Occupy!!
I know you have all seen them. They are impossible to miss. They are everywhere. So it one sense, they have accomplished their goal. Who I am referring to is none other than the group of strangers who have "come together" across the world. The above is a picture taken at our very own Illinois State University. This has to be the most disorganized joke of a movement that i have seen in my short life. The picture I found below identifies with the problems with their idealogy, and quite frankly makes me laugh. However I am not here to share my opinion about the people and their goals, but rather to connect it to the world of criminal justice, since they have been able to camp out wherever they please due to the "freedoms" they possess!
So are they breaking any crimes? If so, are they serious ones? Well, from the limited research i have done the answer is slightly! There have been numerous arrests, like the ones near Manhattan, where 234 protesters were all arrested. The article can be found at http://www.dnainfo.com/20111116/downtown/occupy-wall-street-protesters-arrested-zuccotti-raid-appear-court. What they were primarily arrested for is the crimes of trespassing, resisting arrest, and obstruction of governmental administration. Those may not be severe, and the article states that some just resulted in monetary fines, but they are more detrimental than that.
We have all spent alot of time here at Illinois State learning about the broken windows theory and other theories that help lure criminals to an area, or further the decay of an area. This is my biggest concern from the criminological perspective. The sites they have overtaken have become disgusting and honestly shameful. They are in there little tents claiming that the financial breakdown is unfair, yet they have extension cords running so they can have microwaves, radios, crockpots, and anything else they really want. I have not done extensive research on how it effects businesses, but it would be interesting to look at.
In conclusion, The occupy group of people have not had a positive effect on anything thus far, but instead have become a nuisance for both law authorities who have to monitor them, but also for us citizens who have to interact and pass by them. Just because we are not in the little tents, does not mean we do not care. But they need remember one thing. You claim to be the 99%, when in all actuality, if you look at the rest of the world and compare yourselves to the; You are not the 99%, but instead the 1%. What any other person in africa or thailand, or numerous others would kill to have a tent of their own even.
References:
http://www.dnainfo.com/20111116/downtown/occupy-wall-street-protesters-arrested-zuccotti-raid-appear-court
http://www.dnainfo.com/20111116/downtown/occupy-wall-street-protesters-arrested-zuccotti-raid-appear-court
http://www.jesusradicals.com/we-need-a-confessing-movement/
It's easy to be an armchair criticizer of the Occupy Wall Street Group, social movements bring together all kinds of people including those you may not respect. Instead of disagreeing with their philosophy or message, people like you often choose instead to minimize them as a "joke." This happens to both conservatives in the Tea Party, liberals/libertarians in Occupy, and other movements. The truth is is that there is something very wrong with the way America's economic and political system is organized. The vast majority of wealth is held in the hands of a select few and they do not pay nearly a fair share. Everyday Americans are excluded from living a quality life and having the power to improve their living conditions. I would read this New York Times piece by Warren Buffett if you want a sense of how pervasive this problem really is.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/15/opinion/stop-coddling-the-super-rich.html
I see the Occupy Movement as raising awareness about this issue and the fact that you even were bothered enough by the protests to talk about it here proves that they are successful.
Now as far as your attempts to label the protesters as criminals, again instead of addressing their message, you couldn't have a more backwards understanding of people's "freedoms." People are allowed to peaceably assemble its called the First Amendment of the Constitution. Did you know that the Academic Senate of this university, including President Bowman and Dr. Gizzi, passed a sense-of-the-senate in support of the Occupy BloNo people to be where they are? In a body of nearly fifty professors, administrators, and students there was ONE nay vote on the passage of it. This is because we should support people voicing their opinion on things that concern them, nothing could be more essential to our democracy.
As I recall Martin Luther King was arrested several times for what he did. So mere arrests mean absolutely nothing in contemplating the morality of the protesters. I wish I had the courage to stand so boldly for something I believed in. I think the founding fathers would have been proud of movements like the Tea Party and Occupy because they are exercising the freedoms they sought to establish in this country. So while you may sit back and call them a joke and discredit them, they are out fighting for what they think will make life better for all of us. Who can fault them for that just because you don't identify with them politically and don't like how they can make places they stay unsightly?
What an excellently, well-thought and well-written counter argument. I agree wholeheartedly with just about everything you have written. I do not think, however, that Mr. Sellers was stating that the cause itself was a bad cause, but that the way the message is being spread may not be the best way to gain followers to a cause. Many of these people are dirty from staying outdoors and their hygiene is unsatisfactory. If one of these people was walking up to me to try to give me $50, I would not even let them get close enough to tell me they want to give me $50. Kind of hard to get your message across to people when they look at you like you are homeless and a drain on society. Here on the ISU campus, I have seen empty tents acting as an eyesore to the students, faculty, potential students, parents, and visitors, yet I have not seen a protestor in months. This just looks bad to anyone who gazes upon it and verifies the blog author's point that it all just seems unorganized...at least here at the ISU campus.
DeleteMost of the arrests at the Occupy movements came when the cities decided they wanted to "evict" the protestors. In a nutshell cities were trying to clean up an eyesore & the protestors were standing up for their right to peacefully assemble. I'm not discounting the idea that some legitimate crime may have occurred on the Occupy movement's watch but counting the arrests made during the sweeps is stretching things.
