OPINION: The impacts of American wealth
Last spring I sat through a class discussion on the recent Arab uprisings. The professor relayed a story about how a foreign colleague had asked her if she thought the protests would spread to the U.S. Everyone, including myself, laughed. We then discussed what would lead an outside observer to ask such a ridiculous question.
Now, only a few months later, Wall Street is flooded with protesters who were largely inspired by those same uprisings. They have been bringing tents and setting up camp since mid-September, vowing to stay until the system sees change. The protesters call themselves the “99 Percenters,” a name indicating they are not part of the richest one percent they are taking a stand against.
I must admit their determination is admirable — I didn’t think they would last this long. It really is kind of disappointing that they won’t achieve anything other than traffic disruption. There is always a certain level of stress between the haves and have nots. I do believe a healthy society will try to close that gap as much as possible, but wealth itself is not a crime and merits no protest.
As the crowds grow larger and louder, and the number of arrests — a statistic protesters love to flaunt — gets higher, they still can’t answer the most basic questions: Why are they there? Can anyone tell me why they are protesting? I have followed these events since the protest began and no one has been able to articulate a straight answer. Reasons ranging from wealth disparity, to tax laws, to the influence of Wall Street in politics have been cited. While they all seem to be there for general financial dissatisfaction, there are no specific demands or goals and every other person is there for a different reason.
There is a lot to be mad about in the financial world. I can sympathize to a certain degree with the protesters. Unemployment, Wall Street’s affair with Washington, D.C., and rising education costs have been a few of the major concerns addressed by protesters. High unemployment scares me as well. I do think Wall Street is disproportionately represented in politics, and I struggle to make ends meet as a student. However, unless you have a real plan of action — which the 99 Percenters don’t — or you’re trying to overthrow the current government — and they aren’t — get out of the street.
Some people have called this the antithesis to the Tea Party or America’s version of the Arab uprisings. I couldn’t disagree more. Both the Tea Party and the Arab rebellions had clear agenda’s. The Wall Street protesters aren’t really sure what they’re doing. I love political activism; it’s one of the ingredients that makes this country great. If you want to make a difference though, pick up a pen and write, run for office — do anything. Standing around and harassing the Goldman Sachs intern delivering coffee won’t accomplish anything. I almost feel bad for the Wall Street execs, because a bunch of people who can’t explain why they are angry are yelling at them. Any guy who’s had a girlfriend knows that feeling.
This is not to say public demonstration has no place in society. Protests were crucial for women’s suffrage, ending segregation and improving labor conditions. All of these movements had clear motivation beyond fighting cops and public urination, though. I’m not a fan of the Tea Party, but these protesters could use a few pages from their playbook. Get organized, get active and get out of the street.