Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Taking Up Space?

Ever since Occupy Wall Street garnered media coverage I've grown more and more fascinated by it. From what I've read, it's a movement unlike any this country has seen for several generations. People of all ages, races, income levels, etc., are realizing the gross socioeconomic inequality they've been living under and they are coming together to demand justice. Some media outlets and political commentators are even calling Occupy Wall Street the liberal counterpart of the Tea Party, but OWS seems... different to me somehow. Either way, the movement catches me in wonder.

But a friend of mine says Occupy Wall Street is nothing but a bunch of stupid, ungrateful kids lashing out violently as a way to demand money they don't deserve. It's nothing like the Tea Party, he says, because they had a legitimate message (legitimate because he agreed with them?), and never used violence to get it across. He spoke with authority, but... he hasn't been to an Occupation anywhere--he's only going by what he hears on the news--most likely Fox News, too.

So how does he know? If he's never seen for himself the way Occupy Wall Streeters really act, asked them what they really want, where does he get the idea he knows more than I do about them? So this is my resolve: I have to attend an Occupation rally someday, and the closest is Occupy St. Louis. I want to see what it's about. I want a firsthand account. I want to decide for myself where I stand. I don't know when I'll go, I guess I have to make plans.

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