I attended my first planning meeting for the local Occupy group in my city. It took place in a well lit part of the park where the tents are set up. I was late and missed most of the meeting, but I was there for the end as they discussed protest marching to a couple big banks like Wells Fargo. They protest march by banks every week, but this time they had an interesting dilemma.
They have gotten a lot of feedback from the community about how the local minimum wage bank tellers are as much a part of the 99% as they are. The dilemma was how to protest the big banks while not making local people who just need a job feel like they are the target of hundreds of angry people every week. Our city is really liberal and pretty solidly middle class and nobody in the group wanted to make their neighbors feel demonized.
Some of the people in the meeting decided that they wanted to approach the bank tellers at the bank and express that they weren't protesting them, just the corporation that they work for. Some suggested presenting the bank tellers a letter explaining all of this, but others were concerned about the idea of walking into banks and handing them letters. Everyone knows of the bank that locked in protestors to arrest them.
It was very interesting to watch and listen to this discussion. It ended a little heated and one woman left upset insisting that she wouldn't be participating in walking into a bank to hand them anything. Since I was new and late, I had no intention of speaking up, but there seemed to be a real sense of frustration among the group that while they expected to be opposed and misunderstood, they really didn't want their community to think that they were angry at them. That's when I raised my hand to offer my idea.
I have been a big supporter of moving your money from the big banks to a credit union or a local bank. I moved mine a couple years ago now and it's been blissful. I love my credit union. I wrote this comment here on move your money day.
if we accomplished nothing else in our lives (62+ / 0-)
other than convincing the majority of Americans to use local banks... then we will fundamentally change the balance of power in this country in a way not seen since our independence.
So, my suggestion to the group was to do a march in support of credit unions and local banks. Stop at the credit unions and local banks to give them a thank you card with a flower to let them know how much we appreciate them. As we march by we can cheer and chant 'Who's credit union? Our credit union!'. Let the people in our community know that we aren't just about being opposed to something, we are really about being for an ideal that we can achieve.
Everyone liked the idea a lot, so, not only are we going to do a march in support of credit unions and local banks, but we are declaring a credit union and local business appreciation day. We are going to the local businesses and spending a little bit of money and telling the people of these businesses how much we appreciate them and support them, because the 99% isn't about being against the 1% it's about being FOR each other. If the 1% stopped distancing themselves from all of us in their pursuit of power and wealth, then we would just be the 100%.
I am going to video the march and write up a diary about it here on Daily Kos.
I don't know how any of you feel, but just being angry isn't enough to sustain my determination as an activist. I am more filled with determination from having a passion for the good that we can do. That's what motivates me. I know that we can do good if we highlight local banks and credit unions not only to show our appreciation but to encourage everyone we can to move their money from the big banks.
12:27 PM PT: Thanks for the supportive comments everyone. I appreciate them. I hope our credit union and local business appreciation day helps to both encourage our credit unions and local businesses and banks and wins more community support for the Occupy movement.
Wouldn't it be something if every local Occupy group were to show appreciation to their local credit unions and businesses and banks. Maybe it would be a bit like turning the other cheek after all of the police crackdowns. Show the people of this country that the Occupy movement isn't just about being angry at economic injustice and inequality, but passionate about being a force for good.