Commentary: On Wall Street March to Millionaires' Homes

By Michelle Hypolite
Creativity + Social Change
University of Connecticut
11 October 2011

Commentary on "Wall Street Protesters Plan 'Millionaires March' to Tycoons' New York City Homes," Fox News, October 11, 2011

I decided to go to Fox News to seek out an article to see how the "other side" was reporting about the protest and the individuals involved. Many members of the Republican Party have called the protesters un-American, radical, and even criminals so I was pleasantly surprised to see that this article was unbiased and didn't paint the negative picture that has attempted to undermined the protest. The article talks about the protesters plan to march from the Wall Street Headquarters to the homes of some of the wealthiest New York residents who live on the Upper East Side. The march is to draw attention to the tax breaks that wealthy citizens receive in comparison to the average resident of New York State.  The article also states that celebrities are coming down to Wall Street to show their support. Russell Simmons and Kanye West made an appearance and tweeted about their visit, drawing more attention to the protesters and the cause.

I'm completely elated about the protest and the support that it is receiving. For awhile I was concerned that the media was not giving it coverage but the protesters refused to be ignored. I had a feeling that certain media outlets and politicians would do their best to discredit the participants and use methods of propaganda to make the protesters seem radical. It's refreshing to see the Democratic Party embrace the protesters and defend them publicly. It's easy to go off the record and say how you feel, but when I hear people like Nancy Pelosi and Robby Mook (director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee) encourage Americans to stand up to billionaires and speak against their individual and corporate greed.

This movement is right on time. I was involved in the grassroots movement in the Hartford area one summer signing up residents to vote with Connecticut Working Families. We went to the poor-working class areas in New Britain and even held a protest rally at Nancy Johnson's office. This was the same election year that she was defeated by Chris Murphy and lost her seat in office that she held for about 18 years.  It was a pivotal moment for me and it was my first taste of making a big difference by doing simple things like going door to door and reminding everyday people that they can make a difference by coming out to vote. I had the same experience for the 2008 presidential election and though I'm not a fan of politics or politicians, I have an understanding that it is better to be at the table that in a corner complaining about how everything is wrong. The occupy wall street movement has refueled my fire and I'm ready to dive on in! In my woman's studies class our group project is to have an Occupy Uconn event and I'm so excited. The time for change is now and it is an ever evolving concept that we can never allow to lose steam and go cold.