So I am fully aware that there is a need for some education on my part when it comes to the “Occupy” movement. I also see the point in a good protest on occasion but these are missing it for me. Sure, I’ll give credit to the folks out in Oakland that slowed down one of the nation’s top sea ports with their Occupy protest. And I bet the folks that are occupying Wall Street are opening some eyes as well.
But Occupy Tulsa? Really? What are you accomplishing by getting arrested for sleeping on the grass after the city curfew? The only thing you are doing is wasting tax dollars and police time by forcing them to show up and haul you away. You claim that you are the 99% but do you think the 1% cares? You say the 1% has the power…I am not seeing how your demonstration is impacting their world. Please educate me in the comments so that I can try to see your perspective on this one.
And another thing…the complaint is the “unequal” distribution of wealth and power. I have a hard time with this one. My whole life I was told to work hard, be smart and do everything I can to continue to get smarter and work harder so that I can be comfortable in life and not have to struggle. So I ask you this…can you not apply the “rich get richer” moniker to other areas in life? I think that if you really sit down and “occupy” some thought you will see that the “smart get smarter” and the “strong get stronger.” I am tired of the expected hand out. Why not go “occupy” a classroom? “Occupy” whatever it takes to remedy your situation. You have the power to manage your own life…and really that is all the power you need.
I had a great professor compare our mood for each day with the weather. He pointed out that we often feel down and depressed when it is cloudy and rainy while we are more happy when the sun is shinning. He followed this illustration with a statement that left a mark on me. “Proactive people make their own weather.” So be proactive and do whatever it takes to make your day sunny.
Don’t look for the heads-up penny…kick the crap out of the tails-up one until it lands heads-up. Make your own luck.
Letter 10 
6 responses to “Occupy…I just don’t get it”
Well said!
On the “unequal” distribution of wealth and power – the recently released CBO report indicated that the top 1% increased their after tax income by 275% since 1979. The question is: can a capitalistic society exist with such an unequal distribution of wealth? Also, your comment about occupying a classroom is highly arrogant when perceived by a college educated mother of four whose husband lost her job and she is reduced to the sole earner for a family of four children and is now earning less than $25k per year. I think she’d smack your butt for advocating such indifference.
Thank you for your comment…that is exactly what I wanted to hear. I need to see another perspective. I am certainly not in the 1% that saw that kind of growth. What I meant by my classroom comment is that maybe instead of protesting, people might consider learning something new or trying to build a new skill set that is marketable in another arena so that they can continue to produce an income and overcome their hardships. I was in no way knocking educators…my whole family is made up of educators. Just so you know…I am in no way a member of that 1%. I am a member of the percentage of people that do not expect to get anything from someone else but in turn does everything in my power to make something for myself.
I couldn’t agree more. I am having trouble “getting it” myself.
This link was posted on my Facebook page…it does a great job of explaining things…something I needed:
I think the biggest disconnect is caused by the group of protesters who are out there with “no shoes and bongo drums” and muddle message with their own rhetoric about “re”distribution of wealth and make it sound like they want a handout. Something I think the non peaceful protesters in Oakland and the group in Tulsa focus too heavily on. The ACTUAL 1% are the crooked ones at the top getting away with killing our economy