The United States of America has always been an outspoken country. Its people have no fear of speaking their minds about how they feel when it comes to government, societal issues, etc. In the 1700’s we protested taxation without representation. The 1800’s it was slavery and state’s rights. Then we hit the 1900’s which brought us labor strikes, woman’s suffrage, the Civil Rights Movement, anti-war protests, gay rights movement, and disability rights movement. Now we are in the 2000’s and so far things have been interesting. We have people protesting the Iraq/Afghanistan wars outside of soldiers’ funerals (which I find totally disgusting), we have abortion/pro-life protests and last but certainly not least we now have the Occupy Wall Street movement. We are a country of protestors, a country who isn’t going to sit back and let things go. The problem is this however, do the majority of the people involved in these protest really know what they are protesting about or is it just a fad?
Let’s take the Occupy Wall Street movement for example. Now I will be the first to admit that I am not completely advised in what all of the issues being protested are but what I understand is that these protestors are upset about Wall Street’s waste of tax payers’ money, and the big wig capitalists getting richer while everyone else gets poorer. I can understand that and relate but my issue is the destruction and damage that is being caused by these protestors to the area surrounding Wall Street. The news the other day stayed that crews are bringing in fire hoses and clean the streets and areas because of all the waste, filth, and garbage that is being left. Really people? Is it necessary for you to destroy city property to prove your point? I always feel that some of those involved are just using this “cause” as an excuse to do drugs, drink, have sex with as many people as possible and basically be a waste of space. Sorry sounds harsh but that’s how I feel. Do these people not have jobs or lives? If I was a tax payer in NY I would be completely angry that my tax money was being used to clean up after them.
Another issue is that this movement is spreading. There is now an Occupy Oakland or something like that. Isn’t that kind of missing the point, since you are supposed to be protesting Wall Street? Not only that but these people were given thousands of dollars by the Occupy Walls Street movement and they put it in a Wells-Fargo bank! Wells-Fargo was one of the banks bailed out by the government and is the cause of the movement in the first place! People, if you are going to be a part of a protest, please make sure you know what you are protesting about! It doesn’t make you look very credible if you choose to patronize the very business you are protesting against!
I guess that is all I have to say. I just get annoyed at those who just jump on the bandwagon because it’s the cool thing to do, not because it’s the right thing. This country’s right to protest is what makes it great. Don’t violate that right by acting like an idiot. Understand what you are fighting for, it makes you so much more credible and believable.
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