So I am still a little unclear as to the exact goal of the Occupiers, but one thing is for sure, at least they are making themselves heard!! I am really tired of people scoffing at them while they sit and do nothing. Whether you agree with them or not, you have to agree that CHANGE IS NEEDED! It's so easy to judge when you are on the outside looking in, but honestly how many of you can say you are not one of the 99%? I know I can't.
I am going to get really personal here, almost a year ago, a month after we closed on our home, my husband was laid off from his job. Our daughter was 8 mos. old at the time and I had just started a very part time job. The day he was laid off set off a series of events that have changed my outlook on life in general and have given me a compassion and a passion for the 99%. All of a sudden our income was cut in half, we had no health insurance, we didn't have enough money to pay our bills, frankly, we were screwed.
My husband has worked since he was fourteen, losing his job while trying to care for his family, was extremely demoralizing and depressing for him. He searched and searched for jobs, he applied to any position he felt that he would qualify for, nothing happened for almost a year. He just started a new job last month, he does not make as much as he did before, we are extremely behind on pretty much all of our bills. We are still in our house thanks to the loving support of our families. All of a sudden we needed Government Assistance and qualified for it as well, something we NEVER expected to take or need.
We have always worked hard, my husband and I are both still paying for our college educations, we have a mortgage, a car payment, utility bills, gas bills, grocery bills, doctor's bills ... All we want is a chance to live the "American Dream." But how are we suppose to do that when we can't live on my husbands income or afford for me to work because child care is too expensive and honestly I'd really like to be the one who raises my daughter!!
So whether you like it or not, the Occupiers have a point and unlike most of us they have a voice. So instead of scoffing at them, why not join them and make your voice heard? Our government is suppose to work for us, but instead they're living cushy lives, paid for by us, while we are getting calls from our creditors. Is that not a problem to you?
This Movement ...
"It is real. Yes, it’s youth-driven, broad-based, determinedly democratic and deeply grounded in the most basic of American values of economic fairness, social justice and equal opportunity for all. It’s not about left-right ideologies, but top-down realities. It’s focused directly on the narcissistic greed of today’s financial and corporate elites and on their gross corruption of our political system by a flood of money from corporations that now masquerade as persons.
Is the movement exactly there? No, not by a long shot; but it has a shot. The spunk, motivation, idealism, creativity and passion of these young people are genuine, not the product of partisan consultants, think tanks, rich funders or large organizations. So the movement’s direct street action is turning out to be the spark that millions of disgusted grassroots people have needed to stop moaning and start acting, which is why Occupy Madison, Occupy Chicago, and hundreds of other Occupies have sprung up spontaneously across the country within three weeks of the Wall Street initiative. These people are on target and on the move." *
So yes, they may be too radical for you. Yes, they lack maturity. Yes, they need to solidify their goals and agenda. But they are going to make changes and if you care to make changes that matter to you then you might want to take them a little more seriously and make you're voice heard as well.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
Committed people can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
- Margaret Mead
*Jim Hightower http://www.isthmus.com/daily/article.php?article=34951
No comments:
Post a Comment