On first reflection, when one considers that the OWS protesters claim to represent the 99%, it is quite surprising how few members of that demographic actually subscribe to the movement. After all, aren’t we all struggling as the economy lags and jobs become ever more elusive?

To better understand this question, I attended the Queens College Occupy Wall Street Teach-In last Thursday. Professor Frances Fox Piven very eloquently enumerated any ill to which a dissatisfied public college student could possibly relate. She had everyone’s attention when, in a deeply passionate doomsday tone, she predicted the utter failure we all will face upon graduation. What caused the world’s greatest superpower’s economy to crash? Well, of course it must be those big bonuses Wall Street CEO’s get. In fact, this argument is essentially the foundation of the entire movement.
Suddenly people began to fiddle with their phones.

Professor Fox Piven launched into a long-winded description of what she has determined to be the fail-proof solution to all of our problems. First of all, we should write off all the debts of those who acquired houses that they never earned with mortgages worth more than their property. After that, we should funnel more money into unsustainable stimulus programs, because the last one burned through trillions, and hardly effected most industries. Inspired by the Greeks, she seeks to do away with any remnants of austerity policy.

While these sentiments obviously fail in the logic department, they did give me a new perspective on the OWS movement. The absence of any value in terms of instigating change that will effectively improve the lives of the 99% brings the movement’s artistic and poetic expression into sharp relief as its only redeeming quality. Street Art Utopia has amassed quite a collection of photos of protestors toting their signage. If only their witty words had some substance, perhaps they would be supported by the real 99%.

How many times have you walked down the streets of New York City and stumbled upon an old man bundled up in a doorway, begging for money? And how many times have you thought, “Why is he begging for food when he can just go to a shelter and get some?” This is the train of thought many of us encounter in the face of homelessness. If we do not want to give money, we often justify our heard-heartedness by criticizing the beggar, thinking, “Why can’t he get a job?” But is this not the same question the silk-stockinged CEOs and loaded politicians are asking Occupy Wall Street protestors? At the Defending The American Dream Summit earlier this month, Rudy Giuliani mocked protesters, heatedly arguing, “How about you occupy a job.” Well, Occupy Wall Street hasn’t made waves around the world because a bunch of “hippies” are too lazy to get a job. And homeless people on the street are not just “too lazy” to pick themselves up and get governmental aid, like many of us think. It is time to shed our preconceptions and face the truth.

Listen to a homeless person speak firsthand and it will forever change your perception. At the Homelessness in Focus meeting this past Wednesday, I walked into the Patio Room, sat down in a blue plastic chair, and listened to two intelligent, articulate elderly women tell their stories. One was an inner-city schoolteacher, the other  a government employee. Both are homeless. Each explained how she became lost in the heaps of bills that kept piling up. Their salaries simply could not lift them out of their debt, and so they were forced to enter the shelter system.

When the poverty line was first created in the 1960s, the most expensive thing was food; 1/3 of Americans’ incomes were spent on it. These days, food is only 1/8 of our budgets. The item that takes the biggest bite out of paychecks is rent, with New Yorkers spending close to 50% of their incomes on it. In New York City, the average fair market rent for a 2-bedroom apartment in 2006 was $1,133. (Source: US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development). These astronomical rates force people out of their homes each month and into the corrupt shelter system, which is harder to get out of than in. The two women explained in depth the dishonest, almost criminal methods that the shelter owners use to keep individuals in the shelters for profit. Until 12 years ago, homeless people did not have a voice to shake politicians and make taxpayers aware of the injustice they face.

Picture the Homeless was organized in 1999 under the principle that, “in order to end homelessness, people who are homeless must become an organized, effective voice for systemic change.” Like protestors of Occupy Wall Street have realized, change can only be brought about once its demonstrators are educated in their cause and are organized. Both movements strongly emphasize knowing one’s rights. And both are fighting to end the deception and fraud that the 1% is using against Americans.

