On September 17th, an occupation began on Wall Street in lower Manhattan to protest all the injustices they believed the government and financial companies were making. This has become the new focus of the local and cable news stations. The different outlet all have their personal takes on the subject but all can most likely agree that the way the city of New York and the New York Police Department is reacting is unacceptable. Now, as a New Yorker I have experienced how the NYPD usually reacts in situations like this and never have I seen anything like what the videos and news channels are showing us. I think the man who has said it best so far has been John Stewart from the Daily Show (based in New York, as well).
John is usually known as being pretty “lefty” on the political spectrum but he is never one sided. If anyone makes a dumb remark or makes a point that is completely ridicules, on either side, democrat or republican, he is there to call them out and make his own point. I am usually one to agree with Stewart and the Daily show. I would consider myself slightly on the left and not one for B.S. either. In regards to the riots, John said, “Yes, (A group of young people singing and dancing about Democracy on the streets of New York) is what democracy looks like but it is also what Bonaroo looks like. Stewart is saying how a lot of the people protesting might not be there because they really agree with the issues but because it might be the “cool” thing to do right now in Manhattan. Now if I were home, I would most likely be there right now. The things that the people rioting are fighting for are directly related to our everyday lives such as social and economic inequality, corporate greed, and the influence of corporate money and lobbyists on government, which can deal with all aspects of the United States. I am shocked that I haven’t seen a bigger out cry among students here honestly. This is a big issue, which I would think everyone should (would) be concerned of.
See John Stewart’s segment on the Daily Show last Thursday to see more information and humor on the subject.
http://www.observer.com/2011/09/daily-show-takes-on-occupy-wall-street-inspector-anthony-bologna/
I think that the reason there hasn’t been a bigger outcry among students here is because most people just don’t know what’s going on in the city. This is the first I’ve heard about the protests, anyway. It could just be that we are in Syracuse, a place so far removed from big cities, or it could be that we are just lazy college kids who don’t care enough to find out what is going on in the world around us. Interesting point though that protesting is the “cool” thing to do.