I just ran across a thought provoking article on CNN-Money entitled the "
Split Economy." The article reminds us that
"[t]he divide between the 'haves and the 'have-nots' has never been greater." "And every day brings a reminder of the rich making and spending huge sums of money while the poor struggle to support their basic needs." The article juxtaposes examples of wealth and conspicuous consumption against images of dire poverty in our country. Here go examples:
- Dow 16,000-Stock market hits all-time high - 46.5 million Americans still living in poverty;
- Painting fetches record $142.4 million in auction - 47.5 million need food stamps to buy groceries;
- Twitter IPO created 3 billionaires - On the same day, 5 Wal-Mart workers arrested while striking for higher pay;
- NYC apartment listed for $125 million - A record 1.2 K-12 students are homeless;
- Lamborghini Veneno goes on sale for $4.5 million - Public transportation fare hikes across the US.
This just makes me ask-Occupy Wall Street-Where did you go? At least the Occupy Wall Street Movement kept the woes of the 99% in the news for a while. Today, it is easy to become complacent and detached and forget to look around and spot the issues that are plaguing our society. This article was food for thought. I hope you find it thought provoking as well.
The Occupy Movement is still tending to their wounds ..... still nursing the bandages applied after being beaten .... still abiding by the conditions and/or bail set by the courts after being arrested.
ReplyDeleteThe next time they arrive in huge numbers on the streets will only be when they are prepared to dish out the same type of force which they themselves endured in times past.
The upcoming presidential election of 2016 will force all candidates to play hide and seek and attend only town hall meetings and where they can "proudly" stand behind protective military/police cordons as never seen before.
The more armies of police and military seen at these town hall events will clearly speak to how effective the Occupy Movement remains.
Calm
Franklin Delano Roosevelt did not introduce the "New Deal" because it was "Kind To Animal Week".
ReplyDelete"And, it didn't happen because FDR was a great guy. It happened because people in this country were so radicalized, were so determined, were so organized, that he was able to sell the new deal to the elites as a compromise because the alternative was revolution."
--Naomi Klein, National Conference for Media reform, June 07, 2008--
If I was advising the Occupy Movement ....
I would tell them that Protest Parades are passé .....
The major problem with the Occupy Movement was the "Method of Protest" they used.
When the Occupy Movement began to "Parade" down Wall Street, they were actually walking within a "Concrete Tunnel". At the very start of the Protest Parade, the map or "Permit Route" stipulated by the Palace Guard always placed the activists on streets which were boxed in on all sides with concrete buildings which act as barriers or fences.
"Parades" only cause traffic mayhem and chaos and which offends the very people you are attempting to impress. If anything, the Palace Guard deliberately cordons off many more streets than necessary just to antagonize the general public.
The Occupy Movement must shut down all freight rail services across the country.
Calm