Then and Now

Is The minority, The majority?

by Sabrina A. Cooper

 

     Education is liberation! when professor Kris Seago "asked in class who knew about Occupy Austin", there was little to no response on the subject. He informed us by stating, he went down to city hall to check it out. He provide some basic info on the status of who and what Occupy Austin is about. I’m also taking a social work class. My professor Ms. Alvarado works very hard to keep us engaged in the social injustice of society. What I mean by this statement is socially we make assumptions about most things in general. We don’t search the facts, and verify their authenticity, that is most of us don’t. 

     Take the homeless, some of us have empathy, understand and realize that the concepts that everyone that is homeless like it is, that an assumption. With research we could come to a different conclusion and that is they don't wants to be homeless and life event have alter their abilities to function as a working part of society a a whole. This isn’t just an easy way out of dealing with life, not having a jobs and family and etc... Along those same lines we also have immigration. In my social work class, I watch a film about the hundreds of children leaving Belize, Honduras, Guatemala and other undeveloped country to come to America and their love ones allow them to try, in the hope of a better life for them and the family they leave behind. The ages ranged from 6 to 17. Why do they try so hard to come to American, against so many obstacles and dangerous peril? One of my classmate Chrissie in social work class made a comment; " I'm an  illegal immigrate, I have paper that allow me to be here to work and most of my family is not here legally.
They make it so hard for us to become citizen and the money we are spending is unreal. It cost a lot to send money back home, it cost hundreds of dollars to pay to bring someone to this country, just to work. The fraud among those who claim they will help bring love ones is massive.  And  this next statement was key: We don't want to be here illegally, we want to do our part in paying taxes, getting our kids educated, but the system, we don't want to beat the system."  She asked the professor "why do they make it so hard?  and I ask "Could it be money related? Our assumption keep us from connecting to each. The professor asked could this be the goal? If we continue to separate and not connected on a human level then we don't have time to address the real issues?"

     The American dream is no different for them, than it is for us. Our democracy, basic freedom, our very way of life, these are the very things we hold dear. The  right to be all that we can be, taking care of our families and loves one. I started my piece this way because, my argument or cause is getting more occupy Austin engagement.  Hopefully and by the end of this piece more people will get  involved with Occupy Austin. Why? you might say it has nothing to do with me and that may or may not be true. But I say deep down everyone of us  can see a need for changes in governing body, each one of us has or will be affect, if not now then later. So let's take some time, follow my thought process and reasoning on this subject.

I went down to the City Hall for the first time, thirty something years of living in Texas and I never thought of visiting City Hall. I should be embarrassed you might think, but I’m a believer in the fact that the light bulb go on for all of us. At different times maybe, but the light bulb does go on for everyone sooner or later. I can blame no one for my disinterested, for my lack of motivation to educate myself, to be current on events, which directly and indirectly affect me. I am being critical of myself and in views of my opinion,  take on the role that it's never too late to make changes, if you're are still breathing.

The generalization of the new media on the facts and the knowledge that I have allowed them to keep me uninformed is no longer something  I 'm willing to except. Occupy Austin is taking place at this time in our history because; we have lost focus and allowed a few to control many. I have decide to exercise my right as an American citizen to be informed in the things that directly and indirectly affect my way of living and I write to encourage you to take a stand also, because you too are directly and indirectly affected. Loosing homes, loosing jobs,  student loans that will take our young the next ten to twenty year of there life to pay back. Occupy Austin is asking, and I am asking you to join with me  and let’s do just a few small things to let the banks, who are not concerned with how we are fairy out here, know that we make a difference. Realize that the Banking system is fraudulent. Realize that the mainstream media is an instrument used to influence public perception.

 One of the newest things is the Banks plan to charge us a fee to withdraw our own money when we use our debit card. Check with your bank to see when this will be implemented. I stopped by my bank today, and I was told that right now they are only charging new customers who open an account these fees. It has not been decide when they will make it across the broad for all of their customers and the bank was Prosperity Bank. When you get a chance, move your account to a credit union. Start shopping locally; visit your local farmers market. Everything is going up around us but our pay, our income, and if you have not gone down to your City Hall take some time and go. If you family and loves are suffering financially, band together and help each other out. In hard times that what we do best and read some of the information on occupy Austin face book, join the events. City Hall is located at 5011 E. Caesar Chavez. We don’t hear much in the news, of how the movement is spreading. On the radio on the Travis Smiley show at the beginning of this week it had grown by 800 city, states and towns

In place that have a population of 11,000 people, they had a hundred people at there town hall that’s  1 % of there population. Try to image Austin have 1% of it population at City Hall. Because we are the 99%

So here what the news is not telling you: “Americans are now realizing that many of their elected officials are simply corporately owned henchmen. And the laws imposed by them are constructed to serve the wealthiest 1% and keep the status quo.” “The occupation is a movement for real democracy and personal liberty. Don’t get this twisted, I am not anti- American, my ancestor gave all for my chance at freedom, and happiness. And so did yours!

 
“Please join the 99%, you are the 99% any way, instead of serving the 1% unknowingly”.

You are Powerful! Occupy Austin is a movement  with people of many colors, genders and political persuasions, committed to abolishing government corruption, or to soften it a little encourage much needed change to a system, that does not work for all the people. One thing we

 ALL have in common is that WE ARE THE 99%.

“We can no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the 1%. Occupy Austin emphasizes nonviolence, peaceful demonstrations I order to maximize the safety of all participants”.

Okay your argument is, I have not said anything new, and I say to that, we all are experiencing foreclosed homes,  a choke-hold on lending,  or lend at a high rate of return, keeping American out of work and in a position to only get what is given.  If you are not affected now, you may continue to do nothing until you are affected, as “Travis Smiley said this is not going away like they though it would.”“Bank of America has $2.2 trillion in assets yet paid $0 in income taxes in 2009 and 2010 and has over 143 tax-sheltered overseas subsidiaries to get out of paying federal taxes.” I will continue to go now that I have made two trip, and yes it so easy to never have the time, it's about more than just what's happening with you. Website: http://www.occupyaustin.org//, http://occupyaustin.org/blog/, also update on Wall Street watch this video from you tube Democracy Now