Occupy Wall Street…It’s About Time
Occupy Wall Street…It’s About Time
Over the last few weeks, I have had the opportunity to pass through the Occupy Wall Street protests on my way home. Since its inception, it has grown to thousands of people here in NYC and other major cities around the United States. All I can say is that it is about time, but they need a unified voice and leadership.
Although this protest has many demands, such as raising taxes on the rich and corporations, ending corporate welfare, lowering the cost of higher education, protecting Medicare and Social Security in their traditional forms; the common theme is corruption within the American government and the influence of corporations on U.S. laws and policymakers. However, this protest is still segmented.
It is the duty of every American to protest when injustices like these occur. Yet, it is also imperative for there to be leadership and unity amongst the protesters. Although the protesters appear to be unified with each other, their voice is not. Even with the common theme of corporations embedded within politics, there are just too many demands for one protest. This is where having leadership amongst the protesters comes into play.
When we take a look at the Civil Rights protests of the 1950s and 1960s, there was clear leadership amongst the protesters. Leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Stokely Carmichael, Jesse Jackson and many others throughout the United States all helped unify and guide non-violent protests and boycotts. They had a clear list of grievances that every protester was marching for, methods for carrying out their protests, and an alternative to what society has been up to that point.
In the case of the Occupy Wall Street protests, they want higher taxes on the rich. Before we do that, we need to clearly identify what is lower class, middle class and ipper class. According to some economists, $40,000 is the medium salary which puts a person in the “middle class”. Yet, a person cannot support a family on $40,000 and live a “middle class” lifestyle. This is why it is imperative for protesters to have clear outlines for their protests, as well as their expectations.
The biggest advantage the American people is our voting power. We should vote out the politicians that allow corporations to dictate their votes regarding government bills. In fact, it is wise to begin supporting third parties here in the United States that offer a different voice and demonstrate integrity due to both Democrats and Republicans giving a lot of the same nonsense that has led to these protests.
Over the last decade, the United States has had steep unemployment that is currently over 9%, a national debt that is the highest in the nation’s history, and given numerous government financial bailouts to various industries, all while it has been embroiled in two wars that are just now beginning to wind down.
However, it is has been the middle and lower classes of American society that have been hit with the biggest blow. Hence, the protests are occurring because this nation has gone down the wrong path over the last decade. We as American citizens should all be protesting with the Occupy Wall Street movement.
Some in Washington are not supportive of the protests. According to House GOP Leader Eric Cantor, he is "increasingly concerned" about the "growing mobs" represented at the protests. Yet this is the same guy who embraced the Tea Party protestors that were armed during their protests and have damaged property.
The Occupy Wall Street protesters have not become violent and are demonstrating peacefully. In fact, an NYPD officer is under investigation for using excessive force and pepper spray against some of the protesters who were demonstrating peacefully.
It should also be noted that the NYPD has arrested over 700 protesters involved with the Occupy Wall Street protest after J.P. Morgan Chase donated nearly $5 million to the NYPD to enhance security in New York City. To add to that, just prior to being arrested, the NYPD had led the protestors to where they would be arrested, which can be looked at as entrapment.
Nonetheless, any corporation, especially one like J.P. Morgan Chase, which donates nearly $5 million to a police department, would most likely expect something in return for its sizeable donation. It just appears to be too big of a fluke that a donation as big as this and the largest in NYPD history arrives just prior to the Occupy Wall Street protests.
Very few members of the GOP have supported this protest. Representative and presidential candidate Ron Paul stated, "If they were demonstrating peacefully ... and making a point, and arguing our case, and drawing attention to the Fed–I would say, good!"
It is important for the protest to gain more momentum and national attention, but not without leadership and a clear voice. Throughout history, protesting has helped shape this nation. Where would the United States be without protests and movements such as the Boston Tea Party, the Abolition Movement, Women’s Suffrage and Civil Rights? It is important to note that all of these were successful and they all shared leadership, as well as unity.
Americans across the country are out of work and out of money, while corporations have received unprecedented amounts of money in bailouts despite still issuing bonuses to top employees and cutting jobs. This is a disgrace and one reason for the Occupy Wall Street protests.
Taking a page out of Dr. Martin Luther King’s book, as we continue to protest, we should then begin to boycott the services that these institutions provide. Only then will they be forced to listen and comply. It is the right of every American citizen to stand up and protest when injustices are occurring. It is about time the American people stood up and said enough! Better late than never.