New York City’s history of gentrification has been spurred by the presence of artists in the City’s neighborhoods. Artists are attracted to areas that provide low‐rent housing primarily, and loft/warehouse space or proximity to developed areas, secondly. Once artists dominate a particular neighborhood, the area becomes known as a bohemian center, attracting aspiring artists and semi-professionals, driving the rent up. Soon, the neighborhood’s original residents become too poor to afford the skyrocketing rent, driving them out of their homes. If these artists cannot find new places to live, their art will not live either.

sources used:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/18/rudy-giuliani-occupy-wall-street-sean-hannity_n_1102099.html

http://takethesquare.net/2011/09/20/wall-street-occupation-makes-waves-around-the-world/

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112641330

http://www.picturethehomeless.org/

http://www.artwrit.com/article/blame-the-bohemians-the-gentrification-of-bushwick-brooklyn/

Occupy Wall Street is a cultural phenomenon which has captured the attention of our country, and has had a profound effect on how we look at wealth. Having attended the Homelessness in Focus meeting on Wednesday, I really came to understand the problem these people are fighting. It is the unbelievable greed which keeps the poor poor and the rich richer. It is the unbelievably destitute conditions that this greed has left other human beings in. It is the ignorance of the general population to this problem, to the extent that most of the 99% don’t even realize they’re part of the 99%.

Obviously, news outlets have been talking about the movement for quite some time, putting it in the spotlight of the medias attention. But there is another group of people who’s attentions have been grabbed as well. That is the group of artists and celebrities. Now, whether or not they agree with the movement is an issue of politics, one that every person, regardless of position, has to think about. But unlike the general public, celebrities have the issue of not really being part of the 99%. While they may not be the 1% the Occupy Wall Street protesters have in mind, they are still mainly part of the 1%. They certainly share very little in common with the homeless seen at the Homelessness in Focus meeting, and have much more in common with those being protested against. The question then becomes how appropriate it is for celebrities to get involved or respond, especially if they are on the side of the movement.

There are those vocal celebrities who strongly support the movement and have attended Zuccotti Park to add their voices. While this doesn’t seem so bad, depending on the person, it has been viewed in varying lights. People like David Crosby and Graham Nash were accepted warmly into the demonstration, most likely due to their history at events like these. Other celebrities like Kanye West and Anne Hathaway have been viewed in a more questionable light. After making millions performing, they’re going down to protest with the common folk? It doesn’t sit well with everyone.

But there are other artists who respect the movement, and are therefore keeping their distance. The best example of this is with Christopher Nolan and the filming of the new Batman movie. There was talk for a while that Nolan might use Occupy Wall Street as a backdrop from a civil unrest scene in the film. It never happened though actor Matthew Modine has gone on record saying how close it was to coming to fruition. Despite the possibility to give the protesters a temporary job and some money, Nolan decided he didn’t want to trivialize the movement by making a film there. There were more important things going on than making a movie. Regardless of whether you agree or disagree with the movement, it’s hard to argue with Nolan’s logic.

It’s hard to know what the right move is for rich supporters of the movement. Maybe it’s better to stay quiet and silently support. Maybe its better to support vocally from a distance. Maybe its best to come down and support with the 99%. Whichever way you slice it, this movement is too big to be ignored by the rich and famous among us.

After occupying Thomas Paine Park on Thursday November 17, 2011, I noticed some aspects that were significantly different from the past locations I’ve occupied. To help me explain this experience, because it’s not a very common one, I’ve found a fitting comparison that may or may not please a few folks.

