While every citizen of the United States of America is afforded the right to protest without the fear of imprisonment, is the Occupy Wall Street movement really that effective? Or are they just ruining more lives than they are changing? The goal of any protest is to get a message across and make a difference. The goal is not to hurt or harm people in any way, shape, or form. Has the Occupy Wall Street movement been successful in reaching that goal? Have they changed anyone’s mind? Have they sent a clear and focused message? I say no, and here is why.
When the protests first started it was because they felt they were disenfranchised – they were the 99% of people who were not getting rich. So they marched to the rich people and yelled at them, flashed them, threw things at police, and blamed the rich people for all their lots in life. Not sure about you, the reader, but it sure sounds like they are just an angry mob of either spoiled kids or those who don’t feel like working to reach that kind of success.
When the protests first started the area was pretty cleaned up. Now, according to many reports from all over the media world, there are people defecating in the park, peeing in the park, leaving dirty diapers in the park, not throwing garbage away properly, etc. I wonder how many of these protestors feel the environment should be a priority. Do they think that maybe they are being hypocritical? If the environment is really your priority then why are you trashing the small piece of grassy area in a huge city? (note to protestors: People tend to NOT take you seriously when you act like pigs)
What about the harm done to other people? Reports of protestors in Oakland, California being tear gassed came after reports of protestors throwing objects at police officers. Not sure where I heard it (this is why I am not a bonafide journalist), but I believe someone (a protestor) stated that it was okay to throw things at police, but that the police did not have to do what they did. Are these people for real? Do they live in the real world of basic human decency? Did you grow up with your parents telling you it was ok to hit other people because you were angry? Yeah, neither did I. Can someone say spoiled?
One of the many complaints heard is how the rich people are buying politicians and forcing them to make specific policies geared towards allowing the wealthy to become even more wealthy while sticking it to the poorer people. This implies that all politicians are robots controlled by money. Okay, okay. I know you’re laughing now, but it is not entirely true. Not every single politician is controlled by money. Usually those who are get voted out shortly unless people are brainwashed enough to not see what is going on behind the political curtain. Even so, let us say that all politicians currently in office are controlled by money. The point would then be to get them out of office and get some fresh, new faces in there, right? Would that not be the smartest thing to do? Isn’t that the root being pulled? Not for the protestors! They want to get rid of the money that is apparently buying off every politician in office.
However, they do not seem to understand that that money also drives businesses by giving them loans. When a business receives a loan they can then operate. When they are able to operate they are able to make a profit, and most business owners use that profit to hire people such as the protestors (though I don’t believe those on Wall Street will hire them anytime soon) to work so that they (the business owners) are not doing everything by themselves. But, this must not be important to the protestors.
Wait! Aren’t they out there rallying for the 99%? So, do they realize that small businesses are part of that 99%? If they do then perhaps they don’t realize that many businesses in the Wall Street area are failing (look it up on foxnews.com from 11/2/2011) because no one wants to walk by police barricades and protestors who are naked and peeing in the park. Did I just hear someone say ‘hypocrite’?
So, the question of whether or not to protest is pretty easy to answer – no! Your vote is your protest. Your hard work and education allows you to vote in a responsible way. When you go out and protest to be cool, part of the status quo, get on television, or just because you’re angry, there is not honor in that. So, to the protestors: Even though the media is all over your mess, most people do not agree with what you are doing, and you are only hurting your movement – if there is a movement at all. What was your goal again?