Occupy America

Today on Facebook, I was notified that the Occupy Wall Street movement was coming to my town. At the same time that I welcome local organizers to make my city a part of this growing movement, I am also apprehensive, and skeptical of their motives and loyalties.

We live in a country where two bogus parties present themselves as the only two political options to a public too busy and distracted to step back and take a closer look. At a glance, Republicans represent family values, low taxes, and less regulation. Democrats, then represent a strong social safety net, a vibrant working class, and a progressive world outlook. Great, every point of view of a population of over 300 million people is represented by these two parties right? Not exactly. What's worse, these parties only pay lip service to the things they're supposed to represent. If Republicans actually cared about family values, they would surely support legislation that supported the family - like a push for health care for working families unable to afford it, or better public schools which play a huge part in raising our children, or guaranteeing that retirees receive benefits they've worked their entire lives for. You know, things that would actually support families. If Democrats cared about a social safety net or a vibrant working class, they'd buck up and stand up against the banks and corporations that push for policies and laws that keep the social safety net from being strong, and robs the working class of its livelihood. Sadly, all of the elected Republicans and Democrats are funded by the same banks and corporations that we elect them to stand up to and regulate.

This being said, Occupy Wall Street is not about your false choices of Republicans and Democrats. This is about those of us who are not part of the ultra-wealthy elite who pull the strings of the Republicans and Democrats, smashing our way out of the illusion of political diversity, and taking our country into our own hands.

This leads me to my apprehension and skepticism. I welcome workers unions, tea-partiers, so called Republicans, so-called Democrats, Libertarians, Socialists, and anyone else who believes that our system is broken and it's time we stood up for ourselves. I reject any one of these groups that tries to make this movement their own, to put us in a partisan box, and reinforce the chains wielded by our corporate masters. This movement is NOT a call to re-elect Barack Obama - He is part of the problem. This movement is NOT a call to give congress to either Republicans or Democrats - They are part of the problem. This movement is NOT a call to elect or re-elect any official who is part of this corrupt system we are speaking out against. THAT IS THE PROBLEM!

This is a call to stand up to the major banks that crashed our economy. This is a call to stand up to the major corporations who not only played a part in crashing our economy, but are robbing our people of their retirement funds, health benefits, and wages. This is a call to investigate and audit the Federal Reserve. This is a call to peacefully bring about a revolution in this country. If this is what our local organizers have in mind, count me in. If this is going to end up as a cheap ploy to rally troops for the tea party or the Obama campaign, you can count me out.

Thank you, and have a nice day
Sean M Henry