Occupy Wall Street, in my opinion, is increasingly resembling the artsy experience that is Burning Man. This idea first arose when I heard a certain chant that didn’t seem to match the political movement that it’s supposed to be. “We got your back! You got our back!” was the chant that made me stop and think, and while I was pondering over the chant, a man waltzed by me screaming something about the civil war. In fact, as my friend and I circled our way around the park, there was a different group of performers (I mean protesters) every few steps. It was almost like going from exhibit to exhibit. The first exhibit consisted of a marching band making its way through the park. I was sitting on a bench when they made their debut in the park, marching behind me with a catchy beat that encouraged me to start bouncing my head. When I looked forward, the second exhibit appeared. This one kept me entertained with a circle of dancers all dressed in green, which matched the marching band. As soon as I had enough of the band tunes, I made my way to the source of the loud chanting. There were a few leaders on a mini stage with megaphones, leading a number chants from “We are the 99” to “La gente unido no puede ser derrotada!” And with everyone joining in together, the words became increasingly distorted and difficult to make out.

This may sound a bit messy, but that is what I’m attempting to emphasize. The messiness of Burning Man is part of what makes it enjoyable and artsy. However, when a revolution is trying to ground, it’s dangerous to be mistaken for a performance. My point is further discussed in a New Times article by Jillian Dunham when he touches on more “shows” that are put on at Occupy. At Berkeley, they released floating tents. And in New York, there was a bat signal that hit a Verizon building. Now, on one hand, these are great ways to make it into the public eye and gain attention through the media. However, my concern arises when I talk to people back home in Texas who only see what’s going on through television and radio. It becomes easy to bash a bunch of street performers screaming something about percentages. The 1% who run the media are skilled at making it seem like this should blow over in no time at all.

Basically, the goal should be to remain in the pubic eye while sending an organized, centralized concern that can be respected. The problem with this movement resembling Burning Man is that Burning Man is over after a few days. This is what encourages the idea that “Occupy” will blow over eventually, instead of initiating a just reform as it should. I feel like at the end of the day, some people get arrested and there’s some violence, which stands as the finale of Burning Man when the huge wooden man is burned. And this marks the end of the celebration. I support and appreciate the energy that is put into Occupy, but if we could harvest all of that energy into a single idea and get that translated into policy, then I believe we will have successfully changed the country for the better by restructuring the way firms influence elections and take risks on innocent citizens’ money.

I have provided the article by Dunham, and a video of my experience this Thursday! Enjoy! (Just click either link)

Occupy      <<< CLICK HERE                                                                                                                                      

I attended the “Homelessness in Focus” program on Wednesday, and though it was an eye-opening program, it was very difficult for me at first to figure out how it was related to the arts. However, there came a point when Ms. Henry, one of the homeless speakers, spoke about the suffering of the homeless children (she used to be a grade school teacher before the shelter she now lives in made her quit her job). She said that the children have to get up very early in the morning and are therefore very tired when they come to school, making it difficult for them to learn. They also get very limited food rations, which further handicaps them. When they come home to the shelter, they need to wait for one of their parents to come and escort them into the building. If their parents are not there, they make the children wait outside until their parent picks them up.

This got me thinking: These children will be deprived of a proper education. If that is the case, who knows how many potential artists, musicians, actors, and curators could have been among these unfortunate children, but in the end cannot become them because of the corrupt shelter system and their lack of education? And this doesn’t just have to apply to the arts; these children could have also become great doctors, attorneys, businessmen, politicians, and whatever else, but now cannot because of their lack of a home and education. Attainment of these professions would also likely afford them financial independence in the future.

Occupy Wall Street is a very peculiar movement. They are an organization which essentially complains that 1% of the population controls the majority of  the wealth in this country, whereas the 99% do not. I do sympathize with the essence of this complaint. However, it is important to look at the political views and socioeconomic statuses of people who are protesting. Based on this article I found, it seems that a surprisingly significant number of these protestors are left-wing radicals who believe in the redistribution of wealth and are opposed to free-market capitalism, meaning they are essentially socialists. This article also says that a majority of the protestors are employed.