Over the last few weeks, I have had the opportunity to pass through the Occupy Wall Street protests on my way home. Since its inception, it has grown to thousands of people here in NYC and other major cities around the United States. All I can say is that it is about time, but they need a unified voice and leadership.
Although this protest has many demands, such as raising taxes on the rich and corporations, ending corporate welfare, lowering the cost of higher education, protecting Medicare and Social Security in their traditional forms; the common theme is corruption within the American government and the influence of corporations on U.S. laws and policymakers. However, this protest is still segmented.
It is the duty of every American to protest when injustices like these occur. Yet, it is also imperative for there to be leadership and unity amongst the protesters. Although the protesters appear to be unified with each other, their voice is not. Even with the common theme of corporations embedded within politics, there are just too many demands for one protest. This is where having leadership amongst the protesters comes into play.
When we take a look at the Civil Rights protests of the 1950s and 1960s, there was clear leadership amongst the protesters. Leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Stokely Carmichael, Jesse Jackson and many others throughout the United States all helped unify and guide non-violent protests and boycotts. They had a clear list of grievances that every protester was marching for, methods for carrying out their protests, and an alternative to what society has been up to that point.
In the case of the Occupy Wall Street protests, they want higher taxes on the rich. Before we do that, we need to clearly identify what is lower class, middle class and ipper class. According to some economists, $40,000 is the medium salary which puts a person in the “middle class”. Yet, a person cannot support a family on $40,000 and live a “middle class” lifestyle. This is why it is imperative for protesters to have clear outlines for their protests, as well as their expectations.
The biggest advantage the American people is our voting power. We should vote out the politicians that allow corporations to dictate their votes regarding government bills. In fact, it is wise to begin supporting third parties here in the United States that offer a different voice and demonstrate integrity due to both Democrats and Republicans giving a lot of the same nonsense that has led to these protests.
Over the last decade, the United States has had steep unemployment that is currently over 9%, a national debt that is the highest in the nation’s history, and given numerous government financial bailouts to various industries, all while it has been embroiled in two wars that are just now beginning to wind down.
However, it is has been the middle and lower classes of American society that have been hit with the biggest blow. Hence, the protests are occurring because this nation has gone down the wrong path over the last decade. We as American citizens should all be protesting with the Occupy Wall Street movement.
Some in Washington are not supportive of the protests. According to House GOP Leader Eric Cantor, he is "increasingly concerned" about the "growing mobs" represented at the protests. Yet this is the same guy who embraced the Tea Party protestors that were armed during their protests and have damaged property.
The Occupy Wall Street protesters have not become violent and are demonstrating peacefully. In fact, an NYPD officer is under investigation for using excessive force and pepper spray against some of the protesters who were demonstrating peacefully.
It should also be noted that the NYPD has arrested over 700 protesters involved with the Occupy Wall Street protest after J.P. Morgan Chase donated nearly $5 million to the NYPD to enhance security in New York City. To add to that, just prior to being arrested, the NYPD had led the protestors to where they would be arrested, which can be looked at as entrapment.
Nonetheless, any corporation, especially one like J.P. Morgan Chase, which donates nearly $5 million to a police department, would most likely expect something in return for its sizeable donation. It just appears to be too big of a fluke that a donation as big as this and the largest in NYPD history arrives just prior to the Occupy Wall Street protests.
Very few members of the GOP have supported this protest. Representative and presidential candidate Ron Paul stated, "If they were demonstrating peacefully ... and making a point, and arguing our case, and drawing attention to the Fed–I would say, good!"
It is important for the protest to gain more momentum and national attention, but not without leadership and a clear voice. Throughout history, protesting has helped shape this nation. Where would the United States be without protests and movements such as the Boston Tea Party, the Abolition Movement, Women’s Suffrage and Civil Rights? It is important to note that all of these were successful and they all shared leadership, as well as unity.
Americans across the country are out of work and out of money, while corporations have received unprecedented amounts of money in bailouts despite still issuing bonuses to top employees and cutting jobs. This is a disgrace and one reason for the Occupy Wall Street protests.
Taking a page out of Dr. Martin Luther King’s book, as we continue to protest, we should then begin to boycott the services that these institutions provide. Only then will they be forced to listen and comply. It is the right of every American citizen to stand up and protest when injustices are occurring. It is about time the American people stood up and said enough! Better late than never.
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