Wednesday, September 19, 2012

I'll take that as a compliment

Reading some of the coverage about #S17 (or Occupy Wall Street's 1 year birthday party) I was amazed at the tone that as often struck. 

This article mentioned about 10 times how OWS was a dying movement. Really? You have to write a whole article about how much the Occupy movement is dying.  Is the public supposed to just accept that death myth without question.  Occupy must be dead because on September 17, 2012 only about 160 people were arrested all across NYC.  They couldn't keep the park all night so clearly this is just a dying movement.  Nothing to see here move right along.  I don't buy it.  We had more people at Occupy Austin last night than we have seen in months.  It felt jubilant.  I'm excited to see what year 2 looks like for this movement.

The article I just read, which inspired me to write this, struck a more supportive note.   One comment in particular made me think: “I hate mob rule. We're a republic, not a democracy,” said one perturbed plutocrat who declined to give his name. “Everybody has a right to free speech, but they just want free stuff. Free health care and education.”   It seems like Occupy has gotten it's message across.  Although this was framed as an attack, I'd like to say I take that as a compliment.  This person who works on Wall Street understands that the Occupy movement is fighting to ensure things like health care and education for all.  We do want free stuff - the stuff that people have a right to.  As long as our government, and our society, are putting profit over providing health care and education the Occupy movement will be here. Even those opposed to us know that we are fighting for basic rights.

Really, in a movement that is almost dead, what more can you ask for?  



No comments:

Post a Comment