Response #6: Occupy Wall Street (Week 4)

To be quite honest, I had no idea about Occupy Wall Street or Occupy Lexington until it was pointed out in class. I have passed by the site of the Lexington protests a couple of times since this movement started, but have never really noticed anything. The media really has not shed very much light on this subject at all; it’s all out there for us to find out on our own.

I have to say, these people that are standing out there protesting right now definitely have a lot of courage. There is no way that you would ever catch me out there doing what they’re doing and going through what they’re going through. The thing of it is you really don’t see people fighting for what they believe in as much anymore, which is why this comes as such a shock. I know that, as an American, the country’s current conditions get me frustrated. The question that really needs to be asked is this: why did it take so long for this to happen? I guess the American people have just been pushed to their breaking point; since the stock market crash conditions in our country have gotten much worse. Jobs have been going overseas, people who have jobs can’t manage to have a raise because of the economy, etc. Everyone is hurting; well, everyone except the Wall Street bankers, that is.

Since I knew nothing about this movement before now, I had to do a little bit of research. I found an article put out by WKYT 27 News First. To answer my question “What is this movement protesting?” I found a simple answer in a response from one of the protesters. She said that there is a variety of things they are protesting, not just one. The whole point of this movement is apparently to attempt to put a stop to corporate greed.

Don’t get me wrong; I like what the protesters in all of the cities across our nation are doing. They are standing up for our rights as U.S. citizens and fighting for what they believe in, which is a worthy cause. My main concern regarding the protests is whether or not  they are really going to do anything. I mean, let’s face it, the government is far worse than it was during the civil rights movement. You cannot convince these corporate pigs of anything anymore, much less ask them to give up their ways to make a better life for others. They enjoy their thousand-dollar yachts, fancy high-end houses, and (not to mention) their bailout bonuses. Think about it; you may camp out at the protest site for years, only for nothing to happen. You may get arrested and taken to jail over nothing. The risk must be very well worth it for these people, because they face these chances every day, but none of it seems to scathe them.

I will be honest; I don’t really enjoy focusing on this movement too much. Like I said, I have nothing against it, the fact that it makes my blood boil to a temperature of 500 degrees just makes it very unenjoyable to watch and study. I’m just like the millions of other Americans that are pissed off at our government; being angry at the government is just one of the downsides that comes with our being American citizens.

Link to WKYT 27 News First Website:
http://www.wkyt.com/news/headlines/Occupy_Wall_Street_movement_grows_in_Lexington_131433888.html