Bearing this in mind, should one choose to agree and protest with them, it is very important to remember that we, the students in Macaulay Honors College at Queens, are very lucky that we are not homeless, we have an excellent and free education, and we are not starving and thinking about how we are going to eat our next meal. We all have the potential to go into whatever profession we want, whether it be the arts, science, law, or business. We need to remember that it is not really us, but other people who have it much worse than us, that need the government to reform certain aspects of our society, such as the shelter system and the suffering of its children. Rather than lobby the government to pay for wealthier middle class people who have houses and good jobs, let’s instead lobby for those less fortunate children to get real housing and a better life so they can get a good education and become the world’s greatest artists. It is very appropriate that Thanksgiving, the holiday of giving thanks, is approaching. It is important to be thankful for the good blessings that we have and use our resources to ameliorate the plights of others who are much less fortunate than us. Once these people are taken care of, then we can focus more on the injustices that affect us.

This past Wednesday, I had the privilege of attending an informative session regarding homelessness in New York City, with representatives from the homeless community themselves.  Information that I had never heard before (or, at least, that I cannot recall having heard before) was shared, and my gut was filled with disgust as I left to go to my Spanish class.  Before I go any further, I want to point out the timeless saying “with a grain of salt.”  As humans, we have natural tendencies to exaggerate and skew certain things.  Everything that I say is exaggerated, every single day; in fact, I have not lived one day during which I did not exaggerate.  Yes, of course I remember every single day that I have lived.  Who doesn’t?  I think you get the point…Anyway, I brought that up because it is difficult to distinguish, sometimes, between fact and emotion.  Am I saying that these two women were insincere, untrustworthy, or deceiving?  Absolutely not.  I believe that they spoke from their hearts and their experiences.  Since these sort of stories really move me inside, maybe I’m merely trying to remind myself that we are emotional beings and that emotions can get out of hand sometimes.  Moving on…

According to what was shared at this event, the only reason that homelessness in the city exists is because of greed.  (Granted, I’m unsure as to whether this applies to homeless individuals in shelters or the entire homeless population of the five boroughs).  Information gathered by Picture the Homeless says that there are currently enough vacant apartments in the city to house all of the homeless who are living in the city’s shelters; not included in this figure is the amount of vacant land on which apartments could be built.  These representatives informed us that various government officials and foreign countries own these areas of land.  Research even found that some of those who own the land will not support Intro 48.  Various political figures own shelters, as well; and, as these women stated, why would they want to lose the seventy-two million dollars generated by each shelter?  According to Alease Lowe from the Daily News, “There should be no reason why there are so many homeless people…when there are so many homes without people.”

In addition to this greed, the homeless women who spoke shed light on the unjust treatments of individuals in shelters.  One of them, an upper middle-aged teacher with a master’s degree, said that in one shelter, the residents are not permitted to use the building’s elevators; only employees are.  Because of this, this women, in addition to others, had to climb over half a dozen stair cases just to reach their room.  Furthermore, she said that shelter workers tend to take clothes that are donated either for their own families or to sell, rather than giving them to those living in the shelter–for whom the clothing was intended.

It is an eye-opener to hear these things and be reminded of the deep, evil nature of the ugly monster: greed.  Maybe the words of the Christian writer Paul in his letter to Timothy centuries ago pin-pointed a truth found in every era; he wrote, “But if it’s only money these leaders are after, they’ll self-destruct in no time. Lust for money brings trouble and nothing but trouble.”  Tell us about it.

This leads me to Occupy Wall Street.  I’m so glad that Professor Smaldone put the link to the New York City General Assembly’s website on the blog because I was able to read the Declaration of the Occupation of New York City.  Before reading this, I held the notion that the movement was some sort of political jumble that I had little concern for.  However, now I can say that I support the movement based on its declaration.  Not only does Occupy Wall Street stand for justice in our city, state, and nation, it speaks up on behalf of those who have no voice in front of Big Business– the countless of all ages from around the globe who are enslaved by our vicious cycle of robotic consumerism.  Occupy Wall Street is a stance that is shouting our disgust with the inhumane and, ultimately, evil actions that we have allowed to go on for way too long.  How executives can continue to gain profit from their companies knowing that it mistreats individuals boggles my mind.  In these cases, I think that we have lost the meaning of a life by misinterpreting it with merely a number.  Every single person is a name, has a face, to say the least.  Nobody is just a worker.  Nobody should profit over another’s misfortune.

