The Protest Continues

The Real Estate Company that owns the park where the protesters have been camping out in New York (NY) City demanded that the property be cleaned; protesters were given a deadline to get out before police action. The protesters, thinking that this was a move to squelch their movement, spent the night cleaning up and didn’t have to leave. 

On October 16, 2011 it was reported that there was a clash in Berlin, Germany and protesters in Rome, Italy turned violent, smashing windows and burning cars. Rome says it will cost about $1.4 million to clean up the mess. Participants need to understand that the property destroyed along the way belongs to their neighbors, friends, and family and not that of a multi-million dollar company. Causing any government to have to clean or rebuild an area takes away money that could have been spent on you, the people.

I do realize that it’s been over a month since the Occupy Wall Street movement began and there is a lot of frustration. I give the American people credit for not rioting but do wish that the few acting poorly would stop. It’s too bad that NY City has so far had to pay $3.4 million in law enforcement overtime. If the Republicans would come out and show some understanding and/or be sympathetic to the fact that there is inequity when 1% of the population holds almost 36% of the nation’s wealth while 15% is in poverty (includes 9.1% unemployed) perhaps the protesters could stop.   

Protesters all over the world need to remember that they should not be doing anything illegal (no destroying property, blocking transportation or trespassing onto private property) if they want to continue to be taken seriously. The 99% all over the world has a reason to want more from corporations however poor behavior only gives more support to the corporate world and reduces the movement down to a mob without a purpose. Remember your purpose. You’re tired of being hungry and/or losing dreams because corporations do not share the wealth. You don’t want to feel like you live in a third world country where the rich live in luxury while others suffer. 

Not all corporate heads are as understanding as media mogul Rupert Murdoch who was heckled during a speech and said a little controversy was okay. I urge the participants in the movement to be nonviolent as anything other than that harms the movement. The peaceful demonstrations established have gotten you additional support (the first NY protest had 1,500 participants and the number rose to 6,000). In the US the support has grown to 250 cities while more than 1,000 cities participate around the world. Jailed supporters do nothing to help the cause. A change in your approach will only be to your detriment.

Only 37% of Americans support the protesters. This tells me that there are far too many people who do not understand that the way to get our country back on its feet is to ask for the government to close corporate loopholes and realign the tax system so that businesses pay for the government oversight that’s necessary to protect the people from bad business practices that result in an inequity of the people.