Essay 3: Inquiry to Occupy

Mary Anne Marrero

Mr. Hayes

Eng 100 – 1:10

4/19/13

Word Count: 1563

Striving to Succeed

      “We are the 99 percent,” claimed by the members of the Occupy movement, whose main approach is to fight against economic and social disparity and to bring down corporate greed. [#8] Protesters from around the world gather in order to develop one voice that would perhaps, aggravate the corporate government and promote some awareness among other people. Not long ago, the movement’s actions have been all over the place – being regarded as a tolerable movement, while raising eyebrows to some. [#4] By pointing out the questions about the Occupy movement, “What are the different strategies that make up Occupy? Aside from occupying public space?” and “What is the movement fighting for in particular?” It seems relevant to the most of us to stop, take a look, and examine the keys that would help us identify the underlying of the movement. Getting into the movement’s context compels us to ask how the movement takes action whether it is worth it or not.

      By reading three different articles from three corresponding perspectives: “The Occupiers Need to Mobilize Students and Unions to Succeed” by Laird Harrison and Michele Nichols, discusses a range of strategies and ways that would help the movement gain more momentum. “The Occupy Movement Aims to End Capitalist Excesses,” by Kevin Zeese, also identifies how the movement’s takes action, aiming to put an end on corporate rule. Norman Lear, on the other hand, shares his own insights on the movement by encouraging the Occupiers to look for other ways that would contribute to its success through the article, “The Occupy Movement Is a Patriotic Protest Against Greed and Corruption.” I was able to gather more information regarding the various strategies that are used in the movement, analyze them, and bring them out in order for the people to know.

     Generally, the first thing that would probably come into our minds when we hear about the Occupy movement are usually the public encampments and the street protests that have been taking place not only within the U.S., but globally. While the Occupy movement struggles to fight for economic equality once and for all, in my own view, there has to be something worth doing for the movement to be successful. So with the three perspectives, what are different strategies that make up Occupy? Besides camping and marching on the streets? Laird Harrison, a former correspondent for TIME magazine, and Michelle Nichols, a reporter for the international news agency Reuters, work together in collaboration to present to us other strategies that are being used by the movement. [#7] According to them, the leaderless group has been trying to come up with a range of strategies and tactics that would keep pushing the movement forward. Occupiers think that the banks are the reason for the growing recession that has been happening for almost decades now. So instead, the protesters try to urge consumers to “move their money from the commercial banks to not-for-profit credit unions.” In that way, less money would be involved and more value would be placed among the people, regardless of race. They also mention the sit-ins during the recent political campaigns wherein a number of protesters interrupted the speeches by the presidential candidates, not to mention President Barack Obama. The use of the social media has also been a huge contribution to the movement, Harrison and Nichols refer to this by saying, “the use of such technology enables the movement to mobilize and organize efficiency without a top-down hierarchy.” This quote represents the power of the Occupy movement to move forward to attain their main goal by interacting and connecting with other protesters to maintain an organized movement and to raise more awareness to people, even without following through the voice of one leader. It is a good way to spark some conversation without the acknowledgement of violence outdoors. Harrison and Nichols claim that the protesters of the Occupy movement are hoping to set an example to the society by avoiding social hierarchy and acknowledging each and everyone’s voices to be heard.