Another appalling piece of information that I found regarding this movement was just published in the New York Times a few days ago.  According to this article, undercover detectives have entered churches where protesters are being allowed to sleep and have counted how many individuals were there.  It turns out that one of these men has been involved with the intelligence portion of the New York Police Department since 2006.  Not to jump-the-gun, but this scares me.  C.S. Lewis once wrote, “The safest road to Hell is the gradual one-the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.”  We could very well be witnessing the beginnings of a new sort of government here in our country that comes to resemble the oppressive governments of many countries around the world–whose oppressive acts we rarely hear about.  I pray to God that He would have mercy on us as a nation and preserve the freedoms on which we were founded.

And this video from Berkeley is appalling:  http://youtu.be/buovLQ9qyWQ

Whenever freedom and justice are oppressed, ground is broken artistically. We can only be silenced for so long.  In one video that I watched somewhere on takethesquare.net, a group started to sing and dance about revolution.  On this website, I found images of posters that people had created to voice their beliefs toward the subject of Occupy Wall Street (they are quite creative).  It seems that both throughout history and now, art continues to unite us.  It gives us a tune to hum, with lyrics to move us forward.  Art provides us with visual and audio reminders of what it is that we are fighting for.

As far as art within New York City is concerned, Occupy Wall Street provides a crucial determining force as to what the future of our city’s art will be.  If conditions get “out of hand” and additional oppressive measures need to be taken, the arts will be oppressed because it has one of the strongest voices in the global community.  New York City is a world-renowned center of artistic expression.  If this movement continues into a full-out rebellion, there is certainly a chance that the arts will be oppressed right here.  Gradually, of course.  (We better take advantage of these Macaulay events!)

There is still a lot that I do not know about the call to Occupy Wall Street, but I would like to stand with protesters there, not in hopes that my face will appear on a website or newspaper somewhere, but so that my actions and convictions do not betray one another.

Occupy Wall Street is a movement that originated in Zuccotti Park and started on September 17, 2011. The movement began with the Canadian activist group Adbusters that initiated the protests against social and economic inequality, high unemployment, and government corruption. It soon spread through out the city, the country, and eventually it transformed into an international movement. There are many methods to making such a movement influential and successful and one of those methods is using art. CNN states that, “Art has emerged as a major vehicle for expressing the Occupy Wall Street Movement”, and they are completely correct in saying that. Many examples of art being used as a means to communicate the movement’s message can be found right here in New York City such as Occupy Museums, the “No Comment” exhibit, and the Arts and Culture committee at the Foley Square Protest (November 17th).

Occupy Museums is a series of protests that go against the “temples of cultural elitism” (Bloomberg News), also known as The Museum of Modern Art, The Frick Collection, and The New Museum of Contemporary Art. The protests consist of artists, students, and even passers-by. The protests started five weeks after the Occupy Wall Street movement began and the purpose of these specific protests was to use the democratic process to bring people together, teach people what a society that isn’t revolved around money is like, bring forth a new area of art, and to encourage experimentation outside of the limits that are set by the market, just like the exhibit, “No Comment”.

The “No Comment” exhibit was held in the former J.P. Morgan headquarters on October 8th and was scheduled to last 24 hours. It displayed art that addressed a variety of political themes through the use of pieces that were retrieved directly from the protest. The organizers of the show included Marika Maiorova and Anna Harrah. The idea for the show came to Maiorova when her September show was disrupted by metal barricades that were set up in order to help control marches led by protesters. The two women joined together, called for submissions, and received dozens of paintings, illustrations, photographs, and video installations to use for their exhibit. The exhibit served as an educational tool. It taught the public about the reality of the OWS movement and what strategies were being used to be successful activists. Ironically enough, the exhibit itself turned into a strategy, and a very effective one at that.

