Occupation: A True Solution?

The "Arab Spring" inspired movement "Occupy Wall Street", spread to cities like Boston, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles, as well as making global appearances. Despite its worldwide followers, the movement, although very grass root oriented, seems to lack a clear focus, leadership and can be viewed as pointless, destructive and imbued with extreme socialist values. The protesters have quickly become the darlings of the media, however their peace-loving, hippie-like attitude remains insufficient when locals' complaints are piling up, cities' parks are battered and the protesters' unlikely demands abound. 

Who are the faces behind "Occupy Wall Street" and exactly what are they fighting for? The answer seems not clear and this loosely organized movement harbors a huge variety of people from different backgrounds, religion and ethnicity. However there is one uniting factor that seems to bring these protesters together; their boiling anger towards the country's current economic situation, corporate greed, high unemployment and the growing gap between rich and poor. The disparities and problems galvanizing the protesters certainly merit consideration. However their methods, goals, and longevity are questionable.

The demands of the protesters target banks, corporations, and lobbyists. They ask for reforms such as the “Return to Prudent Banking Act,” investigation and prosecution of the Wall Street criminals, regulation of lobbyists and corporations, while revamping the Securities and Exchange Commission and end the “personhood” legal status for corporations. The average American is quite aware of the disparities existing in their political, social, and economical systems. However the protestors’ attack can be a threatening and even unhelpful approach to the existing problems. The protesters should realize that fear, threats, and uncertainties will further destabilize and deteriorate our current economic state. There is a need for reform, yet the methods should be balanced, strategized, and carefully approached by all entities, including the government, corporations, and public as well.

The protesters consciously avoid having a leader and operate under general assemblies. Their website claims they are the “99% that will no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the 1%.” How do Americans really feel about this statement? “A Time magazine poll released last week found that 54% of Americans had a favorable impression of the Occupy Wall Street protests.” The group’s popularity number is even lower, at “33%”, according to the recent “Rasmussen” poll.

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times / October 18, 2011) 

Within Los Angeles, the protesters have occupied “the grassy area around City Hall downtown.” As of Tuesday, “There were 366 tents outside City Hall” and the movement is further expanding to “Fletcher Brown Square.”  The occupation has already cost the city “$45,000.” With the increased need for monitoring the protesters, the city has encountered “overtime pay for General Services police” and has deployed “Eight (full-time) Los Angeles Police Department officers.” Commander Andrew Smith, LAPD, also expressed deep concern over the fact the protest is "taking police services away from the rest of the city where they should be out answering 911 calls."

Additionally there is concern for the grass and sprinkler system of the park. The general manager of the city’s Department of Recreation and Parks, Jon Kirk Mukri, estimates the repairs to revive the grass and fix more than 350 sprinklers “could cost the city as much as $400,000.” Although an extreme estimate, expenses occurred by the occupiers are unacceptable when the city’s budget is severely limited.

Ultimately how long will this movement last? The protesters are faced with many challenges, such as deteriorating living conditions, security issues, and complaints from neighboring residents. There are limited restrooms in the park, and no facilities to take showers. Although the weather in Los Angeles is favorable, protesters in New York, Chicago, Boston, and other cities with colder climates, will soon face winter conditions. In Oakland, California, city officials announced that they might “have to shut down the Occupy Oakland tent city in coming days because it is attracting rats, alcohol and illegal drug use.”

The viability of “Occupy L.A.” is also uncertain. According to Kate Linthicum, "There are a lot of big ideas floating around Occupy L.A., but not a whole lot of consensus." L.A. protesters don’t have a “list of demands” and conflicts within the group have escalated due to “drug use and growing numbers of homeless who have joined the camp.” Rachel Goldie, 20, expressed her discontent by leaving the movement. She claimed that it had been “corrupted by people who didn’t care about economic justice” and added the fact that “Everybody is pretty much just partying it up.”