In response to Evan Holland’s article about Occupy Wall Street, I don’t think this protest is unnecessary True, there is no one thing this protest is trying to achieve, and there is no formal list of demands.
But that in no way means that this protest is not necessary or resembles a zoo. America has not seen a protest of this magnitude since the civil rights movement, and I think that this fact in and of
itself is significant.
This is a grassroots movement, with no real leaders, and this alone is amazing. And yes, the Occupy Wall Street protests seem to mimic in a sense the protests in the Middle East in that they are using social media in order to spread their messages. However, this does not mean that the movement is two years too late or that pointing out the obvious is bad.
Though this movement’s slogan “We are the 99 percent” seems obvious, sometimes we need to be reminded of the economic disparity in
this country.
The top 1 percent owns 39 percent of the nation’s wealth, and I think this is cause for concern. The wealth disparity between the top 1 percent and the rest of the population continues to increase. When you look at this disparity, it is similar to countries that have had massive revolutions.
I think the changes that the Occupy Wall Street protesters have in mind is a new way of doing things. Capitalism, though it has allowed many of us students at Creighton to be where we are today, is oppressive.
Human hands have created this system, and maybe these protests are a call for human hands to change
the system. However, one common criticism of the Occupy Wall Street movement is that it offers no solutions to the issues that are being protested.
The trap that this movement could fall into is not changing anything. It could just be a way of raising concerns and letting off steam, so to speak. It could be a way of making demands and not being completely sincere.
Here’s the heart of the matter. Even if we agree with the Occupy Wall Street movement, who’s to say that this isn’t just a way of showing indignation without the intension of ever really changing anything? Are the people who support this movement sincere? I hope
that they are.
Also, the protesters are not “just winging it.” In fact, hundreds of people have been arrested, and this at least shows commitment. In my mind, I don’t see how the protesters are slapping things together. Just because it is unorganized, doesn’t mean that those who are participating in the protests are unable to articulate why they in particular are involved.
The one thing that I can say is that at least the Occupy Movement is doing something. They are taking a stand for something, even if that something is not entirely clear. At least they are not sitting around complaining and taking
no action.
My hope is that the Occupy Wall Street Movement is sincere, and that from these protests at least a dialogue can be open to how to move forward and reverse the increasing economic disparity in America.