Occupy Wall Street - A Protest

There seems very little in the mainstream media about an ongoing, and seemingly growing, protest happening in America.

It is being called "Occupy Wall Street", and is a demonstration highlighting people's views about how the recession of a few years ago, and the continuing repercussions, are related to greed and poor conduct of the government and banks.

For example, I have seen figures stating 1% of America's population having 20% - 30% of the nation's wealth.

In the shadow of the global economic crisis, many are linking the old saying "the rich get richer, while the poor get poorer" with the real state of America's, and the rest of the world's, economic health. Rumours of corruption and improper use of position and power are dogging Wall Street, and all those associated with it.

And people have had enough. Enough of substandard living, substandard healthcare and substandard welfare. Enough of working 2 and 3 jobs. Enough of not being able to make ends meet. Enough of struggling to earn, while they get taxed on their wages and taxed on everything they buy too.
This protest has been going on for approximately 2 weeks, and let me ask you, have you heard anything about it? I hadn't until I saw it mentioned on an obscure Facebook page called "Exposing The Truth", which sets itself up to be an alternative source of news.

This video shows a reporter and protester speaking, with the reporter suggesting he, and others like him, are the ones who can get "the message out". Yet the only places I have seen reports are blogs, YouTube and Facebook, where "citizen journalism" has real power. We are all now able to produce, publish and broadcast our own reports, views and journalistic content. And thank goodness!



Although, from what little I have seen, the protests seem peaceful, violent clashes with police continue to occur. As ever, the footage available can often be seen as being out of context. But have a look, and assess for yourself if you feel appropriate force is being employed.

Especially in America, where free speech is written into their way of life, I would think protests and demonstrations would be acceptable. Apparently not.



But there is growing support for the protesters. This is history in the making. Even the Transport Worker's Union has launched an action, hoping to be able to decline orders by the police to transport those individuals arrested at these demonstrations. The union are philosophically aligned with the protesters.

More support seems to have grown out of the controversial use of force by the police. When people see injustice, they are fired up. It's as true a call to action as ever there was. If it isn't right, you gotta fight!

Now similar demonstrations seem to be popping up all across America, in various cities. People are camping out in the streets, letting their dissatisfaction with the financial overlords be known.

So where will it end? I doubt there will be anything nearly as dramatic as the revolts and uprisings across the middle east. I also doubt anything will be "fixed". But  it is a reminder that not every  person is a sheep and that we, as "the people" still have some power.

Governments, all over the world, and those who pull the financial strings, are accountable. We have a right to question them. We have a responsibility to challenge them. Otherwise, we are cattle and deserve to be treated as such.