Maybe Occupiers just want to participate November 23, 2011
I am a firm believer in the Occupy movement. I believe in the awesomely peaceful way the Occupiers are occupying. I believe in the freedom on individuals to speak and march and demonstrate for what they believe in. This applies to the Tea Party folks, the Occupiers, and even the Illinois Nazis. I believe in the Occupiers' General Assembly and wish that there was a way to have a General Assembly in every city and town so that anyone, anytime could take the mic and say what was on their mind... say it to people who have the courage and dignity to listen.
I don't think it's possible to speak for the Occupy movement because the individuals Occupy seems to me to have tremendously divergent ideas, issues, things of importance.
But one thing is clear, that Occupy as a whole embraces participation. And isn't that the very thing that made our country, the United States of America, the Great Melting Pot, the most amazing country ever (sorry to my foreign readers, but I do have a strong streak of patriotism)? We all participate. We are all given the opportunity to participate and we all bring our best to the table and do amazing things.
Cast your mind back 80 years ago... cast your mind back to the Great Depression when we had streets filled with people who needed to take a bath and get a job. 80 years ago, during the Great Depression, just like today, the vast majority of those folks who like to do both. They would like to participate in the dialog and job market in this country... it's just that they had been and have been shut out.
But 10 years later, 70 years ago, those great unwashed masses participated. They participated in the United States' war efforts. Given a chance to participate, those great unwashed, unemployed "whiners" gave everything, gave their lives, gave their toil and hard work to win World War II. Those great unwashed, unemployed masses saved our country, our way of life, and our economic system.
So, maybe we should think about how to structure our society, our business climate, our political system to allow for more participation. Given the opportunity, just like during World War II, everybody in this country, every citizen, every Occupier can and will do their very best to participate and make everything they touch better, everyone they touch happier, and the world a great place.
Let's open our cities and open our ears and open our hearts to the Occupiers. Let's join them in peaceful participation. Let's peacefully discourage our government from beating and hurting the Occupiers. Let's use our words. Let's use our ears. Let's all do our best, together, to make our country and our world excellent.