About 1500 Occupy Wall Street protesters converged before dawn this morning, vowing to remain in Zuccotti Park, formerly called Liberty Park Plaza, its New York home base since the demonstrations began September 17th. Brookfield Properties, the company that owns the park, agreed to postpone a cleaning scheduled for today, October 14th, thus allowing protesters to keep their headquarters intact.
After hearing the welcome news, some protesters staged an impromptu celebration and marched through the streets to proclaim their victory. Police asked everyone to stay on the sidewalk, but some spilled over into the streets. To maintain control, a formation of police scooters moved through the crowd and ran over an observer. When that occurred, some of the protesters turned violent, and police arrested 14 people during the skirmish.
Occupy Wall Street has morphed into a nationwide protest with other cities such as Boston, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Richmond, San Francisco and Tampa, and is now going global. Demonstrations against widening income disparity are planned for tomorrow in the Asia Pacific, with organizers using social media to attract people from Australia, Japan, and other nations is the region to cast their lot with London in voicing their discontent.
Maybe now, Congress will understand the message Occupy Wall Street has delivered. Ninety-nine percent of Americans are "mad as hell" about being squashed by the super-wealthy who have lost touch with the reality of daily life for the masses. The American Dream has turned into a nightmare, and protesters want action that will improve the lives of the many over the few. Wake up Congress! You've been "sleeping at the wheel" for too many years and are inured from the economic pain your lack of attention has caused. Don't be surprised when you join the ranks of the unemployed next year. Oh, that's right. You have a guaranteed pension. Perhaps that will change, too.
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