top
North Bay
North Bay
Indybay
Indybay
Indybay
Regions
Indybay Regions North Coast Central Valley North Bay East Bay South Bay San Francisco Peninsula Santa Cruz IMC - Independent Media Center for the Monterey Bay Area North Coast Central Valley North Bay East Bay South Bay San Francisco Peninsula Santa Cruz IMC - Independent Media Center for the Monterey Bay Area California United States International Americas Haiti Iraq Palestine Afghanistan
Topics
Newswire
Features
From the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature

Occupying the "Wrong" Areas

by Elizabeth Day
Why has the Occupy Movement not brought about any sort of change? In my opinion, they are occupying the wrong areas. Instead of being in parks and on streets, literal action needs to occur where Occupiers are sitting in public offices where the "elites" are bound to see them.
Change comes to those who are willing to change the situation themselves. While the Occupy movement is admirable in their efforts to “change” or “revolutionize” America, the question remains of are they going about this in the right manner? Occupying parks and organizing protests are ways in which to inform fellow peers about the injustices going on in America, but it is not adequate enough to influence those who are in power and actually able to change America. The Occupy movement could actually be beneficial if they were to change their tactics of this passive occupying and take a more aggressive occupying stance; and in no way does aggressive occupying mean becoming violent. It means to take this form of occupying from the streets and into the government. Simply put, they should be in the offices of local representatives that have power in the House and Senate.

If occupiers would take a brief history class and learn that nothing gets changed in this country without the consent of the Senate and the House, then their movement would instantly get a lot stronger. We outnumber the wealthy people of this country, ninety-nine to one, so how is it that we have zero occupiers in any positions of power? Instead of organizing protests and marches, these unique individuals should be running for office. Imagine the change that could instantly come from a fellow occupier holding a position of power, someone who has our views and stands up for the working man. It would not be easy but it is at least worth a shot, because without it they’re stuck in the same position that they are in now.

Our constitution was created so that we would not have a government that abused the people but rather to have one, “For the people, by the people.” Meaning that if ninety-nine percent of us are poor, underprivileged, over abused, and constantly being taken advantage of by the minority one percent, then we have a constitutional right to change that government. “We the people” have an obligation as American citizens to change what we do not see fit enough to govern us, and we are not satisfied with this lackluster government that allows these injustices to occur. The House and Senate are filled with people that should reflect their jurisdictions points of view and be lobbying for bills that are beneficial to the people they represent. Yet there is no sign of any of that going on because obviously nothing has come out of D.C. and occupiers have taken to the streets to find change instead of looking to their representatives.

It is safe to say that Occupy has chosen to occupy the wrong areas within America. That instead of living in parks, which is a good way to spread publicity about the movement, they should be up trying to gain positions of power in order to create direct change. This is a way of making legitimate change in a positive manner for America.

I am a senior at Sonoma State University with a minor in Sociology, and for my Social Movements and Behaviors class I chose to write on the Occupy Movement. The movement has potential, it just needs more guidance.
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!

Donate

$110.00 donated
in the past month

Get Involved

If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.

Publish

Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.

IMC Network