#OccupyDC

For anyone interested in participating, here's a poster from OccupyDC.org. General assemblies are held everyday at noon and 6pm. For more information go to OccupyDC.org

Unfair Bias from FOX News

This week I sat down to read some articles about the progress of the Occupy DC movement happening in my own city. I was shocked and appalled to come across this article by FOX News. (Just in case that link didn’t work for you, you can use this one was well to take you to the story: http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2011/11/08/debt-this-is-your-brain-on-debt/).

While barely reporting on the true nature and crux of the movement, the article made sure to discredit the protest. Providing false or expired links, exaggerating the truth, generalizing, and using loaded language the article is incredibly unreliable and can be easily struck down.

For example, at one point in the article the author focuses upon a protestor that was encountered in the crowd, not naming the individual or providing any proof of actually speaking with them. The author states that the protestor said, “"I'm an honor student! I work 20 hours a week! I'm $35,000 in debt!” and then proceeds to ask the audience, “What does this tell you about the… movements?” This obviously discredits a mass amount of the people that are currently part of the Occupy DC protest. Having been down to the protest grounds myself, and judging by hundreds of images provided by photographers from all over the city from all different political backgrounds. The author made the protestors sound as if they were all young people who worked less than full time jobs. This is in fact not true. People participating in the Occupy DC protests come from all financial, educational, racial, and social backgrounds. Here are some pictures to provide you just a few examples:

The reporter on the scene also claims that the person she was talking to had, “run away,” otherwise she would have spoken more in-depth with him about the Occupy DC protests. She does not cite any sources, does not make a disclaimer before presenting the story, and does not have any other interviews to back up her claims.

This article represents just one of many that paints the Occupy DC movement as one that is run by people that are claimed to be lazy or irresponsible. After spending considerable time searching the Internet I found no statistics or hard information on the age, race, gender, or socioeconomic make up of the Occupy protestors. Before the FOX News network chooses to make indirect claims about the people of the protest they should perhaps first conduct more research.

Political Cartoon of the Day

Today I found another political cartoon that shows how necessary it is to have Occupy protests held in Washington DC. This cartoon shows two protestors in DC trying to find a place to picket, but finding that "A lot of the best spots are already taken."

This cartoon insinuates that DC is full of lobbying corporations and groups. Since Capitol Hill is the center of American political activity, lobbyists groups often flock there to try and influence Congress to vote in favor of their special interest. This cartoons suggests that there are so many lobbying groups in DC that it is hard for grassroots movements, such as the Occupy protest, to find any room and power in the city.

The note "No plans to evict" that is included at the bottom also shows that the illustrator doesn't think that the lobbying groups will be taken away from or lose power with the lawmaking process.

Ultimately this is another cartoon that shows the importance of having an Occupy protest in DC. With major lobbying groups being some of the powerhouse influences in the lawmaking process it doesn't make sense to not have individuals and other non-major-lobbying based groups protesting their rights to have their voices heard in the legislative process. Having a protest in DC also gives more power to the individuals in the legislative process.

Photo provided courtesy of http://politicalhumor.about.com/od/politicalcartoons/ig/Political-Cartoons/Occupied-DC.htm

Political Cartoon of the Day

A political cartoon courtesy of politicalhumor.about.com.

To me, this cartoon shows yet another reason why Washington DC is a very important of the Occupy protests. The drawing shows Wall Street tycoons pouring money into the United States Capitol building, and sitting on the buildings like they are comfortable couches. With the Congress controlling a majority the laws and legislation regarding Wall Street and it's conglomerates, it's important for protestors to recognize that it's not only Wall Street that needs to be occupied.

Why Have An Occupy Movement in DC?

While the Occupy Wall Street protests were some of the original and most media-documented of the “Occupy” protests, DC has become an important and central part of the movements. Several blogs, historical analyses/academic journals, and official ‘Occupy” websites have allowed me to further explore this topic and cite several keys reasons as to why an Occupy protest in DC is crucial to the success of the overall movement. Having numerous governmental, business, and other national and international groups headquartered in the city, Washington DC becomes a target city for protestors to make their voice heard. Further, the Occupy DC protests are not geographically far from the Occupy Wall Street protests, allowing cross organizing and movement efforts. Perhaps the most emotional appeal would also be the historical relevance of having a protest in Washington, DC.

With Washington, DC being one of the major political capitals of the free world, it only makes sense that there would be people marching and protesting on behalf of or in the same vain of the Occupy protestors far and wide. Numerous organizations have their headquarters based in the District, thus making it easier for Occupy protestors to target a wide range of groups that they wish to open a dialogue with. Some of the organizations, political bodies, and other groups that have been target include, but are not limited to: the United States Congress, the Presidential White House, Bank of America, the United States Chamber of Commerce, and the Ronald Reagan Building (in protest of the Keystone XL oil pipeline planned to stretch from Canada to Texas). With so many different organizations based in the District the Occupy movement can more quickly and easily reach these organizations. (WashingtonPost.com)

Washington DC is also relatively close to the original Occupy Wall Street movement, thus allowing easier coordination, movement, and intermingling between the DC group and the NY group. I have several close friends who have done this and reported that they made great connections with other members of different protests, increasing communication between the numerous groups. There are numerous inexpensive ways to get from DC to NY and back; bus, train, and organized carpooling are just a few. This allows people from the two groups to more easily make it to different events in the two cities, furthering the idea of “power in numbers”. More and more the two groups have been coming together to plan events and increase their media presence on the eastern seaboard.

