OCCUPY THIS

I consider myself fairly adept at seeing both sides of an argument.  In the end I still may tell those with an opposing viewpoint to stuff it but at least I make the effort to hear their point of view.   For the past few weeks I have been trying to do just that with this Occupy this and that movement. 

In conducting my research I have read the printed word, listened to on-site radio accounts and interviews and watched extensive TV coverage from both left and right leaning perspectives.  Over the years I have seen many movements for one cause or another and whether I agree or not it is usually quite clear what they believe in or what their goals are.  Not so with the Occupy crowd.

Have you heard any of these interviews?  Most of them are conducted by a reporter standing among a crowd against a back drop of tents and sign carrying protestors.  These signs, for the most part, depict all manner of hatred for anything corporate, as do the comments of the interviewees.  When the interviewee is not shouted down by some admitted union official, the comments go something like this.  Why are you here?  “We want to end corporate greed.”  How do you plan on doing that?  “Well, uh, we uhh……”  Of the scores of interviews I heard or watched this summarizes the majority of responses.  In fact only 2, both young women, gave a response that left me feeling as though I understood why they were there.

I fully recognize the right of people to peacefully assemble for the purpose of being heard.  In most cases it is the only means they have to vent their feelings.  Where they lose me is when they infringe on the rights of others.  As for example, the 2 million bucks or so spent for clean up after them in New York.  I am sure that if the mayor of New York City sat down to think about it there are many ways that money could have been spent and left a better aftertaste.  Or the effect on the surrounding businesses such as the dry cleaner in LA operated by a man and his wife who claimed the occupiers brought in 30 sleeping bags to be dry cleaned but refused to pay for them.    

When there are so many who are down and out I can understand the animosity toward some for obvious excesses.  But to lump everyone they deem doing well into one category called “corporations” and attack them all as evil is wrong.  First off, corporations come in all sizes, big and small.  In fact, almost without exception they all started as small when someone starting a business experienced enough success to deem incorporating an important part of their future.  Some remained small family businesses, some grew to be giants but most fell by the wayside leaving financial disasters in their wakes for those who dared take a risk.  The recent filing for bankruptcy of American Airlines a sign no one is safe. 

Like all of society, business is going through a period of adjustment to a world economy.  Formulas that used to work in terms of costs and income are being revalued.  Business owners, stockholders and labor alike will figure it out.  But enough with the animosity toward what the Occupy people would have you believe are the business version of Satan.  Ask any hospital, university, aids or cancer research project or other recipients of millions and millions of dollars in donations from corporations how they feel.  Ask the millions of people employed by them as they seek to survive in this highly competitive, survival of the fittest business climate.  There is much good there.