Occupy Wall Street set to "Lawless" by Andy Palmer

From Eileen Boisseau
Creativity + Social Change
University of Connecticut

This is my son Andrew's (Andy Palmer and Grub Street Writer, a progressive folk rock band) latest artwork. I thought it was pretty amazing (of course) and that our class would appreciate this timely, creative message.



Occupy Wall Street montage with musical support by Andy Palmer (“Lawless,” from Palmer’s Sometime Around). Grub Street Writer performed at Occupy Denver on Saturday, October 22nd, in an effort to support the movement’s core message of fundamental change to the regulation of our financial industry being critical.

Lyrics:

They have no idea
No clue
What we're gonna do
There's been a breach
Down by Broad Street
And it's a hackneyed coup

Stay silent
Be quiet
Little man little man
You're a proxy mind in a
Proxy time in a
Proxy land

And they move the world how they want to move
Lawlessly move how they want to

Are we cursed?
Or just the first
Ones to wonder
Who's been played the fool?
Not you, aw, yeah you
And all the others

The huckster steals
Golden years
And nails them all to the Wall
Merchant men,
Storm the den
And Borough through the Hall

To move the world how you want to move
Lawlessly move how you want to

Got an idea?
Got a clue?
What you're capable of
Rise up
You're done
With little man matters

And you'll move the world how you want to move
Lawlessly move how you want to

What percent are you?

From Matt Kilburn
Creativity + Social Change
University of Connecticut

Hi All ... I found this link while looking at OccupyWallStreet stuff. You can put in your salary and see where you fall in the 99%. Interesting and scary at the same time.

http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2011/10/19/what-percent-are-you/

Commentary: On We Are the 99 Percent

By Charlene Folston
Creativity + Social Change
University of Connecticut
10 October 2011

After visiting the "We are the 99 Percent" website, I have a new found respect for all of the people that are involved in this great movement. I applaud them for taking a stand on behalf of all of us and demanding that changes need to be made very soon. While reading all of the testimonials i felt the sense of urgency and how people desperately need help for them and their families. I fully support everyone that is occupying Wall Street now. I am also glad that it is a growing movement that continues to spread throughout the country. This is something that is overdue and I do believe that it will bring a positive change. I guess it is because i do not pay very much attention to the news unless it effects me directly, but I never realized that there were so many out there like me that are suffering and struggling to make ends meet. I know that there is something that the government can do to help all of us. They need to step in and make some drastic changes. There are too many in need and they cannot continue to sit back and not take responsibility. That is why I think it is important for as many people to get involved as possible.

This article has also been an eye opener for me personally. I have not realized how often I take the life and the things that I have for granted. I am always focused on the next thing I am getting for myself when I should be trying to help someone that is in need. I never really paid much attention to the jobs crisis because I have a job but I realized that all of the things that people are going through now can just as easily happen to me when i least expect it. Most people cannot save because they are living paycheck to paycheck and I am constantly spending money on frivolous things that I do not need. This site really make you take a look at your own life and think of ways that you can help make a difference.

Commentary: On We Are the 99 Percent

By Elizabeth Matte
Creativity + Social Change
University of Connecticut
11 October 2011

After reading the “we are the 99 percent” article my heart sunk into my stomach. I felt saddened and disgusted for these people. But I also didn’t feel alone anymore. I feel like I can relate to a lot of these people. I haven’t really opened up to much in this class but I think I may now.

I recently had a baby and I’m now a single mother. I was working a good job making good money. Then I got pregnant after being told I would never have children. I was a nanny for three children but the family didn’t want me bringing my child to work with me. So my boyfriend (at the time) and I decided I would stay home with the baby. Daycare, well in our area, is basically his whole pay check. So it would be pointless to put my child in daycare and I really didn’t want to do that when I was watching someone else’s children. About a month after my son was born my boyfriend and I broke up. There were a lot of reasons why but I know one reason was because he was so stressed out about having to provide for all of us. So now I am out of a job, living back home and alone. I have an associate’s degree but after coming to UConn I will have student loans I will eventually have to pay off. So I will join that group of students that are in debt.  I honestly didn’t realize how bad things were until after I broke up with my son’s father. I don’t know if it was because I was working a great job, making good money and was pregnant, but I had no idea. I had no idea that there were like no jobs out there because I didn’t have a need to look for a job. Now that I need money I’m finding that the only jobs out there are low paying. (This is a kick in the stomach after being paid so well) And if I got a low paying job all my money would go to daycare, so what’s the point? I’m fortunate enough to having parents that can help me out, but my father was planning on retiring in a few years and I don’t know if he can. I feel horrible because I have a son t take care of and my family has to help me out. I don’t feel like it’s their duty to help support him but that’s how it has to be. My son’s father isn’t really around and barley helps support him. I told my parents I’d rather not go to school so I could work (a second or third shift job) but my family is pushing me to go. I’m worried that, like most people out there, I will have all these college degrees, no job with thousands of dollar loans to pay off.