The most simple and evident strategies were, however, found at the protests themselves due to the efforts of the Arts and Culture committee. Methods of gaining the media’s and government’s attention included distributing flyers, presenting posters and signs, marching, rapping, performing spoken word, using the “people’s microphone”, and reciting poetry. Art captures people’s attention without using violence or breaking the law and people of all races, ethnicities, and cultures can understand images. Therefore it is the best way to go about protesting at a general assembly type of setting. Art can be a highly influential movement in itself and that is proved in these Occupy Wall Street protests.

** By showing that the Arts can contribute such a change, the protestors of the OWS movement are,at the same time, fighting for the Arts to remain strong in NYC and other areas of the world.**

sources used:
http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/01/opinion/elam-occupy-art/index.html

Occupy Wall Street is a movement by and for the 99% of people in the United States sharing 1% of the country’s wealth.  It began on September 17, 2011 in Liberty Square in Manhattan’s Financial District.  Within two months (as yesterday marked two months of the movement) efforts have spread to occupy not only over 100 cities in the United States but over 1,500 cities around the world.  Everyone involved is working to fight against banks and corporations that have way too much power in our democracy.  Wall Street has specifically gained too much power and this movement is aimed at it.  Supporters of the movement want to stop the richest 1% from taking over the economy ( http://occupywallst.org/about/ ).

Since yesterday was the two month anniversary of the Occupy Wall Street movement, participants had big plans for it.  November 17th was called the “Day of Action”; plans were made to occupy the whole day.  First, participants planned to shut down Wall Street by gathering in Liberty Square at 7:00 a.m. in front of the ring of the Trading Floor Bell.  As they stood before the Stock Exchange, they then “[exchanged] stories rather than stocks.”

At 3:00 p.m. they occupied subways throughout the five boroughs to exchange stories using the “People’s Mic” in which the crowd repeats what one person says so that everyone can hear.  When our watches struck 5:00, tens of thousands of people gathered at Foley Square in a musical festival, and then marched all the way across the Brooklyn Bridge ( http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/16/occupy-wall-street-day-of-action_n_1098302.html ).  Five o’clock is when I joined the day’s festivities.  I walked into Foley Square a little frightened, actually, at the numerous police everywhere I looked, but also at the overwhelming crowd.  While it seemed intense, every person I passed was very polite and as courteous as a person could be in a crowd of thousands as possible.  Overall, from what I saw, the crowd was peaceful yet actively getting their message across.  The 99% deserves more power!

Here is a video of some of what I saw:

“I’ll take money from the rich and invest it in the poor,” you’ll notice, is one of the most important things that the rapper says in the video I caught.  It very simply and plainly states the goal of the 99%.

Nearby the crowd were hundreds of students, teachers, parents, and supporters of the City University of New York rallying for the same reason.  Yet in this crowd is where I heard people not only fighting for wealth, but for the arts!  Among other things, the crowd was chanting for better music opportunities for their students as well as more art programs!  Some people have luxurious opportunities to be a part of costly shows and even to own expensive musical instruments, but others (the 99%, for example) might not.  CUNY has been able to provide many opportunities for its students, but it would be able to do even more with funding.  So, in efforts to provide the growing generations with opportunities in the arts of New York City, a crowd stood relentlessly holding signs that read “Fund CUNY – The People’s University” and “Invest in CUNY. Invest in New York.”

The power of the 99% really does have a big effect on education of the arts in New York City.  Without it we cannot provide opportunities in the arts for an astonishingly large majority of students, not just in New York City, but everywhere.

“Just help me get on my feet.”

This is the cry of many of the city’s residents lost in a vicious cycle influenced by greedy aristocratic Americans (who can easily change homelessness in New York City). Today’s event at the QC Dining Hall Patio room featured two powerful, yet homeless speakers. Both women enlightened the audience about the cruel realities of the unhoused in our area, disbanding numerous preconceived notions and stereotypes toward this portion of our population.  First they established credence through revealing the many decades they worked for the City and federal government.  For one lady, the imminent death of her mother, grave sickness of her husband, duty to tend to her father, and increased rent by her landlord, all led to pilled bills.  She was soon told she had to move.

