Politcal commentary
Kurt Oberreither
-News Editor-
Occupy St. Louis. Occupy the Hood. Occupy the Cardinals Game. Some may find happiness in just occupying their home.
But this is a numbers game and numbers don’t lie. Over a month in, the movement is still growing in numbers: 951 cities and 82 countries have an occupy movement since Sept. 17.
Cities throughout the country – and even the world – were empowered by the movement that started as 1,000 fed up Americans taking to the streets of New York.
Sure, we can sit and watch from the “well-informed” vantage point of our TV or computer screens.
Or we can participate in the most primitive form of learning: expressing ideas, listening and asking questions with other humans.
In spite of the portrayal of the Occupy movement, there are different levels of economically, politically or socially awareness throughout the movement, including scholars.
As they say, ignorance is bliss, but ignorance is also two- dimensional.
Whether or not corporations or the U.S. financial sector will learn anything is up in the air, but I think we, as college students, can all learn something.
If you have something to offer or even a dissenting opinion, why not meet someone new and exchange ideas? It could be a great learning experience for the both of you.
At Occupy St. Louis I can tell you there are dogs, tents and passionate people. It’s something that should be experienced whether you agree with the cause or not.
Everyone may not be as intelligent as some STLCC students, but they all want to see change. So before we scoff at their ignorance from a distance, take a trip to a protest and put a face with a protester.
And the fact is their representation – maybe your representation as well – means more than anything.
If the movement doesn’t impact any financial institutions or economic policy, at least we’ll have connections and knowledge.
I spontaneously went to the St. Louis Occupy movement to meet people and learn something. I have not become as actively involved as others, but I am not ashamed and I do not regret checking it out.
The movement’s agenda will not work out for all of the ubiquitous 99 percent, but talking with others and agreeing to disagree or compromising is never a bad thing – maybe politicians could take a hint.
Some are critical of the movement – they say the mission is undefined. Just a rag tag group of ungrateful anarchists, hopeless socialists and empowered bums but there is strength in numbers and knowledge is definitly power.