One of the stories that really struck me was one of a girl that said she had some degrees and was out of work. I guess she was trying to get a job and they told her she was over qualified and inexperienced. I found this really interesting. My mother had the same problem. She retired from an insurance company after working there for like 20 years. She took an early retirement because her boss was basically harassing her and the company didn’t do anything about it. She really couldn’t afford to retire so she tried getting another job at another insurance company but they wouldn’t hire her for a position she wanted, because she was over qualified! I had never heard anything like that and thought it was an excuse. But after see that girl’s story it made it real. I didn’t know you could be overqualified for a job. Wouldn’t that make a person more applicable?

I definitely agree with the people are courageous enough to go stand up to the people on wall-street. But I also feel like it’s not enough. I’m trying to be hopeful and positive for everyone and myself. But I feel like the government and corporations’ have dug such a deep hole that they won’t be able to get us out of it. I don’t know how it could be fixed. I think it’s easy to say “oh just cut back corporate costs, or cut the bosses pay”, but that is really unrealistic. The people that are in charge are simply that, they are in charge. I think they feel that if you don’t like what you’re getting paid they will find someone else. I feel like everyone is made out to be replaceable. And these bosses and companies don’t care about their workers. This same situation happened at my father’s job. He works at Pratt and Whitney and they recently (a few months ago) had big layoffs. They had to lay hundreds off because the CEO’s and people in charge didn’t want to take a pay cut. It was so sad to hear when my dad told me. My dad didn’t lose his job but people he knew did. There were people that had a family that had worked for the company for over 10 years. I’m sure they will be over qualified for the jobs they apply for.

As I was typing this paper, I started chatting with my dad about this article. He was explaining tome and telling me his opinion on it and I also agree with him. He said that the people that are occupying wall-street should be at the White House and protest their policies because it’s their issues and they can do more about it. My dad was saying that Kudlow (who I can’t stand) talk’s about it on his show. I guess he has been covering it a little every night and will continue to cover the story.

Commentary: On We Are the 99 Percent

By Eileen Kennedy Boisseau
Creativity + Social Change
University of Connecticut
11 October 2011

It was difficult to read the old English and interpret clearly what Benjamin Franklin was talking about. I believe that he was saying that those who are in power should use that power wisely and justly in their dealings with fellow citizens. But as Mr. Franklin says, there are also those forms of government that would turn things into a “tyranny”, and I think one in which the current government might becoming guilty of. In order to correct this, the general population should be entitled to education and therefore more wisely and fairly be involved in running our own country.

I am stunned to hear of the hardships facing so many. It was even more difficult to read these stories about my fellow citizens who want nothing more than a job and to provide for themselves and their families, and is being denied this opportunity. It is appalling that so many in this powerful democratic nation of the United States are struggling just to get by. I am stunned to read the words of my neighbors and their hardships. I am heartily saddened to know of friends and neighbors either living paycheck to paycheck or standing in lines months on end looking for that elusive job.

These are not people who are bemoaning that they are owed something. These are responsible individuals who would be happy if only they have the opportunity to have a job or have that job back and pay their own way. It is a fair expectation in a country as fair as ours – at least it used to be. People’s dreams have been shattered and people’s good faith efforts been stifled by lack of or outright denial of opportunity and lack of the government caring for their citizens. Losing homes, jobs, retirement savings and paying exorbitant prices for an education are not acceptable.

One gentleman defined the America of today as “corporatocracy” – an apt description if we interpret this to mean an America representative of and driven by corporate greed and denying the workers any share of profits. This description sounds tragically correct.