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October 16, 2011 07:37 PM UTC

Occupy Movement: Who They Are and What They Want

  • 2 Comments
  • by: nancycronk

(Accidentally dumped PCG’s promotion, restored – promoted by Colorado Pols)

It’s difficult to understand who Occupy Movement protesters are, and what they want, simply by watching main stream media coverage of their events. I spent some time with the Occupy movement in Colorado, to find out who they are, why they are demonstrating, and what makes them tick. What I discovered was an impressive network of people from all walks of life, who came together to make a point for all the world to hear.

The beautiful thing about Occupy Wall Street, and all of the other Occupy Together groups around the globe, is that it is an organic, grassroots, bottom-up, not top-down, movement. The people who organized that sit-in, and the sit-ins in every major city, did not do it for their own fame, or recognition, or personal platform. They did it as an expression of the highest form of patriotism, and a deep, abiding love for their country.

Occupy Wall Street started with a powerful idea, which spread quickly using Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, and email. Like the Arab Spring, it did not happen because of social media — it happened because of emotion. Social media was the tool to make it move quickly. With or without the internet, Occupy Together would have existed — it simply happened more quickly because of it.

The message has always been about the movement, not specific people. In Colorado, where I live, the original organizers of the sit-in at Civic Center Park, across from the state capital, were people who gathered every evening for “General Assembly.” Although hundreds of people sat-in twenty-four hours per day for the first several weeks, many times that number of ordinary, middle class people dropped by for short periods of time, leaving signs, clothing, books, food, water, and encouragement.

The genius of the movement is reflected in the fact no one clear leader has stepped up to take credit or blame. This is the people’s movement. Unlike the Tea Party events which were “astro-turfed” (financed by the Koch brother’s group “Americans for Prosperity” which hired “leaders” and “organizers” who were eventually able to attract some poorly informed right-wing fringe followers), the Occupy movement, also called the “99%”, is completely organic and grass-roots. No one had to pour money into it go get it started or keep it moving. The movement has not require millions of dollars spent on a fancy bus, pre-made signs, speaking tours, and least of all, faux-folksy entertainers like Sarah Palin.

It started with outrage.

– Outrage at increasing income disparities between the rich and the poor.

– Outrage at corporate loopholes exempting corporations from paying their fair share of taxes.

– Outrage at policies that continue to shrink the middle class.

– Outrage at outsourcing jobs overseas.

– Outrage at the “don’t just do something, stand there” Congress.

– Outrage over recent wars that have spilled our children’s blood, and for what?

– Outrage at big money in politics.

– Outrage at media which is owned by the rich, and is used to convince the uninformed to vote against their own self-interests.

– Outrage that large banks have been bailed out by taxpayers, yet are still foreclosing on people who have nowhere else to go.

– Outrage at ridiculous Supreme Court rulings to give corporations “personhood.”

– Outrage that Washington insults us by believing we do not understand all of the above (especially Boehner and his cast of looney toons).  

Occupy Wall Street and all of the Occupy Together gatherings are a revolt against corporate opportunists who have robbed the middle class through thirty years of trickle-down, voodoo economics. It is a revolt against a system that rewards those who are skilled at making a fast buck, rather than elevating those who build nations and inspire generations. It is a revolt against all that is superficial, materialistic, war-mongering, and corrupt. It is a stand for our families, for decency, and for old-fashioned values. It is the height of patriotism. It is the essence of democracy. Occupy protesters demand, “WE WANT OUR COUNTRY BACK, AND WE WANT IT BACK NOW.”

Hundreds of the Occupy Together protesters I have spoken to since its inception are, by and large, the same people who elected Barack Obama as president. Some are disappointed they have not gotten as much out of him as a leader as they had hoped. Others support him still. Many believe he needs to step up to take the tail of this powerful tiger, and direct the energy against the evil-doers.

Obama’s wildly successful Campaign for Change was never about electing the president — it was about demanding real change. It did elect a president, but pundits and political strategists in pressed shirts have failed to see the larger picture. When an obstructionist Congress failed to deliver what the people wanted, making the president impotent, angry supporters started the Occupy Wall Street movement as a reminder. “Lead, Follow, or Get the Hell Out of the Way!”

What do the 99% want? Occupy intends to take our country back from multi-national conglomerates  who have stolen it — to take it back from a United States Congress that has served the purposes of the rich, and kicked the poor and the middle-class in the face at every turn. It intends to give our leaders a message — one that is loud and clear and simple. “You WILL stop these games and you WILL find a way to bring back our jobs. You WILL stop passing laws that benefit multinational corporations. You WILL make sure the rich pay their fair share of taxes, and you WILL stop sucking the life-blood out of the poor and the middle class. You WILL invest in education so our kids will have a fighting chance to have at least the quality of life our generation has had. If you don’t, you’re all gone.”

Occupy protesters are a peaceful, angry people. Occupy intends to take down the system of corruption through non-violent democratic means, like those who were led by Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. The Occupy movement intends to use the electoral process to replace those in power who serve the will of the multi-national corporations, with elected officials who once again serve the will of the American people. The energy behind the Occupy demonstrations is impressive. A movement has begun, and change will be made. Watch and see.

 

Have you participated in the Occupy movement?

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2 thoughts on “Occupy Movement: Who They Are and What They Want

  1. To any protesters who join this movement, please remember how important it is to remain non-violent at all times. Fox news reporters are out on the streets trying to provoke crowds so they can spin the story to make peaceful people look bad. DO NOT REACT TO THEM. Respond with peace. It is crucial to the credibility of this movement and to our message.  

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