Occupy Wall Street: Wimps No More

U.S. suffragettes in the 1900s. Civil rights marchers in the sixties. Protestors at the World Trade Organization summit in Seattle in early 2000s.

Observers questioned these groups' motives, tactics, even their right to assemble, often labeling them misguided, disruptive of civic order, or “outside agitators.” Today’s Occupy Wall Street protestors face similar criticism.

Nonetheless, OWS protestors give a public face to Americans’ frustration at the ineptitude of state and federal governments and the perceived avarice of multinational corporations when addressing the nation’s financial crisises.

For example, in order to circumvent recent congressional legislation limiting onerous bank fees, some commercial banks introduced new “fees” (e.g. for debit card usage or previously “free” checking accounts) to make up for revenue shortfalls.

Nonetheless, certain media pundits argue that OWS protestors are not representative of groups that suffer the most economic hardship—low income and working families. Others say that OWS needs a coherent message—to galvanize public attention—or a credible spokesperson to articulate clearly their grievances.

Last week, on Bill Maher’s Real Time, guest P. J. O’Rourke, political satirist and journalist, asked, “What solutions do they offer?” Come on O’Rourke. Neither Washington nor Wall Street has long-term solutions for long-term problems that confront the nation—from curbing the deficit to creating jobs. Why should protest leaders have answers to complex economic issues?

Occupy Wall Street is slowly spreading to other parts of the nation…and the world. More citizens are expressing their discontent. Let us hope that this nascent movement grows large enough that those in public office or on corporate boards no longer consider us a nation of wimps.