Posts tagged occupy wall street

My reply to a callous indirect comment on the 99% Movement

I read a comment that was posted by a woman named Jodie Ferguson in response to the photos placed in this article:  12 Depressing Photos from ‘We Are the 99 Percent’.  These photos were taken from the site wearethe99percent.tumblr.com  

Her comment was as follows,

You have a right to an education by law K-12. You do not have a right to higher education. That remains a privilege. It is not that they should not be BLAMED for it, it is that they should take RESPONSIBILITY for it. You take out a $10,000 loan to cover tuition and living expenses, you are responsible for paying that back, with interest. I have a huge amount of loans, and I know it will take forever to pay them off. However, I’m not going to complain, because NO ONE FORCED ME TO TAKE THOSE LOANS. That was my decision. Instead, I have consolidated the government loans so they’re contingent on my income, and my private loans are less of a burden. I work full time and I tutor in the afternoons. It’s not EASY but it’s not a RIGHT to have a job, and it’s not a RIGHT to get a higher education. It’s also not a right to be relieved of your responsibilities because you can’t pay your bills.

I found the attitude of her comment very dismissive and insensitive to the cause and more importantly the people among the 99% in this country.  I agree that all should take responsibility for their financial decision, but to imply that we are complaining as a result of our decisions and have the right to be relieved our financial obligations is a total misunderstanding of why the movement exists!

This was my response:

Okay I think we need to get something straight. The 99% are not complaining about their woes, but contrasting the moral injustice of wealthy getting bailed out, while the 99% did not get bailed out from their debts, but were involuntarily locked into indentured servitude most likely for the rest of their natural lives. The Occupy Movement is putting a face to the millions of people that are now going to suffer as a result of these bankers’ actions. Do you really not see a problem when the rich aren’t suffering for their poor choices with money, but we the 99% have to pay for their mistake? This is why the 99% post these photos and why the march and occupy cities across the globe. Finally I find your smug and callous comment offensive. It’s easy to say things like that, but to a people who are living in hurt can only see through a prism of pain and what you say is of no comfort. I bought into the idea of the American Dream, became a public school teacher and serve as an American Soldier about to be deployed to Afghanistan praying to God to earn money to help my family as we still fell on hard times. To you your comment may have come from a place of good intent, but offering flowers of tough love to a people whose noses have already been cut off in the pursuit of happiness, brings no solace. Thanks, but no thanks! Your words are garbage at best.