As a NYC public school teacher with a masters, she was instructed to go live in a shelter for the time being, and within 90 days she would have an apartment.  That was her first mistake. Once in “the system” she was then told that there was no available housing, and has remained there for 18 months.

The other speaker enlightened the audience to the fact that many vacant apartments and lots for potential buildings were being withheld from the public.  Thus, Intro 48, a law to require the City to expose these properties would allow those in need to be given a place to live.  Furthermore, as homeless beings, they are worth $3,500 a month by the govenment, money being collected by sneaky landlords, politicians and banks, when only $900 would suffice to pay a month’s rent at an apartment building.  Instead, these individuals are being locked in a cycle, all while pushing them out of Manhattan into other boroughs to lower the homelessness rate in the city.

Today’s meeting represents the all too familiar sound of Wall Street protesters who exclaim, “the one thing we all have in common is that we are the 99% that will no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the 1%. ”  Whether one sympathizes with the Wall Street protestors or not, it is indisputable that government and the economic sector is often irresponsible and corrupt with money and spending.  When banks that were bailed out (by tax payer dollars) rewarded their CEO’s with 10 million dollars in bonuses, totaling $1.6 billion, unhoused persons still continued to starve.  However, many of the homeless do not expect to be magically given a brand new house, but only aid to help them get back on their feet.  This can be achieved with affordable housing which available, yet being withheld due to a profit on these very homeless people.

When it all comes down to it, money can give, take away, recreate, or enslave.  Those in a position to make a difference should set aside selfish ambitions to help others.  Thankfully, many kindhearted people do so, which is why the speakers stressed the importance of “people power,” their greatest need in the fight for justice.

The daunting aspect of their stories of those who find themselves trapped in “the system” is the reality that many of these people were hardworking, tax-paying citizens beforehand.  So next time one passes a homeless person by, he/she should avoid quick judgement because as one of the speakers effectively pointed out: “YOU are only a few checks away from being  homeless.”

http://occupywallst.org/

http://www.picturethehomeless.org/blog/node/33

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/tapper-bank-ceos-bailout-bonuses-10-ten-million-dollar-taxpayer-money-big-banks-11240810

I know this post might be a bit premature, but I came across this video and had to share it.

There have been many questions and class debates as to exactly what Occupy Wall Street is protesting and stands for. Many of us were confused as to what exactly the protestors mean when they cry, “We are the 99 percent!” Although it is clear that they are striking against the wealth disparity in the United States, I have heard many students sincerely ask, “Well then why don’t they go out and DO something instead of just marching around New York City?”

In fact, many people view Occupy Wall Street as a youthful, hippie movement, rather than a sophisticated strike. Protestors camp out in parks, form drumming circles, and improvise dances. A great number are unemployed college graduates.  So is Occupy Wall Street a real protest or is it more like Woodstock in 2011?

New York Times reporter Sarah Maslin Nir records her experience camping out with the protestors in Zuccotti Park. The overall sentiment of the video is one of good times and fun. However, I feel I must see for myself and experience Occupy Wall Street firsthand to fully grasp the situation. Check out this video and see how it makes you feel.

A Night in Zuccotti Park

In honor of the Year of the Turkey, the Queens College library is displaying various volumes on Turkey.

Turkey the place, not the food.

Yeah I know.

The books can be found in glass showcases on floors 2-6. I loved walking from floor to floor marveling at the various styles that were portrayed in the cases.  I did not know that Turkey had such a rich history of art.  What struck me most about Turkey is the variety of influences in the works displayed. There were images of bejeweled vessels, Moorish architecture, impressionist paintings. In summary, although the presentation was pretty limited, it really represented the essence of Turkey as the crossroads between the nations.