The first day of May was a huge day for the Occupy protesters. There were events planned in over 100 cities across the country, along with large marches and actions in places like New York City, Moscow and even Manila. The Occupy Wall Street protest in New York, now in it's seventh month, needed a kick off to breathe new life into it's fight against income inequalities and corruption in the global financial systems.
The May Day protest, billed as a "general strike" brought together all of the different groups that make up the Occupy Wall Street "umbrella". From the labor unions to the people wearing Guy Fawkes masks, thousands spent the day protesting ending in a huge march down Broadway by the labor unions.
Although the protesters didn't accomplish their goal of bringing the city to a standstill, they still made an impact. Throughout the day, there were several run-ins with the police and 50 people were arrested. In California,the Occupy Oakland's May Day protest resulted in major police tension. There were several violent incidents and at one point the police fired tear gas and flash bombs to break up the crowds. In Seattle, protesters allegedly smashed windows downtown with sticks. In San Francisco, protesters were blamed for vandalizing cars and buildings.
The May Day events brought more attention and publicity to the protesters, giving them hope that the summer will bring more people out into the streets. If anything, the May Day event has caused more people to begin talking about the issues. Believe it or not, it's no longer just the poor people who want something to change, it's the middle class and even members of the top 1%.
For example, The Daily Beast, recently published an article by author, Stephen King, In it, King said that he would be willing to pay more taxes. In his article, he talks about how so many rich people give millions of dollars to charity, himself included, but that doesn't help fund and repair the infrastructure that is responsible for helping them earn their money. He said that to make real change, we all have to unite together and pay our fair share. In his opinion, the infrastructure of public schools, the jobs that helped support him, student loans and so on have allowed him to achieve so much that paying his fair share of taxes is a privilege. His sentiments join others in the top 1% who agree with the OWS movement and want to help end income inequality.
Here's a quote from his article:
"Last year during the Occupy movement, the conservatives who oppose tax equality saw the first real ripples of discontent. Their response was either Marie Antoinette (“Let them eat cake”) or Ebenezer Scrooge (“Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?”). Short-sighted, gentlemen. Very short-sighted. If this situation isn’t fairly addressed, last year’s protests will just be the beginning. Scrooge changed his tune after the ghosts visited him. Marie Antoinette, on the other hand, lost her head.
Think about it."
It will be interesting to see what comes of the new dialogue about what we can do to make our country better. What do you think about the protests or income inequality?
Become a member to take advantage of more features, like commenting and voting.
Register or sign in today!