College Students Speak Out and Occupy

Against the backdrop of industrial Manhattan skyscrapers, the more organic process of protest that is Occupy Wall Street has hit its one month mark with growing international support and news coverage.
The protest, an example of “participatory democracy” as many occupiers call it, is based in Zuccotti Park in Lower Manhattan with offspring protests popping up from Hawaii to Rome. Although criticized for being loosely organized when it comes to promoting their message, central idea behind Occupy Wall Street boils down anger over big corporations, known as the one “1%”, having disproportionate political power over the country’s population, or the “99%”

“We are the 99 percent and we will not be silenced” chant many of the occupiers, a common slogan of the demonstration.

Representation of the 99 percent in Zuccotti Park consists of all people, regardless of age, job or economic turmoil. Unemployed workers, both blue and white collar, make up most of the protesters but what’s interesting is the amount of college students and recent graduates showing such whole hearted support.
“We’re not whining hippies,” said occupier Gillian, 28, an out of work registered nurse. “There are so many issues that we’re facing, that’s why everybody can get involved.”

“There needs to be a limit on banks…that 2008 bailout was against capitalism. It never should have happened,” explained occupier Emily, 21, a junior at Syracuse University who has spent more than twenty days protesting, when asked why she is involved.

Adding to feelings of frustration,  occupier Jordan, a sophomore Computer Science major at the School of Visual Art said, “I can’t use my father’s G.I. Bill to help pay for school and I’m not going to get bailed out for 200,000 dollars in student loans, neither should they.”
 
Common themes among protesters, much like the cardboard signs they hold, are clear; “We are pissed off and we’re not going to take it anymore.” With a new list of demands, more organization and more contributing voices, the protesters of Occupy Wall Street are gaining momentum.

The protests and resulting riots have recently become front page stories for USA Today and The New York Times, news outlets who at first would not cover the story. Many protesters speculate that because of their corporate connections, the media tried to “ignore the problem” as occupier Emily put it. But with growing support, the people of Occupy Wall Street that are holding the ‘too big to fail’ banks accountable are becoming too big to ignore.

Photo 1: Students add to the growing number of Occupy Wall Street protesters, many expressing anger over college debt.
Photo 2: School of Visual Art sophomore Jordan writes lyrics from the song “Smash the Control Machine” by Otep on her sign as a representation of what the government is doing to its people.