In my last post, I talked about some of the reasons why I didn't (and don't) support #occupywallstreet. One of them was the rhetoric, include the use of the word "demands." Another part was the message, and some of the demands clearly fit into that category.
Turning the rhetoric and message on its head, here are my "demands" of those of you who are participating in #occupywallstreet:
1. Obey the law. This is pretty simple actually. Please note: blocking traffic is not obeying the law. You're obstructing the freedom of movement of other people. Resisting arrest is not obeying the law. What you're doing may be peaceful, but peaceful can still be unlawful. If you need to get a permit, then go get one.
I'm not in NYC, but it seems to me that most people are already doing this. So good on you.
2. Vote. I would be willing to bet that probably half (or perhaps even more) of the people at #occupywallstreet either aren't registered to vote, or didn't vote in their last election. Or the one before that, or the one before that. All the statistics show that the younger one is, the less likely it is that they vote. So go register and vote. Because if you don't, I (and others) don't want to hear you complain. If you already vote, then great. You can move on to #3. If you don't vote, or aren't even registered, then this item is for you.
3. Stop making bullshit excuses to get out of jury duty. Along with your rights as a citizen come certain responsibilities. Jury duty is one. So take pride in this responsibility and stop trying to invent ways to avoid it.
4. Patronize the street vendors. The New Republic reported that some of the street vendors in the area are losing a lot of business because of the occupation. Some of you are going to complain that's because the NYPD set up barriers. "It's their fault, not ours!" Fine. Then seek out these hard-working people and patronize them. According to the article I cited above, they're blaming you. So go fix that problem.
5. Promote transparency and accountability. I noted that the wepay.com donation accounts have no transparency or accountability into how donations are being spent. Why should I (or anyone) donate money if I have no idea how that money is being spent? Or if it's being spent in the way I intended, at all? All donations and expenditures should be made public so that people can see how their support is being used.
6. Be a good neighbor. Some of the people who live in the area complained that #occupywallstreet is loud and keeping them up at night. How about having some respect for the people who actually live there (as opposed to your temporary occupation) by being respectful during the hours when most people are usually sleeping.
7. Stop feeling entitled. I recognize that not everyone at #occupywallstreet is young, but from everything I've seen via social media, pictures, etc., younger people make up the biggest percentage of you. Rightly or wrongly, you are viewed as a entitlement generation. Going into McDonald's and getting mad when you ask for, and don't get free food, only reinforces that notion (cited in The New Republic article). Asking for forgiveness from mortgages and student loans, any and all debts? The same thing. Every time you ask for something, you are reinforcing what people already believe about you. Honestly, I don't care about if you truly feel that way or not. That is the perception that people have about you. There are 6,780,000 hits on Google for the entitlement generation. You have to work hard to change that perception. Otherwise you play right into people's perceptions. Instead of asking, highlight the areas where you as citizens have contributed to society.
Take a look back at these seven "demands." Are they really all that much to ask for?
1 comments:
I agree with everything you state.
There should be a number 8, don't be hypocrites. They ask for transparency yet they don't do it. They say they don't want lobbying, yet they are supported by unions and openly accept and promote this support. Last I checked unions were some of the biggest lobbyists around. They say they're anti-rich (or whatever class warfare they spout out) yet they accept the donations of the rich, when it helps them. They're anti-corporations, yet they get on their computers with apple and intel logos running Macintosh and Windows, they get on their phones run by Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T, they go have coffee at Starbucks, drink their MGD at night, etc...
For your number 7, I want to point a few direct things about this. In regards to unemployment, I have some friends that aren't looking for work because they get enough from unemployment and they feel the government owes them. There are people that feel a job is a right (danny devito twitted: Occupy wall steet non violent voice stay pure. Put America to work Washington), if this is the case, they should be happy working the jobs in California and other border states that are currently being taken by illegal immigrants. Go pick some alfalfa, some apples, oranges, avocados, and whatever other fruit or vegetable there is out there. Go work at McDonald's, Carl's Jr, Sears, Walmart, etc. It's not Washington's job to put you to work. You put yourself to work. If you can't find a job in one field, learn something new while you're unemployed, then try that field. If there's no jobs where you are, move to a city or state where there is. I lost 2 jobs in the matter of 5 months, but I found a new job after each one I lost.
But they don't want to do this, instead of starting at the bottom and working their way up the food chain, they want to start at the top, and when they can't, they want to bring the top down to the bottom.
I have student loans, it would be nice if they were forgiven, but I also know that my student loans, like many more college students, did not all go to college. I bought new computers, beer, new clothing, beer, etc.... I'll pay off my loan, and it may take awhile, but I'm Ok with that.
I think all you say though can be summarized in one phrase.... Grow up. I had the same motivations and views of the world they did at one time, but then I graduated from high school and started going to college.
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