Occupying Wall Street but doing little else.

Yesterday, while on my break at work, I heard loud cheers and chants quickly approaching so I immediately gathered my things and began to head back to the store. I didn't know where it was coming from but screaming people in mass numbers was not something I wanted to be in the middle of during my quiet time. A crowd of people (hundreds? estimating isn't one of my super powers) about a block away were cheering and chanting and making their way towards me. It became apparent that this was the Occupy Wall Street thing that I had read about, watched on television, and had been invited to.

When I first heard about Occupy Wall Street I completely disregarded it. I knew what to expect. Crust punks, hippies (same thing?), and a bunch of losers trying (and probably succeeding) to get laid. And when images started making their way on the news, I had discovered I was right on the money (not that these people have any, but I'm sure their daddies do). Not only did I know what these people looked like, I knew that they really didn't have any idea what they were doing. That became apparent when they tried to make their cause more of an Us. vs The Police sort of thing because some stupid ass police officer thought it would be a good idea to mace an innocent woman. That's why it's ludicrous (at least for now and probably forever) to compare this "protest" to the Arab Spring. I don't remember reading about an outrage because one bystander got sprayed in the eyes with something (that wasn't a bullet). No. Those were revolutions with people FIGHTING for their cause. And that's also a key difference between this circus going on around Wall Street and the Arab Spring: Occupy Wall Street doesn't have a cause. Unless that cause is sitting around playing Alanis Morissette on your kazoo. Because if that's the case. You win. Go home. Take a fucking shower. And forgive your dad.

After hours of talking shit and sighing, Josh and I decided to stop by Zuccotti Park to see if anything serious was going on. We got off the train at Broadway and Wall Street and started to walk. Like an asshole and an idiot, I figured that there would be hundreds of people in the Financial District walking around screaming their beliefs (and part of me hoped I would see at least one businessman lit on fire). Instead we ran into a bunch of Chinese people taking picture of that famous bull. After walking past the New York Stock Exchange and up and down Wall Street we took a few turns to figure out what was going on. Where the hell was this protest taking place if it wasn't all throughout the streets? We continued walking until we came up to what looked like a park and a large group of people. We finally found it. As we got closer I started to realize that the people didn't look anything like I had guessed they would. They looked happy, they looked curious, they looked well-rested, they looked kinda old, and, yes, they looked like tourists. They were tourists. And that large group of people was in a line to see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

As I became more and more anxious and angry that this so-called protest was nowhere to be found I asked a street vendor if he could help us out.

"Where is the big protest that's supposed to be going on?"
"What protest?"
"Occupy Wall Street. A bunch of people who hate their fathers and who never desired to have a job in the first place have gotten together and decided to blame the corporations for their problems. Where is it?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about."

There was our answer.

When we finally found Zuccotti Park (it was a block away from train we got off at) and the gathering of protestors, it was exactly what I had expected. A few people dancing. Some white guy playing the guitar. And a whole bunch of stank. As Josh and I walked through the mess I couldn't help but think, "These are the people who are effected by the economy? These are the people we should be fighting for? That can't be right." Then it all made sense. These people are mad because the people they usually mooch off of are out of jobs. SO IT DOES EFFECT THEM! The compassionate people who actually feel sorry for these idiots aren't the wealthy businessmen who don't give a dime to anyone, they're the middle class who know what it's like to struggle.

I'm being unfair. I know.

I know the media has portrayed this whole thing out to be a bunch of hippies dancing and singing. I know that there are a good amount of good and decent people out there protesting. People who are actually struggling, who actually want a job but can't seem to find one because it was shipped overseas or simply cutout. When we continued walking we saw union workers protesting and that brought a smile to my face. These are the people who we should be fighting for. The ones that actually contribute. We should be just as pissed off at the dreaded, stinky do-nothings as we are at the greedy corporate businessmen. Because in the end aren't they both greedy, worthless, and taking up precious space?

I think the reason I'm so mad is because all of these assholes are occupying ACTUAL homeless people's sleeping spaces. If I was homeless I would definitely float around this area all night trying to teach the wannabe homeless women how to get STANKY!

Yesterday, as I watched the mass of people pass my job, I felt a small sense of pride. There were people of all colors (Go Team Yellow!), ages, and styles marching and making a bunch of noise for a better society. For all the assholes that were crusting up the crowd, there were more decent people, screaming passionately about what they believe in. So as a few women with smiles on their faces tried to convince me to join them, I gave them the thumbs up and smiled. "I have to get back to work."

If we're going to punish worthless people, we shouldn't stop at businessmen. We should punish all of them. I'm hopeful Occupy Wall Street turns into something huge. I wish it would turn into a revolution of both thought and action. But I'm skeptical. If we're going to sit around and let a bunch of dirty bearded idiots represent us (the unemployed, the underemployed, and the rest of the contributors to society) then I can't see any of this amounting to any significant change. How are we going to fight billionaires if we can't even fight guys who haven't cut their toenails in a year? It's time to stop Occupying and time to start Fighting.

Let's crack some skulls.

And for you pieces of shit that haven't had a job and have had no desire to have a job, stop complaining about the CEOs that have stolen your freedom. We all know that you're only mad because they're your fathers and they made you play catch one too many times growing up. Keep it up. If you don't shut your useless faces I'm going to start cracking these CEOs' skulls for a whole new reason. For not sending you bitches to your room. We all know that's where you belong.