 |
| http://www.flickr.com/photos/keithellison/ |
As co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Rep. Keith Ellison (D. Minn.) has some worthwhile insights to offer on the demands of Occupy Wall Street, and the powers that be – as well as our perpetually uniformed media - would be wise to lend an ear:
Occupy Wall Street activism is gaining strength daily, but pundits and politicians are struggling to understand the emergence of this movement. The reaction in Washington says more about us -- the political insiders -- than it does about the thousands of participants. Almost as soon as it formed, the protesters were criticized for not having concrete demands. No one could identify the group's "leader." Even the media didn't take the New York occupation seriously until YouTube videos showed people being arrested. Now in their fourth week, the protests are proving that it is not the concreteness of their demands but the staying power and resonance of their anger that have caught our attention.
The Occupy movement is attracting ordinary Americans through concrete action that conveys a clear message. The message is that working Americans want Wall Street to be accountable. The message is that working Americans want a fair tax system. Americans want the Congress to pass legislation that produces jobs.
No comments:
Post a Comment