One thought led to another...

While sitting in Starbucks studying, a homeless man entered and immediately proceeded to help himself with the food in the refrigerator, as well as the individually wrapped pastries in front of the cash register. After collecting what he wanted, he went to pour all the milk that was in the canister into his cup, then drank the entire cup of milk in seconds. Everyone in the packed Starbucks just watched him in amazement but said nothing. I could not understand why no one commented; was it because he is homeless or was it simply because no one wanted to intervene. Although this was not the best way to satisfy his hunger, it was obvious that he needed a meal. According to the UN, one person dies every three and a half seconds of hunger or hunger-related causes in the world. I know that is why I decided not to get involved.

I immediately thought about today’s economy and millions of people have lost and are still losing their jobs, not because they are under performing, but because of today’s dismal economic situation. The unemployment rate has held constant, with a projected thousands of layoffs expected to happen in Washington alone. With high unemployment and no money to pay bills, feed their families and cater to their basic needs, their is much dissatisfaction with the way the United States economy has turned out. Without steady incomes, all over this nation, the poverty and homeless rates have skyrocketed. It was in this frame of mind that the protest here in New York- Occupy Wall St., occurred to me, and how it is that Americans of all ages, ethnic groups, financial financial and educational status, have begun to step up and speak out against the disparity between the rich and the middle class, the 1% and the 99%. People are protesting for several reasons including the high unemployment rate. The truth is all companies, large and small, have been hit by the recession and have been reluctant to hire people who are qualified. People feel that the system was broken and has failed them. They are protesting the anticipated layoffs, lack of jobs, the low minimum wage, lack of a universal healthcare, the cost of higher education, the tidal waves of foreclosures, among other things.

The placards that they carry read “We are the 99%”, suggesting that we are the majority, and we need help! A rally cry, “Wall St. got bailed out, we got sold out” is being sung by many of the protesters signifying the frustrations Americans are feeling. This is really only one part of why people are protesting, but this is a major reason why they are out there. People all around the United States feel the same way. The movement began in New York and spread all across the nation to more than 90 different locations, places such as Washington D.C., California and Georgia. Starting as a small group, this movement has gained national momentum and it is now commanding national attention. Just as Americans are demanding change in how their country is being run, there have been similar protests all over the world. People are showing that they will no longer stand idly by, staying quiet and let the country that they love go in a direction that will not benefit the majority. It is the protestors who are fighting to prevent people from losing their jobs and losing their homes. The chance encounter with the homeless man in Starbucks makes the Occupy Wall St. movement more profound because we see this everyday, homeless people on the train and else where asking for a meal, bottle of water, or something to eat.

Alexis Roe