As most of us are painfully aware, many of the occupy movement's overnight encampments have been forcibly removed by authorities using police state tactics in many cities, towns and college campuses these past few weeks (though still in full occupation in D.C., Baltimore and elsewhere).
But this movement is more than hunkering down, pitching tents and retaining a plot of grass or concrete in a city plaza, park or college campus.
It is the beginning of a revolutionary movement that is here for the long haul.
The problems and issues the occupy movement has highlighted took many years to evolve and become entrenched. It will take more than a few months of occupying and protesting to get them resolved and overturned and to get more of the people to recognize the vital need to change this country so it again represents the 99% over the 1%.
Every social movement of consequence that had a revolutionary impact on this country, whether it was women's suffrage, civil rights, unionization and collective bargaining et al, took years to evolve before they had a lasting impact.
A key issue raised in all the occupy movements has been the gradual penetration, inroad and virtual corporate usurpation of the electoral process in this country made all but complete with the Supreme Court's ruling in "Citizens United v/s FEC" which enshrined personhood and 1st Amendment rights to corporations and permitting corporate largesse to completely overtake and corrupt the electoral process. This ruling must be overturned but it will require amending the Constitution, removing corporate personhood and get all money out of politics. Even though this may take years, it is vital to restoring a representative government of, by and for the people that replaces the current plutocracy of oligarchs that have usurped it to use for its own ends.
At present there is no real difference in who is elected or which party, whether Democrat or Republican, controls the White House or the Congress as members of both parties (except for a mere handful who refuse corporate handouts) work for and are beholden to the same corporate oligarchs who help write and enact the laws and regulations and determine the oversight and enforcement which goes to their benefit.
Another significant issue brought into focus by the occupy movement has been the growth of income inequality where the richest 1% have substantially increased its income and financial holdings (since the late 1970's) while the income of the 99% has either remained stagnant or actually been reduced.
Such conditions are reminiscent of the "gilded age" in the 1890's and the wild financial speculative age of the 1920's that ended in the great depression. At least the financial interests were brought under control in 1933 with regulations that curtailed their excesses. Yet three plus years into this great recession, the banks that perpetrated the financial meltdown and subsequent economic catastrophe have not been held accountable while millions of people continue to suffer unemployment, home foreclosure, bankruptcy, no health insurance, huge college tuition increases along with thousands in debt from college loans.
So out of this morass an occupy movement has been born highlighting the injustices and exposing the fraud, inequality and corruption that in its words the 1% is perpetrating on the 99%.
From here this movement is the one chance to rescue and save the country from continuing on its current path. It represents hope, mutual respect and relief from the injustices now being committed by the current plutocracy.
It may be our only hope.
