Sunday, October 30, 2011

ORC Saturday October 29, 2011

Last week I was asked a question while enjoying my position standing on a street corner Occupying Rapid City. Unfortunately for me, I was not prepared to give a thirty second, recoreded answer to the question about why I was there holding up a sign. The lack of preparation is at least partially the result of too many possible truthful answers and not considering the likelyhood of being asked the question. Earlier I posted an observation about observers' confusion about the Occupy movement. The inability to respond to the simple question of why was I there adds to the confusion. The following list provides a better answer to the question:

Why am I occupying the streets of Rapid City?

• To raise awareness of the negative impact on society resulting from the actions of large corporations.

• To call for accountability for the persons and entities responsible for the economic crisis of 2008.

• To raise awareness of the negative impact of extreme wealth disparity in the world.

• To encourage the immediate withdrawal of the US military from Iraq and Afghanistan.

• To urge campaign finance reform through the exclusive use of public funds.

• To urge the restoration of the Glass Steagall Act of 1933.

• To support the protection and continuation of the current Social Security and Medicare benefits and rules.

• To support eligibility for Medicare insurance for all Americans.

• To support the elimination of taxable income cap for Social Security and Medicare taxes.

• To call for a reduction in military spending and national reassessment of the role of the military.

• To urge the reinterpretation of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus as it was prior to the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996.
 
• To encourage actual political dialogue.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Occupy Rapid City, 2nd Saturday

It was another fine day to be out on the streets of Rapid City participating in the Occupy Rapid City movement. There were some new faces behind some of the signs that express the views of the protestors. Today was also and opportunity to meet some new people and to appreciate the support of passers by. There continues to be a great deal of apparent confusion and mystification on the part of detractors as evidenced by their inability to determine just what it is they are against in this movement. Apparently, those most mystified persons have not discussed the issues with the participants or spent much time reading the protestors’ signs. Perhaps those tasks are too difficult or they require too much thought. Check out the MadvilleTimes for some comments by participants and a few pictures of their signs. For more pictures of the protestors and their signs go to Occupy Rapid City.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Occupy Rapid City

In this nation of sheep a strange thing has occurred. People have been speaking out in protest without the benefit of leaders. Pundits have been having trouble creating a united front against this phenomenon. How can they criticize that which is not organized and highly focused? The news media is under-reporting on the protests it appears, largely because they don’t know how to collectively interview so many participants, especially when they insist on expressing their own, unscripted opinions.

Political parties have leaders. Unions have leaders. Religious groups have leaders. Corporations have leaders. However, the Occupy Wall Street group and other Occupy protest groups just have participants. What do you do with that, especially when it starts to grow and show up in numerous places around the country and the world? People participating in this protest appear to be thinking for themselves and voicing their own opinions, unheard of.

I like it.