OCCUPY USA 2011

I am a bit late as a blogger to repeat or dissect the going-ons of Occupy Wall Street and the myriad communities that have jumped aboard the protest. My first reaction was, "Right on!" But, here we are months later and there are so many people who haven't heard or are ignoring the movement. Why? This is important info as all of us suffer through the slings and arrows of the current economy.

For me, I am concerned as a business owner and as a citizen of the USA. How did we get so low? Who did this to us? Why did it happen after years of economic stability? Was it an expensive war? Or just the stupidity of our government?

Naw. None of it matters at this point. None of it. We have such serious concerns in our nation now. What do we tell the people who worked all their lives, who saved exactly as they should, who invested in stable markets and never lived the high life? They have lost their homes, their money, and their position in a middle class society and community.

And, you wonder why so many Americans are supporting the youthful brigade? They support them because we are all in this terrible circumstance. There is no one immune except for the 1% uber wealthy... and guess what? Even some of those folks are desperate to get rid of the baggage and the title of "uber rich" so that they can just look at themselves in the bathroom mirror in the morning.

Now, I am starting to rant... again. This is an emotional issue for someone like me who watched as a little kid the shenanigans of the youthful brigades in the early 70's when Vietnam was on the horizon. I remember later reading about Kent State where the National Guard literally gunned down innocent students protesting at their campus. The video can be found on youtube and it is horrifying.

Is this what will change the mind of our leaders? "Tin soldiers and Nixon's coming; 4 dead in Ohio..."

Four dead in Ohio.

Wikipedia on Kent State Shootings : "At this point, at 12:24 p.m., according to eyewitnesses, a Sgt. Myron Pryor turned and began firing at the students with his .45 pistol. A number of guardsmen nearest the students also turned and fired their M1 Garand rifles at the students. In all, 29 of the 77 guardsmen claimed to have fired their weapons, using a final total of 67 rounds of ammunition. The shooting was determined to have lasted only 13 seconds, although John Kifner reported in the New York Times that 'it appeared to go on, as a solid volley, for perhaps a full minute or a little longer.' The question of why the shots were fired remains widely debated."

Rants from WET office staff belong to this California Whitewater Rafting blog for WET River Trips.

Many thanks to the folks at Wikipedia for sharing the little blurb above.