Warning: This post contains political content.
There are protesters gathered in New York today and have been for a couple of weeks now to remind us that Wall Street has purchased our government. Over a thousand have suffered arrest in the process. They are there to say simply: We are the 99%. There is a young man holding up a sign that says "I have to choose between an education or a meal." A retired gentleman that says, "Wall Street stole 25% of my 401k" And an elderly woman peaking over the top of a piece of paper that says, "I am weeks within running out of unemployment-- can't find a job-- and soon will not be able to pay my rent. Retirement eaten up by medical bills for my-- now deceased-- partner. I'm one of the 99%"
I consider myself fortunate. I have a city job that has paid sick and holidays. I have decent health insurance (although it will increase once again this year). I don't make a lot of money but it pays the bills. I'm a single mother (no child support) with more than my share of health care costs and my son also has asthma and needs medicine. At this moment I am rubbing my tongue on a chipped tooth in the back of my mouth. It's broken and needs fixed but I can't afford a root canal and I don't want it yanked out. I pay more for food, gas... basic survival and will lose out on money I have paid into Social Security and Medicare (when I get to that stage in my life) if things continue to go in the direction they are going because 1% of the population feels they are above the rules of society. I am the 99%.
Many stories but all there to remind America that Wall Street is stealing the American dream out from under us. We can't all be there to protest but we can support them in our own way-- from our blogs, from our tweets, from our pictures. After all YOU ARE ONE OF THE 99%.
#Occupy Wall Street!!
Here's a pretty powerful video of people who are at the protests: http://vimeo.com/29953676