Our nation’s capital has also acted as the staging grounds for numerous historical and revolutionary movements that forever changed our social and governmental system. Having an Occupy protest in DC allows protestors to be activists in the same area as people such as Martin Luther King and other freedom fighters once stood. Numerous famous activist marches, such as the Civil Rights March, the Kent State/Vietnam protests, the Levitate the Pentagon, and other historical protests have all occurred in DC. Thus when the Occupy DC protests stage their events, they are often conjuring images of revolutions past, greatly appealing the pathos of the American people. Having strong imagery such as the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, the current Occupy DC protest exists to bring light to the broken economic system that currently exists in the United States. The official movement website states that, “We are here because massive financial, political, and societal inequality is not sustainable, and threaten the country’s ability to thrive. We are here because we are the 99% and the economy is ours too.” (OccupyDC.org) Washington DC acts as a perfect historical, political, and social area for protestors to have their voices heard by the lawmakers, business executives, government officials, and America as a whole.

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Below is a link to a video that was created by the Occupy DC protestors explaining why some of them chose to occupy our nation’s capital.

http://october2011.org/blogs/margaret-flowers/october-2011-occupy-dc-why-are-we-here

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Sources:

OccupyDC.org

October2011.org

Tsesis, Alexander. We Shall Overcome: A History of Civil Rights and the Law. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2008. ISBN 978-0-300-11837-7

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-buzz/post/occupy-dc-nova-protesters-march-on-key-bridge-what-you-need-to-know/2011/11/17/gIQAVlk7TN_blog.html

Critiques of Other Sites and Sources

The 99% Deficit Proposal: How to create jobs, reduce the wealth divide and control spending

http://october2011.org/blogs/kevin-zeese/99-s-deficit-proposal-how-create-jobs-reduce-wealth-divide-and-control-spending

After carefully reading the post in this Occupy Washington, DC blog, I have come to the conclusion that the 99% movement they are fighting for has no clear responsibility in proposing a way to cut this nation's defecit. Furthermore, their proposed plan is way too complex for it to ever succeed, and does not have a specific thesis in what they are fully proposing. The post begins by restating the argument of the 99% movement in that corporations are to blame for our nation's financial struggles. Directly stating, "concentrated corporate interests have acted with intent to take over government". However, by the end of the post it blames our government structure, personel, and programs on our downfalls. Stick with a thesis and expand on it, do not change your position during the written arguments. Not maintaining consistency throughout the post discredits the position the author is attempting to argue. It makes the readers confused and unable to understand the main ideas of the post.

The author emphasizes ways to fix our country's monetary problems, however that is not his responsibility and he includes way too many solutions. Dissolving programs like medicaid, military spending, student debt programs among others are not ways to fix our economy, for either the short or long run. If student debts were erased, everyone would get an education. However good that sounds, that is classic communism. There are reasons why people who work hard in school become successful who receieve scholarships and grants, etc. People who expect their education to be paid for will not work as hard to be successful, it is imposing laziness in our economy. When in a war, it is uncanny to think about taking away the budget for military purposes. The author compares military spending to education spending in that additional funding for education would produce more jobs. This assumption is absolutely ridiculous. Our soldiers job is protecting our country, they are unable to be home with their families. Just because their job is not domestic, since many soldiers are overseas, does not mean their job does not count. This picture with the post reflects the Occupy movement, and I have expressed my side of military dollars being used.

Again, I understand why Occupy Washington, DC feels a need to rescue our nation's economy because the 99% are the group of people who are taking it the hardest. This is the group of people they are protesting for and argue for a solution. However, the 99% they are representing do not agree with everything they are protesting for. Their plan to fix the economy is unrealistic and too complex to actually help anything. Writing letters to senators and congressmen is a more realistic way to get your ideas rolling. But posting a blog with more than 10 suggestions on how to improve our economy is not going to do any good.

This critical analysis of the Occupy Washington, DC blog is personal and is my own opinion. People have different views and this is my spin on the argument at hand.

Introduction: Carla

Hi Everyone!

My name is Carla Castro. I am currently a Senior at University of Maryland, College Park. I am a Criminal Justice and Criminology major with a minor in Philosophy. I am extremely involved on and off College park campus. I have been involve with several organizations on campus such as The Latino Student Union, Coalition of Latino Student Organizations, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Student Government Association, America Reads America Counts, La Familia Peer Mentoring Program and Resident Life as a Resident Assistance.

Off campus, I am extremely involved with a non-profit organization in D.C. that focus on children at risk locations such as Adams Morgan area in D.C. Since working in D.C, I have been able to see the daily struggle low income families endure everyday. I do not normally follow politics but because of my experiences in D.C I feel that I can no longer sit back and do nothing. The economic system is broken and there is extensive financial and societal inequality. This is why I support the Occupy D.C movement and feel that we, the 99% should have a say on what is going in our nations economy.