Occupy Conundrum: Maybe it’s time to occupy tourists—or garbage

Close your eyes. Imagine yourself at your favorite outdoor spot. Maybe it’s a national or state park. Maybe it’s somewhere else that only you know about. Hear the sounds of the birds, insects, water… visualize the pristine beauty… smell what’s in the air… feel the air on your skin. Take a deep breath and open your eyes. Now look at this:

This is a minor bit of trash that I saw while at one of the state’s most beautiful, pristine locations (I’m leaving off the name because this happens everywhere). I could have photographed more and multiple bags were found near overflowing trash receptacles and toilets, but I didn’t want to dirty-up my camera (and frankly, the sight made me a bit ill). I also didn’t want to disgust my more sensitive readers with the way the bathrooms were abused—I would have rather peed in front of all those strangers rather than use the toilets. While looking around at the landscape, I couldn’t help but notice that tourists are slobs. They seem to have no respect for the land, visitor’s centers or public places. And yet, I’ve heard a lot of complaints about the Occupy protestors and their refuse at the encampments. What I don’t hear is anyone griping about tourists leaving the natural world a mess. I was, and still am, incensed, at the carelessness and hypocrisy I witnessed. Dirty diapers? Plastic bags of garbage? Drink cups (from corporate entities, no less) neatly lined up on the can (how ironic)? And these people DROVE into the area. Which means they could have driven themselves and their crap back out when they discovered that the trash receptacles were full. But no, these ordinary, everyday non-occupying tourists leave messes in their wake and it’s okay? Please. It’s not okay for anyone to leave a mess a behind. Leaving trash outside is akin to leaving trash in someone else’s home. Unfortunately, with the exception of raccoons, most of the inhabitants of the outdoors don’t have opposable thumbs to clean up after the visitors leave.

Now that my rant is finished, here’s my plea:

Occupiers, if you are reading this and your encampment really is a mess, clean it up and show the world why you are better equipped to run this country, make the earth a healthier place to live, and that you really do care about what goes into the air and water. Be the better example—the world is watching. I want to be proud to call myself one of the 99%.

And if you’re one of the guilty that leave trash somewhere you shouldn’t, risking the flora and fauna of the land, consider yourself chastised and leave an area at least as clean as you found it. Please respect the earth—8.7 million species live on it.

Occupy Conundrum: The conundrum of an educated teenager

For the six weeks or so, I’ve been trying to discuss the Occupy Movement with my 17-year-old daughter (well, 17 in two days). She can be mature, sophisticated and quite the little critical thinker, but whenever I bring up this topic, she goes into la-la-la-I-don’t-want-to-hear-it mode. I tried to bring it up again yesterday and asked if her dad has said anything to her about it. She mentioned a friend of his in Oakland had commented that Occupy Oakland has gone awry and that they don’t know how to camp (my ex and his group are SCA’ers—camping in costume is their hobby). So, I told her that we would make OM the topic of discussion over dinner. I explained to her about what I’ve been reading and hearing and helped eradicate some misconceptions. She educated me on how she’s seen all of this before in her history class, including how horribly wrong the Haymarket Riot went, with the Knights of Labor being blamed. She also informed me that that this country has had, on occasion, a viable third political party. Given all this, she declared that she’s seen it all before (in history), so she doesn’t need to pay attention to what is happening now. I told her that she was wrong—regardless of the outcome it will impact her future.

So, what’s a mother to do with a 17-year-old who knows the history of similar movements, and in her mind, sees the writing in the wall? I don’t know. I suspect that she’s a bit jaded, or at the very least skeptical, of the movement’s viability. Plus, like most young adults, she can be a bit self-absorbed. Do I force her to visit encampments with me? Do her own research so she can come to her own conclusions? Can I “make” her care? Last night, my daughter was in the room when I watched Marianne Williamson’s OWS talk in Berkeley—and she did comment throughout the hour. Well, I guess that’s a start.

