First off, and most importantly, this has been a long time coming. For far too long, we the people, have sat back and accepted the changing culture and practices in this country. The middle class is dwindling and economic inequality is continuing to rise.
As for the protest itself, I was impressed. I have seen it grow from a few occupiers, mostly prototypical rebellious types into a large crowd of people from different backgrounds, age groups, social statuses, etc. These pictures are from Saturday, October 15, 2011. The protest filled the streets as people marched down Pine in impressive numbers.
The major knock I have heard on the movement is that it does not have an easily understandable agenda, that the message is too broad as more and more protesters come to rally for their personal causes. While, there is definitely a large assortment of causes being advocated for, a definite message does come through. The target is still the banking industry and the politicians who have supported them. While Americans are struggling to make ends meet, CEOs of companies who had to be bailed out by the public are once again, making billions off of the people who were forced by their elected official to bail them out.
Change and revolution are not one day or one rally propositions. True progress only happens over time, and for this movement to make a difference, it must sustain over a period of time. An agenda and plan is needed.
BECU membership is at a record high for a second month in a row, which speaks volumes to the effect this movement can have. What needs to happen in greater numbers are organized protests outside the large banks. Campaigns that get volunteers to educate anyone coming in or out of Chase, BoA, Wells Fargo etc. just how these banking establishments are hurting the lower and middle classes, and our country as a whole, with their exorbitant fees that aim to make a profit by exploiting those without money in their accounts in the first place.
Marching and chanting is all well and fun, but for this movement to progress, the banking powers must be forced to change, and that change is only going to happen if we the people hit them in the only place they care about, their pocketbooks. A systematic attack is what is needed. Not an actually physical attack, but an attack on policies that harm those with the least.
The easiest way to help? Try to convince everyone you know with an account at one of the large banks to close all their accounts. Keep trying until it works. Guilt them if you have to, make sure that everyone you know realizes where you stand and what you stand for.
The other easy way to help, vote. Simply put the 99% is who put these politicians in office in the first place. Politicians who approved the bank bailouts, without any repercussions for the institutions that acted irresponsibly in the first place. By not voting, your complaints simply turn into whining without any righteous cause for anger.
We must take some responsibility for the banking crash and the economy as a whole. We were the ones who lived beyond our means and took out lines of credit to make up for it. This must stop. We, the people, must stand up and say we have some responsibility for these problem, but we are going to change, we are only going to use credit as a last resort and live more within our means. We are not going to rely on banks to bail us out when we get into tough financial situations.
Change is coming, how much depends on the ability of this movement to organize into sustained protests at actual financial centers, and the ability of this movement to define themselves as a powerful organized voting bloc.