ReplyDeleteI don't really think broken windows applies to this situation. I think they probably went a bit too far with their tent cities and in some places those tent cities probably caused undue strain on the land but these movements weren't attracting the criminal element.
The problem I have with the Occupy movement is that they have an entitlement mentality. They believe thay because they are Americans and they can march in the street and camp out in public places they deserve to be handed things on a silver platter. They rant and rave about the establishment but do nothing to change it. All of their problems can be overcome with a little work, but instead they want the people who already worked for their success to just hand it over to them.
ReplyDeleteAlso the criminal element has been drawn to the occupy movement like a bear to honey. You have thousands of strangers in an unsecure setting with valuables protected by nothing but a thin tent wall. Of course there has been a lot of crime in the tent cities.
Very good post as it seems to have created much buzz on the CJS 395 blog. Kevin, you and I seem to be on the same page when it comes to the Occupy movement. Like so many other Americans, I see people coming together to protest the wrong way. It is amazing how a generation can feel so slighted while having done and earned so little. We are a very young generation who has historically done nothing outside of facebook. To me, many of the Occupy participants need to step back and consider how lucky they are to have Constitutional freedoms that will allow them to peacefully assemble. Maybe then they will recognize this right should be used on something more worthwhile. I do not dispute that corporations run this country and are fueled by greed. And no, the games they play are not fair. I also know that this is simply how our country functions and I am proud to live in it. So protest all you want, meanwhile I'll be studying to earn a degree or clocked in at work busting my ass and earning my keep.
ReplyDeletecouldnt agree more adam! thanks for articulating my perspective much better than i could =]
DeleteI agree with the author. The picture was hilarious by the way. And you are right about all the cords running to their tents for sources of power, that our tuition is paying for. I mean I understand a little bit where they are coming from, but to me they just seem like a bunch of people that want to complain and be "a part" of something bigger than themselves. I should know more about them before I judge, but just the single fact that they annoyed the crap out of me while on campus is enough to turn me off and tell them to get their crap off of campus.
ReplyDeleteAdam brings up a great point. Although I think that the occupy movement isn't the brightest of ideas the way that it was represented was poor. Organization was lacking and representation with “people occupying” national parks was doing more damage than good, especially in cities. The occupy movement hurt a lot of businesses by using their bathrooms and supplies without buying any of their products. Overcrowding drained the local population who went out of their way to avoid the occupiers. The occupy movement was pretty disgusting as well hygienically. I have always believed that hard work will pay off and that the occupy movement was made up by a majority of people who have never truly worked in their life. The media also made the movement look as if they were oppressed and shut down by big brother or corporate schemes. If you do a little investigation and digging I think most can find that videos with Police or Security forcing people out or macing them they will see that the whole story is much different. I like to use the example that shows Police macing college students. If you see the entire video the police were surrounded and threatened. They were outnumbered 10 to 1 and some students were intoxicated. After many orders from the police to disperse the students still did not clear a path and were maced.
ReplyDeleteThat being said the exploitation of tax payers and corporate executives is a major problem and don't think for a second I believe its fair. Politically America is completely corrupted by the haves. The Super-Pacs buy the elections. The two party system unfortunately leaves us with extraordinarily poor candidates on either side. In the long run though America is incredibly blessed with luxuries many countries simply do not have.
Personally I am not a big fan of the Occupy Protests, especially the one that was on our campus last semester and some of this semester. I believe that it makes our campus look terrible especially for the incoming freshman and transfer student's parents when they see them. Like there is a bunch of hippies on our campus and they do not want their child(ren) here and want them to go somewhere else. But on another note I do respect them, They are trying to get a point across about a serious issue that needs to be addressed and in this time in America. Theatrics like that need to be done in order to shake up the foundation that we have been so used to letting the rich have whatever they want, and screw over the people that line their pockets with the one thing that all they care about and that is money. The people need to take these drastic measures sometimes in order to get a point across. A lot of people may not like it but they need to realize what is going on in our society other than Jersey Shore and Glee.
ReplyDeleteAndrew Serena
DeleteWow guys, i really do appreciate the responses! Let me clarify, as i see the beginning of the counter arguments may have been defensive due to my word choice. I am in no way saying that the cause is bad, as many other comments have pointed out. What I am saying is in agreement with most of the comments that are worded much better than my post. It is at bare minimum an eye sore and as one put it, like a bear to honey. I do think chris explained the perpective i was coming from though. If anyone can understand their reason for their protest, it is me. I was raised with my 2 brothers, and a single mom, on under 20,000 a year and virtually no child support. I understand the wealth distribution and political powerhouses suck. I never said meant to imply that it was illegal, since its obviously allowed, so i do appreciate you bringing up the vote from the Senate, Ethan, and apologize if it gave you negative feelings! With all that being said, this is what makes America what it is! The difference of opinion and the freedoms that each citizen is allowed causes discussions like these where we can hear the other side, but still stand by our 'argument'! =]
ReplyDeleteI can't say that I agree with the post, but I can't say that I completely disagree either. The occupy movement did have some problems with organization and giving off an air of professionalism, but to be called a joke is a little over the top. Argument aside, my main problem with the article was that it was more geared towards discrediting the Occupy movement than criminal justice.
ReplyDelete