Occupy Wall Street: a Dog’s Life

I just came by this awwwesome picture of a Hell’s Angels’ dog being frisked at one of the protest sites [picture credit: Occupy The Game]:

 

Don’t throw out the baby with the bath water…

I just viewed some images from the ‘clean-up’ of Occupy Wall Street. Why is it that humans cannot meet, communicate, and resolve differences without resorting to violence? I assume other cities will be watching the outcome of this particular solution to the Occupy problem and will soon follow suit (I’m waiting for the shoe to drop in Vancouver). I hope there is not an escalation of violent confrontation.

I’ve heard many opinions of the Occupy protests, but the one I appreciate the most is pay attention to the message, not the tactics.

I am convinced that there is enough wealth in the world to solve many of humanity’s problems, and the inequity in the distribution of wealth is something that must be addressed. A small percentage of the planet’s population controls the majority of the money (hence, power): the 99% movement is about positive social change.

I admit that I’m a dreamer, but it would be far more pleasant if the people who shaped our world were less concerned with economic growth and more concerned with social consciousness…

 

Occupy Vancouver

The Occupy Wall Street movement arrived in Vancouver today (Occupy Vancouver), which is appropriate; apparently, the germ of the movement began here, in an Adbuster magazine article. I truly hope this is a movement that kindles change. A select few have been getting richer at the expense of the middle-class, who are the backbone of the economy. The ‘experiment’ that gave rich people and businesses tax breaks, thereby supposedly creating more employment for the rest of us, is a dismal failure. The tax breaks have occurred at the same time that social programs have been cut. The buying power of the average worker has decreased, and there are fewer lucrative, full-time positions and a murky future for numerous young people. Many new jobs created are part-time and do not include the benefits (e.g.: pensions) that were achieved by workers in the past.

I have very little faith in our current government, which is a right-wing, rich-person’s party that appears to be attempting to erode the trade unions that helped raise working standards to the level we have enjoyed for decades (believe me, I’m not a gung-ho unionist; unions are just another level of bureaucracy, but they are on the side of the working person, and they appear to be losing power).

The current movement — which, as usual, has caught the imagination of young people — is in its infancy (and we are seeing this movement on social media as it spreads its infant-wings). I worry about the current situation getting worse, leading to revolution (the V for Vendetta mask on the poster kinda scares me a bit…). I hope things don’t get drastic, and we find a peaceful solution to inequity.

The wealth of the world should be shared among all the citizens of the world.