Occupy Conundrum: How I got here in the first place

I am, by nature, non-confrontational, although I do love a good debate. I am also, by nature, a Libra, which means I weigh everything—ad nauseam—and at times, to the point of stagnation. I love supporting education, the arts, the environment, animals, humanity, etc. However, I am slow to adopt causes, mostly because I can see both sides of an issue and consider the pros and cons of both. The Occupy Movement, though, is another story. To be honest, I don’t know what is being decided upon in general meetings or in the committees are being formed. I’m not entirely clear how the movement truly started, except that Adbusters placed a bug in the ear of someone—or some ones—who rose from their complacency to hang out on Wall Street. What I do know is that I’ve been hoping for a revolution in this country for a long time. Something bloodless, peaceful. Something that compels the people of this country to take a hard look at what it has become. I’ve felt very alone for years, wondering how I could change what seemed unchangeable. I’ve watched this country go from one of innovation and wealth—a place that people immigrate to in search of the American Dream—to what it has become: a government controlled by corporations and a populace controlled by debt.

I was born in 1967 and grew up during the 70s and 80s believing in capitalism and the possibility of having it all. I’m no longer convinced. I hold a bachelor’s degree and ABT for a master’s degree, both in English. I began working at 15 and over the last 29 years, I have had paid work for 23 years. The six years of unemployment included staying at home with my daughter and finishing my undergraduate degree. When I divorced seven years ago, I took half of the combined debt plus all of my student loans. Being self-employed with a few clients and working on my master’s didn’t balance out my debt. Rather, it increased. And now, along with millions of other Americans, I have joined the ranks of the unemployed because my job ended. A job, I might add, where the salary left me below the median income for California. Salaries were frozen for the three and a half years I was there, and every year cuts continued, starting with benefits and ending with two weeks worth of furloughs. Needless to say, given the cost of living in California, I wasn’t making enough to meet my needs and pay all my debts. I’m not now, either. To be honest, I think I was financially better off in 1985 as a teenager making around $8/hour. It doesn’t make sense, and I don’t see how I can possibly ever get ahead. Of course, our system is set up for failure and the personal is reflected in the government. Or vice-versa.

Spiritually, I believe there is an infinite amount of wealth to be had in the world and that ultimately, no one should be homeless or hungry. Do I believe that the Occupy Movement feels the same way? I don’t know. What I do know is that our government, along with the corporations and banks, don’t. They want what they want and they don’t care about who or what is sacrificed to get it. And frankly, I’m tired of it. Beyond supporting the movement and considering myself one of the 99%, I don’t know what my next course of action is. However, I’m willing to step up and do what I can to make the world a better place for myself, my children and humanity. Occupy Movement, here I come!

Occupy Conundrum: I’m finally coming out of the activist closet

I recently had a political discussion with a conservative friend on mine via Facebook. I decided that rather than continue the political debate there, I would bring it to my much-neglected blog. This will be the first in what I plan to be many blog posts on the Occupy Movement, rather than Facebook comments, because this is a bigger discussion than just “I’m right! No, I’m right.” And because as I writer, I’ve been writing as a reaction, rather than an action. It’s time to stop that. And so….

What spurred this post was a discussion on Facebook. It went something like this: A link was posted with a comment condemning some of the behaviors in the Middle East (using children as human shields, women as sex slaves). (In fairness, it should be condemned. It’s morally wrong.) I commented that we needed to look at the atrocities our own country commits (unnecessary police brutality, soldiers raping young girls/women and killing civilians) before condemning others. The conversation ensued back and forth, with comments about videos not showing all of the details coming from the “other side.” I almost responded to the last few comments made, then realized that we were playing a game of “I’m right! No, I’m right!” So, I came here instead.

It was the video point that stopped me. I’ve seen videos. They’ve seen videos. Have we all been watching the same videos? It was pointed out that the Occupy Movement protesters aren’t going to show everything. I would argue that the opposite side does the same. It’s an impasse, but it made me pause. How do any of us know, who aren’t at the protests, what’s really going on. We don’t. But there is a solution. Rather than continuing this argument with people I do consider friends, I’m going to educate myself. I’m going to visit Occupy encampments and protests to see what is really going on. I am one of the 99%--but I want to see for myself who and what I am supporting. I would encourage anyone who is unclear about the Occupy Movement to do the same. For those who feel that they are not part of the 99%, I would encourage them to think about why.

The only way any of us can make sound judgments about which side to choose is to educate ourselves beyond what anyone tells us. Let's think for ourselves, even if it takes us out of our comfort zone.