Occupy Wall Street 6 Month Anniversary, March 17, 2012
Photo: Stacy Lanyon
It's so important because if we don't say something, who will? Mass media isn't reporting on most of the issues we bring to the table. Whoever controls the media controls the population, which is a sad truth. We're here to spread awareness and get the United States to wonder why they aren't hearing these things from the news. We are doing something important - teaching people to think for themselves. Dissent should be welcomed, not suppressed, and few people realize how tight the government's grip is until they attempt to speak out against it. We live in a faux two-party system with major corporations funding both sides and continually orchestrating, year after year. The longer we wait to end Corporate Personhood, the more time they'll have to enact stronger legislation favoring their motives.
I hope it brings about a world where activism is more widely accepted and understood. We should all be activists. Although I'm not sure if Occupy Wall Street will be the catalyst for whatever comes next, I can honestly say that it has inspired me to question the status quo and do everything in my power to get the word out.
Interview by Stacy Lanyon
Livestream drew me to Occupy Wall Street. I'd been traveling for years, doing various things - art shows, adventuring, odd jobs. When I ran across the "I AM NOT MOVING" short film on Reddit.com, I got curious. I immediately tuned into GlobalRevolution and was hooked. My work building was wrongfully foreclosed on by the FDIC in 2008. So, I could empathize with a lot of the testimonies I heard. All construction funding was cut and the condos that were being built got left unfinished. Most of the people on site worked without pay for months. On another note...I was raised by an IRS revenue officer, and the Stock Market was running background chatter in my upbringing. I know firsthand about foul play in government because I've been witness to it. After a certain point, watching livestream wasn't enough for me, and I had to come join the action.
It's so important because if we don't say something, who will? Mass media isn't reporting on most of the issues we bring to the table. Whoever controls the media controls the population, which is a sad truth. We're here to spread awareness and get the United States to wonder why they aren't hearing these things from the news. We are doing something important - teaching people to think for themselves. Dissent should be welcomed, not suppressed, and few people realize how tight the government's grip is until they attempt to speak out against it. We live in a faux two-party system with major corporations funding both sides and continually orchestrating, year after year. The longer we wait to end Corporate Personhood, the more time they'll have to enact stronger legislation favoring their motives.
I hope it brings about a world where activism is more widely accepted and understood. We should all be activists. Although I'm not sure if Occupy Wall Street will be the catalyst for whatever comes next, I can honestly say that it has inspired me to question the status quo and do everything in my power to get the word out.
Interview by Stacy Lanyon