Editors note:
This is an article that addresses the Occupy Movement from a slightly different perspective than that expressed in an article I wrote recently.  I felt it should be published in the First Edition, since all views are welcome.
Occupation or Opportunity?

Many of us feel that the American dream is quickly fading and the middle class is disappearing.  The debt is increasing and the political leadership is failing.  Jobs are leaving and homes are lost.  The investment bankers are prospering even as they leave the financial health of our country on life support.  Bad behavior is rewarded and the prudent are left to pick up the pieces and pay the bills.  And the list goes on.

All of this has left us with an uneasy feeling and a sense of frustration.  The anger is beginning to bubble to the surface across the entire political spectrum and it manifests itself in diverse ways.  The right has given birth to the Tea Party movement and the left has spawned the Occupy Wall Street movement.  Despite major differences on many issues, there is surprising agreement on the problems themselves.  In our polarized society, we seldom see such consensus on the need for making major changes to solve problems of such widespread concern.  It is a rare opportunity to actually do something significant to achieve meaningful results.

However, the causes and solutions are seen only through the respective lenses of the political bias of the warring factions.  Those with vested interests attempt to discredit and undermine anything that threatens the status quo.  And the extremes try to hijack and define the movements.  In the present political climate, the truth is abandoned.  We have become a nation of blame.  Instead of seeking solutions, we prefer to yell at one another.  Both sides retreat to their well established trenches of political ideology.  One side calls the other side greedy, selfish, capitalistic pigs.  The other side responds with cries of lazy, pot smoking, hippie anarchists.  This may be true in some cases, but it certainly does not represent the vast majority. 

In terms of solutions, the only thing everyone can agree on is that the investment bankers should be shot.  So, once again, the truth and the solutions are lost in the bias and mistrust.  The opportunity to do something meaningful and constructive is missed.  If nothing else, the Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street movements should serve as a wake up call.  At this point, they are protests, not anarchy.  The protests should be used as an incentive to take measures to avert a future catastrophe. 

Most of the people in the various factions have legitimate concerns.  And the major issues are common to all even if the solutions are not.  There are intelligent and well-meaning people on both sides of the issues.  If we are unwilling or unable to interject reason into this turmoil, then we will be totally unprepared for the next protest that is lurking around the corner.

When the country goes broke and the entitlement checks stop, the current protests will appear trivial.  At that point, the protests will turn to anarchy.  If we are unwilling to address the protests of the angry, we will be incapable of dealing with the anarchy of the desperate. 

Michael Webber

Hamilton