Real change and hope does not come from holding up a
sign
John Chiv/For the Times-Standard
Posted: 11/24/2011 02:28:37 AM PST
Since my only experience has been with the Occupy Eureka protesters, my remarks are directed at them. Under the guise of First Amendment rights and purporting to speak for 99 percent of the people, all you have achieved with your so called protest is make life harder for the working middle class struggling to stay out of poverty, and even worse for the poor.
So you wanted to get attention for your message?
Has this been achieved by the “professional activists” that are leading the
rest of you for the cause du jour. When you see the same people at all these
protests, the credibility of this being the voice of the people wears thin.
Your group has various activists and different
groups latching on and riding the 15 minutes of fame. What exactly are you
trying to get across as your basic message besides the usual “blame
corporations, the man, it's someone else's fault.”
Your trashing of the courthouse lawn will
require funds to fix the damage. This money will come at the cost of services
and programs for the most needy. And it comes from people working legitimate
jobs to pay taxes. But that does not matter to you, does it? You feel entitled
to stop people who work and conduct business at the courthouse; you feel
entitled to trash public property that also belongs to the rest of us, not just
a few of you.
How environmentally friendly are you? The
destruction you have done to the lawn and your illegal camping says you don't
care.
You can use your First Amendment rights to
“protest” by writing letters, making documentaries, voting in elections and
using the resources you have to help out someone homeless or needy. That is
action that makes a difference -- signs and empty talk does not.
You can send a message to the banks and
corporations by using credit unions or shopping local. And that is your choice.
In a free country, I have the choice to bank where I want and shop where I want
and work at a corporation. Here's a novel concept. Take responsibility for your
life situation and ask for any help you need respectfully. You might be
surprised that people will reach out and assist.
The message of 99 percent is a very valid one.
However don't just single out corporations and banks; if you truly feel for the
masses, let's also talk about the greed in government, and all institutions and
bureaucracy.
One of your “leaders” took down the flag on
Veteran's Day. Those vets fought for your right to speak freely. I have watched
how the police calmly speak to you while many of you antagonize them and snub
those of us who don't buy into and support your unorganized, ineffectual
selfish protest.
If you had been respectful, I would listen to
your message.
You want change? Try using the same time you
have standing outside the courthouse to volunteer in a soup kitchen, to clean
up the parks, to reach out to a mentally ill or homeless person. Change and
hope does not come from holding a sign; it comes from one person struggling to
stay strong and providing encouragement to another in a difficult economy and a
broken system.