It was only a matter of time before the rallies, then possibly the riots, the clashes between police and citizens, and maybe, even deaths of protestors made it to the United States.
The United States' invented the non-violent protest. Protesting our governments' woes has not yet been an issue.
However, we've watched as other counties with seemingly stable capitalist based democracies saw violent riots over the the disproportion of wealth between the rich and poor.
This was the foremost complaint in Greece's riots.
Italy's riots were reportedly "race based," but how is that different that disallowing one group of people from accomplishing the freedom and wealth of another?
Finally, the riots in London, which began after a peaceful March over the shooting of 29 year old Mark Duggan during an attempt to arrest him, turned violent as protestors waited, armed, outside the police station asking to speak with a Senior Police Officer.
This, too, can be classified as class warfare resulting from feelings of oppression. Them against us. The rich vs. the poor when what people are looking for is equality, and when equality can't be attained, explanations.
Social networking, smart phones, communication technology in general, has been blamed for allowing large groups to rally and turn violent; however, the egg didn't come before the chicken here. Without world wide financial powers failing to allow those who suffer a voice in the solution, these riots would not have happened.
Social networking, smart phones, and any communication technology that can be used to make people feel heard will ease the violence, hopefully before it plagues America's streets.
Vigilantism hasn't been seen much here since cowboys ruled the American West, but world culture appears to be coming to America.
Demonstrators descended on lower Manhattan's Financial District to protest of what they said was corporate greed favoring the rich at the expense of ordinary people.
Sounding familiar? To view the full article see: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44564317/ns/us_news-life/#.TnYAPM3o3d8
The rally, dubbed #OccupyWallStreet on social networks such as Twitter and Facebook, where word was spread, spurred the New York Police Department to lock down Wall Street near the New York Stock Exchange and Federal Hall, local media reported.
"It's a worthy cause because people on Wall Street are blood-sucking warmongers," Bill Steyerd, 68, a Vietnam veteran from Queens, told the New York Daily News. "I'm here, and in spite of these dinky barricades, we're going to shut down Wall Street with people power."
Ironically, this quote was placed next to an advertisement for one of America's foremost symbols of greed and wealth: The AMEX Black Card.
This is a feeling that has been brewing since the Bank Bailouts brought Wall St. back to life at the expense of Main St. Throwing money at people who caused the greatest financial crisis in the history of the world without placing ramifications on spending was or first error, to watch as these people continued to enjoy their lavish lifestyle as 100,000s of 1,000s of people were forced from their homes was downright angering.
Then, American's had enough faith in our government to support their decisions.
However, years later, with the wealthy refusing to pay their fair, proportionate share of taxes and continueing to exploit corporate loopholes while the government limps along breaking the backs of the middle class has made what was once brewing under the surface start to boil.
Without the people responsible for America's debacle taking responsibility by paying taxes proportionally the same as those less fortunates, the anger boiling will soon bubble over.
In NYC's Financial District this weekend we are seeing the beginning of refusing to accept the quid pro quo. The majority is understanding that our representatives don't always have our best interests at heart, and when this happens, when desperation kicks in, so won't the vigilantism seen in other countries.
The United States' invented the non-violent protest. Protesting our governments' woes has not yet been an issue.
However, we've watched as other counties with seemingly stable capitalist based democracies saw violent riots over the the disproportion of wealth between the rich and poor.
This was the foremost complaint in Greece's riots.
Italy's riots were reportedly "race based," but how is that different that disallowing one group of people from accomplishing the freedom and wealth of another?
Finally, the riots in London, which began after a peaceful March over the shooting of 29 year old Mark Duggan during an attempt to arrest him, turned violent as protestors waited, armed, outside the police station asking to speak with a Senior Police Officer.
This, too, can be classified as class warfare resulting from feelings of oppression. Them against us. The rich vs. the poor when what people are looking for is equality, and when equality can't be attained, explanations.
Social networking, smart phones, communication technology in general, has been blamed for allowing large groups to rally and turn violent; however, the egg didn't come before the chicken here. Without world wide financial powers failing to allow those who suffer a voice in the solution, these riots would not have happened.
Social networking, smart phones, and any communication technology that can be used to make people feel heard will ease the violence, hopefully before it plagues America's streets.
Vigilantism hasn't been seen much here since cowboys ruled the American West, but world culture appears to be coming to America.
Demonstrators descended on lower Manhattan's Financial District to protest of what they said was corporate greed favoring the rich at the expense of ordinary people.
Sounding familiar? To view the full article see: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44564317/ns/us_news-life/#.TnYAPM3o3d8
The rally, dubbed #OccupyWallStreet on social networks such as Twitter and Facebook, where word was spread, spurred the New York Police Department to lock down Wall Street near the New York Stock Exchange and Federal Hall, local media reported.
"It's a worthy cause because people on Wall Street are blood-sucking warmongers," Bill Steyerd, 68, a Vietnam veteran from Queens, told the New York Daily News. "I'm here, and in spite of these dinky barricades, we're going to shut down Wall Street with people power."
Ironically, this quote was placed next to an advertisement for one of America's foremost symbols of greed and wealth: The AMEX Black Card.
This is a feeling that has been brewing since the Bank Bailouts brought Wall St. back to life at the expense of Main St. Throwing money at people who caused the greatest financial crisis in the history of the world without placing ramifications on spending was or first error, to watch as these people continued to enjoy their lavish lifestyle as 100,000s of 1,000s of people were forced from their homes was downright angering.
Then, American's had enough faith in our government to support their decisions.
However, years later, with the wealthy refusing to pay their fair, proportionate share of taxes and continueing to exploit corporate loopholes while the government limps along breaking the backs of the middle class has made what was once brewing under the surface start to boil.
Without the people responsible for America's debacle taking responsibility by paying taxes proportionally the same as those less fortunates, the anger boiling will soon bubble over.
In NYC's Financial District this weekend we are seeing the beginning of refusing to accept the quid pro quo. The majority is understanding that our representatives don't always have our best interests at heart, and when this happens, when desperation kicks in, so won't the vigilantism seen in other countries.
1 comment:
The function of Government has always been to protect the wealthy, sometimes by force and sometimes by placating the poor.
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