     Compared to that of Harrison and Nichols’ perspective, Kevin Zeese, one of the original organizers of Occupy Washington D.C and co-director of news website It’s Our Economy, shares a similar view on the movement’s ways of taking action. With the help of the social media and local organizing, Zeese believes that Occupy’s grand strategy is to “weaken the pillars that hold the corporate-government in place by educating, organizing, and mobilizing people into an independent political force,” [#6] He refers to the “pillars” as the greediness and inequality that are being portrayed by the government. He points out that with the implementation of political discussions, it would likely result in a diversity of rants, ideas, and opinions towards the corporate rule. To answer the question, Zeese provides a number of ways to get Occupy moving.  According to him, the use of participatory democracy to communities by standing up for each other’s benefit can help mobilize the movement into building new relationships. He defines this strategy by claiming that “occupiers should develop an aggressive organizing plan for the city.”
He makes his point by putting attention towards the movement’s organization. In addition, he acknowledges the importance of street rallies, and indoor encampments to the movement’s development. Zeese’s article does a good job in explaining why these street protests are essential to the movement’s strategies, but he doesn’t mention any other ways that would spark some curiosity somehow. On the other hand, Norman Lear, a television writer and producer of sitcoms such as All in the Family and The Jeffersons, shares a slightly distinctive, yet corresponding view to that of Zeese’s and Harrison’s. He doesn’t oppose any ideas of the two perspectives, but he seems to be opening up based on his own personal experience on the issue. [#1] Lear’s perspective revolves around patriotism, while the other two seem to be putting things up for the purpose of exploration. He encourages the Occupiers to reach their dream by speaking out their voices, without specifying the strategies that are involved in the movement. Aside from camping out on the streets, Lear incites the protesters to “find another way to let your voice be heard in the New Year. Work with others who share your passion for equal opportunity and equal justice for all.” Although he acknowledges some of the aims of the Occupy movement, he briefly describes how people are experiencing the movements because of its underlying causes. [#2]  Even though I do agree that people should work together to “channel outrage in productive action,” I think that his viewpoint could help encourage the Occupy protesters to attain their goal, but not for the purpose of exploring the movement. To sum it all up, Harrison and Nichols addresses the question more informatively because they provide different ways that weren’t very much familiar to the most of us.

     For the second question, “what is the movement fighting for in particular?” Harrison and
Nichols responds to this by pointing out that, “protesters are hoping to influence American society and change a system they deem corruption and driven by greed and injustice.” By raising some awareness among other fellow Americans, the Occupiers believe that they would likely end their struggle under the corporate rule. Zeese addresses this question by saying, “we seek to replace the rule of money with the rule of people,” As an occupier, he establishes the connection between money and the people, emphasizing the overbearing power of the rich people over the people of the middle-class. According to Lear, “the occupy movement is a sign that people are fed up demagogues and are taking a deeply patriotic stand against special interests[…]” Once again, he acknowledges the role of patriotism in the struggle for these Occupiers to meet the end goal.

     I agree with Harrison and Nichols that in order for Occupy to succeed, they should look for more effective ways such as the political sit-ins and alternative banking systems. Protesting on the streets and camping out on public places are common ways of taking action, but since Occupy is a movement that would perhaps require some form of coercion, more energy is needed. Occupy may or may not have been successful, but the effort of fighting for economic equality has somehow pushed the movement into great heights. It’s not about the main objective that would keep a movement going, but the endeavor to influence one another in knowing what is right is.  

Works Cited:

  Harrison, Laird, and Michelle Nichols. "The Occupiers Need to Mobilize Students and Unions to Succeed." The Occupy Movement. Ed. Stefan Kiesbye. Detroit: Greenhaven Press 2013. At Issue. Rpt. from "Occupy 2012: Movement Struggles To Evolve, Maintain Momentum." HuffingtonPost.com. 2012. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 23 Mar. 2013.

  Zeese, Kevin. "The Occupy Movement Aims to End Capitalist Excesses." The Occupy

            Movement. Ed. Stefan Kiesbye. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2013. At Issue. Rpt. from

           "Occupy is Not Just About Occupying." October2011.org 10 Dec. 2011. Opposing

            Viewpoints In Context. Web. 23 Mar. 2013.

   Lear, Norman. "The Occupy Movement Is a Patriotic Protest Against Greed and Corruption."  The Occupy Movement. Ed. Stefan Kiesbye. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2013. At Issue. Rpt. from "Norman Lear on Fighting the Good Fight." http://articles.latimes.com. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 23 Mar. 2013.