The growing Occupy Wall Street movement is similar to the Arab Spring; it is the new American autumn.
Although there is a big difference between the occupiers and the rebels of the Arab Spring, they are both driven by the same fundamentals: social injustice and the lack of a voice. These basic morals are what pushed Mohamed Bouazizi over the edge and to set himself on fire in Tunisia, giving the spark needed for the beginning of the Arab Spring.
Middle class Americans took out loans for a higher education, worked the jobs they could find, and took out mortgages for a slice of the American dream. This was shattered when they found themselves with no job and in ruins.
Although not setting themselves on fire like Mr. Bouazizi, or shooting and taking bullets like the rebels did, they feel dehumanized and trampled on after electing a president who promised change; all while Wall Street was taking large chunks of money.
With an unemployment rate of over 9%, the occupiers have nothing better to do, and have good reason for it. Mr. Mouazizi, like many other Americans, attempting to make a simply honest living, selling produce was targeted and mistreated for years by the Tunisian government. Because he had no money for bribes, his government insulted, humiliated and dehumanized a man who could barely feed his family. His self-immolation catalyzed the massive movement that started in Tunisia, the spread to Egypt, Libya and Syria that forever will shape these countries and the world.
This, on a different scale is like the first few hundred ‘occupiers’ who feel unfairly mistreated by the government and set off a national movement to protest the 1% spanning roughly 60 cities nationwide. This was started by a single blog post Adbusters.
We have seen that attempts to silence, ignore, and block these powerful forces only fuel them further. Only guaranteed radical political reform can satisfy the protestors. These movements only show that we are only beginning to truly understand our society.
I am beginning to suspect a much larger American autumn from the growing Occupy Wall Street movement.