Hammerstrom:Occupation has work to do
Welcome to Occupy Roanoke
Jim Hammerstrom
Hammerstrom lives in Roanoke.
On Oct. 15, 2011, almost 200 concerned citizens converged on Elmwood Park in downtown Roanoke. It was the beginnings of Occupy Roanoke. Now, nearly six months later, the movement is still active. The winter took its toll on the number of participants, but there still is an active and growing presence re-emerging.
Occupy Roanoke is not Occupy Wall Street or Occupy Oakland or any other city’s Occupy group. We are in solidarity with them in general, but we act independently. We are a nonpartisan assembly that finds fault with both parties and feels that many in elected office are influenced by powerful interests that can buy the laws that favor them and not the entire country.
There are many concerns the Occupy Movement has taken up; Occupy Roanoke has focused on three primary issues. These are issues that when looked at seriously most Americans could support.
April 15, 2012 - 8:30 AM
Hey, Jim…
Do you like tapes or CD’s?
I think most people have less in common with the Occupy movement in that the Occupy marketing presumes to speak for 99% of us, and this is simply not true. A more realistic movement is the 53% that works, pays income taxes, and does not blame others. Contrast this to the number of Occupiers working and complaining, and it quickly becomes apparent why most of us are focusing on meeting the demands of our lives rather than hanging out on street corners.
When a general statement like “we’re worried about greed” or “regulation” is made, we can be light years away in specifics. If Occupiers are the ninety nine percent worried about policies set by the 1% then we could say that we don’t want ultra wealthy Warren Buffet advocating his policy of a “millionaires” tax as well. The devil is in the details.
If people would pay attention instead of just accepting the lies and insults as fact, 99% of this nation has much in common with the OWS message and mission. They are not about “blaming” anyone except the guilty. Wall Street DID harm this nation. Bought and paid for pols DID write bad legislation that has harmed this nation. The money and special interests trying to run this country IS wrong. The abuse from and advantage taken by “the market” IS real.
“You cannot stop a message whose time has come”.
Sandi you are correct in one aspect. “If people would pay attention instead of just accepting the lies and insults as fact”, a whole lot of things that are wrong with this nation would be different.
Only one? How big of you. Thanks everso.