In the US a small group of people decided to loosely form a protest group. Called the Occupy Wall Street protest movement over the last couple of weeks the movement has grown.
Protests have occurred in other areas of the US apart from Manhattan where it all began. Support has grown but not universally so. There remain many people sceptical about the movement, its aims and its protesters.
The movement claims to be protesting in general about corporate greed but is there more to it than that?.
Protests have occurred in other areas of the US apart from Manhattan where it all began. Support has grown but not universally so. There remain many people sceptical about the movement, its aims and its protesters.
The movement claims to be protesting in general about corporate greed but is there more to it than that?.
The movement has its own website which includes the following information, “a leaderless resistance movement with people of many colors, genders and political persuasions. The one thing we all have in common is that We Are The 99% that will no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the 1%.”
The original aim of the group seems to have changed somewhat now including protests against unemployment, health care, tuition fees and alleged police brutality. Their support has grown and this week the protesters have been joined by students, Union officials and members, and even those in the legal profession. Some people doubt the motives of some of these people joining the movement claiming that they have done so for their own ends.
Unsurprisingly some Republicans have attacked the movement's aims. One said, “They’re basically saying that somehow the government is supposed to take from those that have succeeded and give to those who want to protest. That’s not the way America was built.”
To this Brit that is a strange way at looking at the protests. President Obama when asked said, “I think it expresses the frustrations that the American people feel". It seems that even an opinion on such a minor movement will inflame party political beliefs.
Some celebrities and successful American citizens have shown support for the movement. These include Susan Sarandon, Michael Moore, George Soros and Tim Robbins.
In general it seems that those with political leanings toward the political left, Democrats in the US and those with leanings to the right, Republicans, are on opposite sides on this issue. No guesses for who supports or who does not.
A more global protest is planned for two weeks time, on October 15, 2011. Plans include a protest in Toronto, Canada.
More info at the Occupy Wall Street protest movement website here
The original aim of the group seems to have changed somewhat now including protests against unemployment, health care, tuition fees and alleged police brutality. Their support has grown and this week the protesters have been joined by students, Union officials and members, and even those in the legal profession. Some people doubt the motives of some of these people joining the movement claiming that they have done so for their own ends.
Unsurprisingly some Republicans have attacked the movement's aims. One said, “They’re basically saying that somehow the government is supposed to take from those that have succeeded and give to those who want to protest. That’s not the way America was built.”
To this Brit that is a strange way at looking at the protests. President Obama when asked said, “I think it expresses the frustrations that the American people feel". It seems that even an opinion on such a minor movement will inflame party political beliefs.
Some celebrities and successful American citizens have shown support for the movement. These include Susan Sarandon, Michael Moore, George Soros and Tim Robbins.
In general it seems that those with political leanings toward the political left, Democrats in the US and those with leanings to the right, Republicans, are on opposite sides on this issue. No guesses for who supports or who does not.
A more global protest is planned for two weeks time, on October 15, 2011. Plans include a protest in Toronto, Canada.
More info at the Occupy Wall Street protest movement website here
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