by almost indescribable noise, litter and loutish hooning behaviour. All done in the name of supporting businesses. I am of course referring to the Grand Prix.

Compare that disruption to the Occupy Melbourne sit in. By its very nature the word 'occupy' means a stationary occupation of an inner city location. That is part of what defines the movement. There is no comparison between the area of the City Square compromised and that of Albert Park, nor the sound of bongo drums compared to F1 engines, nor the aggregate disruption caused to residents and users of the park, nor the cost to the taxpayers of this state.

Business do very well out of this government, I have even enjoyed some of that generosity myself, so putting up with a little bit of protest action should not have been a big ask.

Who is the mayor speaking for when he says a few hundred people shouldn't be allowed to trample on the 'rights' of all the other Melbournians? I would love to see the number of those living in Melbourne proper who support the Grand Prix compared to those who support action on corporate greed and excess.

Why can't a place like Melbourne support a continuing protest? It could add colour and vibrancy, and showcase a tolerant community. Why not have asked that the site be vacated one day a week for a good council tidy up for the duration of the protest? Set some basic housekeeping rules, be proactive and accommodating to what is a world wide movement.

All I see now is the footage of what happened on Friday being mashed up into Youtube videos for other Occupy efforts, heightening the sense of outrage.

Well done Doyle you bloody idiot!

*Why can't a place like Melbourne support a continuing protest? It could add colour and vibrancy, and showcase a tolerant community.*

Why not eh, Csteele? So I could bring the cow and the goat, that
would blend in with the tents and all the rest. Ah some chooks too
of course. All bankrolled by the taxpayer. Just rename the
place Circusville, that will bring in the tourists...

They need you for mayor, Cteele :)

I see, others may not, a bigotry here.
Not unlike the unknowing rubbish heaved every hour at a mate.
He Vet from Vietnam, has cancer.
His Doc says never go out with out a mask.
Dead heads, unknowingly slander him often.
We see the same here, some of these protesters will be, like my mate, FIRM CONSERVATIVES.
JOM no idea, not a little bit, how you put that thought down as mine!
Extraordinary PERSON YOU ARE.
My bigortys are hand made by me, not related to your thoughts about me.
Lexi, pal, know, every level headed supporter of this protest is against the violence.
Know too, at worse, a few trouble makers did that.
But know consider, in the Egyptian streets paid trouble makers, some Criminals did much of the bashing.
Yes too, rubbish was picked up there not thrown about to declare to those who had to clean up- the do not matter.
And SAD BUT TRUE some police bash for fun innocents or not.
Thin blue line is Worth its pay, but some are thugs and far worse than criminal.

Dear csteele,

Well when you put things that way - I have
to agree you've certainly got a valid point.
Nothing can compare to the noise, mess, and cost
to taxpayers of the Grand Prix. The "Occupy
Melbourne," protest pales in comparison.
I'll have to go back and re-think this entire
issue.

The only other thing that does bother
me somewhat though - I've heard that many of
these "peaceful" protestors were professional
agitators with their own agendas. How true is
that?

Dear Belly,

I'll shut up now and go sit in the naughty corner.