Something amazing happened on September 17, 2011, one thousand people began a march through the streets of New York City to protest social and political inequality and corporate greed. Participants of all ages, all races, all religions, all political persuasions, united in the belief that the middle class is being screwed. This march, now called “Occupy Wall Street,” has spread like a wild fire all over the US and now, even to the UK.
One thing is clear, whether you agree with these folks or not, “Wall Street” (investment bankers, millionaires & billionaires) keep getting richer and richer, while “Main Street” (teachers, the struggling middle class & average Joes) are getting poorer and poorer. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that bankers and hedge fund managers should be held responsible for all the ills of the world; it’s that Wall Street has become emblematic of an entire economic and political system that no longer seems to have the best interests of most Americans at heart. While Wall Street was bailed out of a crisis created by their own greed, Main Street was, and still is, suffering and no one is offering us a bail out.
What I think the “Occupy Wall Street” folks have figured out is that there is no voice in current American politics for the average person, the so-called “99%” of us who make huge economic contributions to this nation and who deserve better treatment. Many of our so-called political leaders say the protesters are not politically cohesive and have no specific set of demands or changes to accomplish (and this may seem true at the moment) but it's ridiculous to say they don't stand for anything. Only proves to me that they still aren't listening.
I admire that the “Occupy Wall Street” protesters have the courage to make transforming our country their #1 obligation. As long as we put survival first rather than patriotism, the moneyed power elite have control over us. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, James Monroe, John Hancock and Paul Revere all knew this. This is what will change the world.
6 comments:
OK, I'll be picky here - but I know you, like me, like details, so please take this as respectful.
I applaud the 99%ers for saying, "yo! Many of us did everything right and we're still not getting a reward." Not that I am among this number... if one more person tells me that I am where I am because I need to grow up... but they need to focus a message. Too many of my unemployed friends still see the protestors as rich kid hippies. You know and I know that this is wrong, but....
I will get picky about your list. Washington inherited money and then married it. Jefferson went bankrupt indulging his personal comforts, which meant that he couldn't free his slaves, whatever he wanted. Monroe was an aristocrat.
Give me Franklin, Hancock and Revere. Franklin worked his way into rices out of poverty through knowing hard work, the appearance of hard work, and seeing the writing on the wall. Hancock saw the chance to get rich via smuggling and ran with it... OK, so it took him a decade to marry his fiancee... Revere multi-tasked and knew when to play to his audience.
(Me, biased? Naw...)
Nice post.
Excellent de-pick-tion A. No offense taken (I'm glad to see someone actually reads this stuff ;) I didn't really base my list of names on their morality -or lack of - I was just quickly pulling names out of my hat because of the vision they had as the Founding Fathers, or helpers of the Founding Fathers of our new Nation and that they weren't afraid to sign their names on the Constitution (not all of them of course).
I'm just tired of hearing the Repubs like Eric Cantor complaining of the "roving mobs," just proves he's not listening and doesn't get it. Same goes for Romney, Limbaugh and that clown Cain. Or that this is just the liberal version of the Tea Party (whoa, don't get me started).
Thanks for taking the time to comment too.
Hi y'all! Here's my five cents worth of horse pucky: From George Washington to Barrack Obama lies a group of politicians (or is it a group of politicians who lie) who have no clue what real people have to do to make a living. There isn't a party out there I trust. It's all about lining their own pockets.
They're all full of horse pucky.
Can't argue with horse pucky!!!
Re: can't argue with horse pucky!!!
To paraphrase the Tea Party's Mad Hatter, Sarah Palin, "You betcha!"
very googd
Post a Comment