Last month, I visited Zuccotti Park to really see what was going on down there. The walk to the park was a maze of steel barriers, police vans and officers in riot gear. My sidekick was amazed not only at the sheer number of officers around, for he had never seen such a presence in one place before, but also at the fact that all we saw were officers, and not one protester.
I was amused at their boredom, watching numerous cops on their phones while generally looking annoyed at being forced into overtime. I was also annoyed, knowing my tax dollars were paying for that equestrian guard who was texting atop a horse. I was then completely and excruciatingly perturbed when it took us over 2 hours to get home because the nearby subways were all closed.
When we arrived at the park, the protesters were holding a meeting. It was peaceful. It was inspiring. They were harmless. And yet we were surrounded by more cops in riot gear, as if something horrifying was about to happen. This is what freedom of speech has become in America, I thought. It was disheartening.
Early this morning, police ripped through the encampment at Zuccotti Park with what I consider to be unnecessary force. Over 250 people were arrested. I understand why the park needed to be cleared; after several weeks, the excrement and overall filth of camping in the middle of the city must have been overwhelmingly unsanitary. That being said, was it truly necessary to destroy all that property, ripping tents open with knives, shoving people out of them with batons?
Meanwhile, people are getting held up and stabbed on the bridge by my apartment. I’m glad our police force has been evenly distributed to protect this city from harm.
But this isn’t even what angers me the most. It was the stupidity that flooded my facebook feed throughout the day. “Dirty hippies, get out! If you spent as much time looking for a job as you did protesting, you wouldn’t have anything to protest!”
I beg to differ.
While there are always going to be idiots who just want to yell about anarchy who don’t really know the meaning of the word, this movement is primarily comprised of intelligent, employed individuals, retired veterans, students, teachers, union workers, and hard-working folk who are sick of the frightening income disparity that has crippled the middle class into poverty and heightened the income ceiling for the richest in this country.
Do not tell me that this is our fault, for lack of trying or proper planning. Do not tell me that our poverty is the result of laziness or stupidity. Do not tell me that we are a spoiled generation who doesn’t know when to be grateful.
I was raised by two parents who saved their money to ensure a proper future for their three children. My father always said we were the ‘working poor,’ but I never quite understood what he meant. We were taken care of. I went to a state school, and because of this economically frugal decision, was blessed to not need to take out a loan to cover the cost of my education. I can assure you - had I been burdened with the cost of loan payments post-graduation, I would have been denied the opportunities which led me to where I am now.
I graduated with high honors, Bachelor of Arts degree with two minors. I worked my fucking ass off; I dare you to find anyone who says otherwise. I did this because this is how I was going to start my career, get a job with a good organization, and grow professionally. That was the whole point of going to college, right? To start a career, rather than being stuck in retail or as a line cook at some fast food restaurant, right?
Three and a half years later, I am heavily weighing the pros, cons, and utter feasibility of holding a second job at an establishment I honestly went to college to avoid. Wait, what? I’m working 40+ hours a week and only supporting myself, so what the hell is this shit? But that’s the truth, and I’m not alone. Several of my friends are working two, even three jobs just to get by. They are supremely intelligent, resourceful, and this just baffles me. What was the point of my college education, if I’m only filling roles that were previously suitable for high school graduates? Why do I have to charge my groceries and doctor visits on credit?
Is this my fault for not choosing a more lucrative career path, one that would make me millions by age 30? No. And I refuse to let you make me feel ashamed to want to pursue a line of work that I enjoy, that I am passionate about. I should not have to suffer for this, as if I’ve made fundamental and irreparable mistake.
I love all the teachers, daycare workers, nurses, artists, blue collar workers, and all of those who refused to listen to this noxious notion. We could not survive as a society solely comprised of bankers, brokers, and and overpaid businessmen. We need you. If it weren’t for you having an independent mind and a passion to help those around you, we would be nowhere. We couldn’t survive without you, and it’s time for you to be duly compensated for your efforts.
We should not be punished for the line of work we have chosen. We should not be treated as failures as our growth is limited by walls erected by the elite. It’s time to close the gap and address corruption.
My name is Amanda. I am educated, I am employed, am above the poverty line, I live frugally, and I have still had to make the decision between seeking medical care and buying food.
I am a survivor, and I’m going to get what I deserve. I am the 99%.
<3.
