Protesting is not my cup of tea. At least not the stand-around-and-hold-a-placard type or the sit-down-and-refuse-to-move type. I am more of the school of "If I am not part of the solution, then I am part of the problem". I am most likely apt to protest by firing off a letter, making an appointment to share my grave disappointment, never shopping at your store again, or voting against you or them as often or as long as it takes.
Because I understand that to understand, I must walk a mile in your shoes, I try to not pass judgement when I see you picketing, striking, or demonstrating. If you or I break a law, then I believe that both of us should be led away in handcuffs.
When the Wall Street protestors began mulling about and the national and international media picked up on the story, I watched with mild amusement, deciding that perhaps people had better things they could be doing with their time. (A judgement, I know.) Over the past month, not only has the movement not gone away, but it has gained momentum in New York City and around the nation. An Associated Press article from Wednesday, October 19, 2011 caught my eye and my ire.
I have to give it to these mostly young protestors. They have created a job for themselves when no one else, including the Great Illusionist and all of Congress, could. And, they are doing this in a way that will showcase skills on future resumes. These protestors are receiving so much in financial and material donations that they are having to money-manage the spoils of their protesting. They are becoming that which they protest. The I-Hate-Wall-Street movement has about $435,000.00 in donations already, with tens of thousands of dollars being donated in person, perhaps by some of the evil-awful people with Wall Street jobs. Apparently, the protestors are looking to manage the $435,000.00 to help them get through the winter. Here is a snapshot of how the protestors are getting by: $1,500.00 a day on food, a recent $2,000.00 bill for dry cleaning their sleeping bags, "about $20,000.00 on equipment such as laptops and cameras, and costs associated with streaming video of the protest on the Internet." The protestors have received enormous amounts of other donations such as blankets, canned food, swim goggles to protect their eyes from pepper spray, and a warehouse to keep all of the stuff in. According to the AP article, written by Verena Dobnik and Karen Matthews, about $8,000.00 a day comes in.
Many of the protestors have college degrees, with a healthy emphasis on Ivy League schools. I just wonder what all of New York City's homeless think of the Tajmawallstreet atmosphere that has enveloped the movement. I have to believe that the homeless look at this with envy and more than a little disgust, wishing their plight was receiving all of the money, sleeping bags cleaned on a regular basis, food, laptops, and a warehouse to boot.
Wall Street protestors - I hope you appreciate the silver spoon that is dangling from your mouths. The silver is tarnishing quickly. Get yourselves some polish. You are going to need it.
Ancora imparo
