Who would have thought that the Occupy movement would have reached all the way into the Vatican... Apparently, Pope Francis is going to occupy that space like none other and he will show the rest of the world how to act like good and responsible citizens. To hear him deride "trickle-down economics" was to call out out the United States personally for the failed and greedy policy of the rich getting richer while the poor get poorer and every thing else that falls under the austerity that has been needlessly imposed upon the rest of the world. For a minute there I thought it might have been some quotes from the Ministry of Truth that I was reading and thought sure that buried between the lines, phrases like "I'll believe corporations are people when Texas executes one" or "where's my bailout" and "keep your government away from my ovaries" and... well, you get the picture. When I marched on Columbus Day in Boston, I was filled with hope; now that Pope Francis has occupied the Vatican, I am filled with resolve. He is going to need our help and I for one intend to answer the call and invite you to feel hopeful, too.
Thank God for small favors, eh.