A Sheep or a Rebel: Occupy

Heroes and Villains
What an exciting time to be alive. The weight of centuries of oppression, exploitation and bad decisions are forcing the common people of the world out into the streets. We live in a time where there are definable (although arguable) villains, and a chance for us (yes you) to be a hero. The most important part of this growing Occupy movement is that we are all on the same team and we are the good guys. From every country and every part of the world; the protesters, the stay at home moms, the gas station clerks, the police, the laborers, the working, the children, the elderly, the homeless on the corner, the teachers, the small business owners are all on the same team. Right now the most important part of this movement is to spread awareness all across the globe that the 99% needs to be in this together, and invite them to the dance. This is the rally call! The 'dance' that I am referring to is the public streets of every city, and if you cannot get to the streets then the dance can be done in solidarity at home and on the internet. Joining the 'dance' is being an active member of the 99% and standing against the 1% of the population that controls the majority of the wealth and power in this world.

The Maze
As the illusion of the middle class (American Dream)luxuries fade, and the walls of the financial maze start becoming more and more clear, we are realizing first and foremost, that we are trapped. We spend way too much of our time working jobs we do not like, for pay that is too little, consuming entertainment that does not make us smarter or challenge us, we eat food that makes us sick, our medicine makes us sicker, we spend too much money on education, our education does not give us the opportunities we deserve, and the corporations show profits while we wade in pools of debt and watch our homes get foreclosed on. We are in a maze, paying tolls and taxes at every corner, while being chased down by the dogs of debt. We are treated like sheep, or cash cows. Often times we are running this maze with our families and our neighbors, our bosses and our friends. Even those who would be considered wealthy, successful or privileged in our society are running this maze and while they may be further ahead than others they are caught just the same.

Escaping the Maze

The maze exists and it is a worldwide problem. The maze has been cleverly built by the 1%, and there is no exit. If you are in a maze with no exit, is there any hope? Yes, there is. The thing is, we are taught to think independently and laterally while forgetting that we can think and act vertically as a community. Because the walls of the maze, while thick and strong, only go so high. With teamwork we can climb the wall and we can escape the maze. This is why Occupy is so important. Time is of the essence, as we must escape before the 1% builds a roof over the maze and makes it a true jail.

Why Occupy?
A lot of people ask: why occupy? A lot of people want to know what the endgame is. When will we leave? What do we want? If you read the paragraphs above you know that there are some huge problems right now. 99% of the people on this planet are trapped in a system that exploits them and benefits the 1%. You have also read that there is a way out of this system, and that way is teamwork and a collaborative effort to climb up and over these oppressive walls. The Occupy movement (as of November 2011) is a gathering of people who realize that the maze exists and that want to escape the system and give power back to the 99%. The Occupy movement seeks to expose the system to more people and seeks to discuss ways and structures that will help us over the walls and also plans for what we do when we do get over those walls. Currently we are a crowd of people puddling up in the maze, figuring out how to stand on each other. We are building infrastructure. We are building the metaphorical steps that will help ourselves and the rest of the 99% over the walls.

What is next for the Occupy Movement?
As I mentioned in the first paragraph, right now we need more people. Outreach is the most important. The Occupy crowd needs to grow. The more people the more impact. Different parts of the maze will be revealed, more connections will be made, new answers will be provided and solutions will be explored and carried out. I am the 99% and this blog post and the poster I created is just two of many ways I am joining the fight. I ask you to join Occupy and help now. If I am already preaching to the choir (hello fellow Occupier) then I ask you to use this post as a catalyst to continue your work. Solidarity.

Help Now
Join the fight right now, by spreading this message using the share buttons below. Like it on facebook. Plus it on Google+. Share it on Twitter. You can also show your support with an I AM THE 99% poster. Put it in your car, house window, or work cubicle. If you have a chance, get to the nearest Occupy gathering near you and get involved. Meet new people. Join a committee. Together we can change the world.