It has been a while I since I’ve updated this site because I was constantly having trouble finding a topic that I felt strongly enough to write about. Even though this page was previously devoted to writing both snowboard and movie reviews, I feel there are larger issues at hand that need addressing because the mainstream media is failing at properly covering current events in the most disgusting way possible. I thought I should write a short introductory blog to help inform those who have heard little about or have been misinformed on the subject of Occupy Wall Street.
The nation is on the verge of a political and economic revolution, but it seems that the major sources of information in the United States do not feel the Occupy Wall Street movement is newsworthy or is even a movement at all. In reality, this event is one of the most important and significant political happenings within at least the last 20 years.
There has been much confusion for a number of citizens across the nation about the drive, motivation and goal of these protests. Some have even not heard about what is happening in New York City, and in thousands of other cities around the country, because of an utter lack of news coverage. The main point to take away is that the 99% of citizens within the nation are tired of being taken advantage of and screwed by the top 1% of the country that pulls all the political and economic strings. Even though the banking members of the top 1% were bailed out, they continued to make terrible financial decisions and give themselves exorbitant bonuses while the rest of the nation was handed the bill. Unemployment is on the rise and there are no jobs for recent college graduates to earn money to start paying back the loans they took out to fund an education that promised to provide better employment opportunities upon completion. Health care is unaffordable for most, the housing market is broken and the major banks are on the verge of yet another crisis. If one continues to think that the target of the protests are unclear, he or she is simply not paying attention or choosing to not acknowledge how bad everything has become.
Last week, the Occupy movement released a centralized statement that clearly and simply summarized the driving force and cause of the protests as a whole. Keith Olbermann did a beautiful job in delivering the statement and explaining how ridiculous the media coverage has been. A clip of this broadcast can be found here.
Pundits have criticized the movement for being unclear and without focus or demands when it is obvious that nothing could be further from the truth. If there was no organization, how else did thousands of people across the entire nation stand in solidarity with one another on a Thursday? One of the most insulting statements made about these individuals fighting to gain back control of the country is that the group as a whole is “un-American.” This idea is so disgustingly false and is only trying to negatively taint the legitimacy of a movement that could not have more justifiable grounds. These actions are fundamentally American and illustrate freedom of speech, peaceful assembly and democracy at their roots. This nation belongs to the people and we are the individuals who truly have the power. It has been too long since we as a people have come together, as one, to stand up and fight for what is ours.
Complacency is so simple but the decisions that impact whether or not citizens can buy a house, get a job, have healthcare or pay back a loan should be made by the citizens themselves and not those who are so far removed from the issues that they do not even notice all the suffering within their own hometowns. Individuals need to stop buying manufactured consent and start yelling fire when they see the economy and the nation slowly burning to the ground. The top 1% who have had a hand in the current situation need to be brought to justice for ruining this once great nation. It is important to recognize that the Occupy Wall Street protests are not a liberal, conservative, Democrat or Republican movement but rather a movement of the people. The problems cannot be solely blamed on the Democrats or Republicans, but rather all of the greedy, immoral, and unjust leaders and decision makers who need to be held responsible for the crimes they have committed. Greatness is around the corner and it starts with a bunch of jobless kids standing on the street demanding to be heard and taking back what is rightfully theirs and rightfully ours.
This is our nation, let’s take it back once and for all.