[media-credit name=”Mary York” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]Occupy Together has lit a brush fire. Protesters have gathered in at least 70 cities across the United States. San Diego protesters have gathered in front of the Civic Center.
Adbusters, a Canadian magazine, suggested the idea of protesting against social and economic inequality, greed of financial corporation, and the power and influence it holds. Money and politics should remain separate, protesters argue. Their main objective, however, is to spread the wealth from the exclusive 1 percent down to the self-proclaimed 99 percent. New statistics from the Internal Revenue Service show that the economic elite exceed $1 million a year in come. Some work, some are collecting interest from trust funds families or lavish buyouts. About 14 percent are financial professionals, 31 percent are executives, manager and supervisors, 15.7 percent are medical professionals and 8.4 percent are lawyers. The 99 percent could very well be part of the 1 percent with an educational background.
Locally, San Diegans gathered to protest without specific demands. Southwestern College students, faculty and employees were among the occupiers.
College students are there mostly because this is the biggest rally against the “Powers that Be” they have seen in their generation. They are holding signs and chanting, “We are the 99 percent,” but without really knowing why. A $343,927 annual gross income is a high threshold to compare to 20-something-year-old college students smoking their $6-$7 a pack American Spirits and carrying $500-$700 SLR digital cameras, living with their parents and having their education being paid for by the many grants and scholarships the state of California has to offer.
They may be apart of the 99 percent, but they are not suffering. This occupation is merely a form of entertainment for them. Something to do while avoiding the stack of job applications.
Jobs are available for those who want it, do not expect the government to hand over a high-salary job without an education to back it up. The 1 percent has worked hard and deserves to reap the benefits. Whether or not you are the 99 percent is up to you.