Officials Must
'Pay Heed' to Global Occupy Movement
"With the disparity between rich and poor apparently intractable and with young people feeling less and less hope for the future, serious action was necessary. ... It is clear that the theme shared around the planet is the need to revise the obvious disparity of how wealth is distributed."
An 'Occupy' demonstrator in Phoenix lets it be known what she thinks should change. The movement, which is still taking shape, is many things to many people.
Demonstrations
against social inequality that originated in the United States are spreading
with great momentum across the globe. In unison, Taipei and Hong Kong, Seoul
and Tokyo and places all over Asia have begun similar movements.
In Rome and New
York, protesters clashed with police resulting in arrests and injuries. In some
of these demonstrations, issues like opposing war and racial discrimination are
being addressed. In Japan, opposition to nuclear power is intertwined with fear
and suspicion of a world rigged against the average person.
However, the
central sentiment being felt around the world and the essential cause of the
demonstrations is the battle again social inequality. It is clear that the
theme shared around the planet is the need to revise the obvious disparity of
how wealth is distributed.
So is there a
path to a resolution? The capacity of national governments to find one is
seriously in doubt.
Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
Demonstrations
began on Wall Street in New York, the very epicenter of banks, security firms
and capitalism itself. Their slogan against the rich minority and their
monopolization of wealth, "Let's Occupy Wall Street," spread through
the America in a flash.
Demonstrations
in Europe and Asia are being organized and communicated via the Internet.
Similar to the Arab Spring, the movement quickly picked up steam through
first-hand experiences shared on social media outlets like Facebook and
Twitter. Demonstrations on a global scale were nearly inevitable.
At the heart of
it all are young people with no ties to any particular organization. Those
participating say that the difficulty of bridging the wealth gap and animosity
against the rich is the driving force of the movement. With the disparity
between rich and poor apparently intractable and with young people feeling less
and less hope for the future, serious action was necessary.
Occupy Tokyo protesters demonstrate
on Saturday. The hundreds of
protesters in Japan joined
thousands across the world to demand more
When the Cold
War ended, governments have been adopting economic deregulation and open
markets, aka/economic globalization. The current crisis in Europe and the
effects of the 2008 Lehman shock in the U.S. are expanding throughout the
world. Many countries are tightening their belts and cutting things like
unemployment insurance, job training and social services.
Meanwhile, the
elite few continue to enjoy their profits. In 2009, it became clear that the
executives at many U.S. financial institutions, while their companies were
receiving huge bailouts with public funds, were being paid millions of dollars
in bonuses.
Given all this,
what role should government play? After all, the demonstrations are critical
about the measures governments have taken so far.
Put the brakes on reckless spending.
Increase the opportunities for young people to get real work. They strive for a
fair redistribution of wealth, the elimination of poverty and the achievement
of a just society. We should all pay heed to the cries of the young who are now
taking action on our streets.
