The Occupy movement has been spreading from Wall Street for almost 40 days.
A few have occupied, and they are continuing to spread their movement.
Protesters are allying against what they see as government and corporate corruption. Some are even occupying our campus.
Since last week, the group called Occupy OhioU started to hold the demonstration peacefully but firmly.
The first time I saw them, they were setting up their tents.
“Are there any executives from the university that will suppress them?” One of my Chinese friends asked me when we passed by the protesters. I didn’t know how to reply because I was wondering this as well.
In my country, the school leaders would never allow for such a protest to take place: the people would be arrested and any reports about the protest would quickly be censored.
The reason? In case people panic.
As a result, Chinese people are getting less determined and less likely to speak out for their rights. Bystanders are growing to become more and more. I don’t think it is a good phenomenon for our citizens and our country.
Compared to a movement in China today, the Occupy movement finds ways to make its grievances known, but in a peaceful way.
Although, at the time, New York City has tried to find ways to limit the protestors, be it through arresting or through other means, the people have stood strong — using one of America’s founding principles, the right to freedom of assembly.
As long as the government is paying attention, their persistence is worthwhile.
It was a miserable week because of the rain. I found it really impressive when people were rushing to their destination under the rain, but the protesters still insisted on sitting in the rain beside their tents.
Then, addressing the question: What makes them that determined?
It is the responsibility of being a citizen.
As we all know, the major reason the Occupy movement was created is because of the great and unfair political clout that the top 1 percent wields on the American political sphere.
In other words, Wall Street protests formed in the first place in retaliation to the unfair political advantage the top 1 percent has on the rest of the country.
Yesterday, I saw many elderly people demonstrating on Court Street with a slogan saying “We are the 99 percent.” It’s impressive, because it’s not common to see Chinese elderly people get involved in any kind of demonstration.
It’s not because they don’t care about their life; it’s because they are treating themselves as an actual elder — which leads to their weak implementation. This protest is inspiring people all over the world to fight for all unfair issues because corruption has existed everywhere.
Being a good citizen is not only responsible for our own living standard, it needs to be responsible for the whole nation.
In my country, I still believe we could be as determined as what I see from the Occupy movement here —as long as we can avoid sluggishness and numbness.
Yun Ye is a junior studying journalism and a columnist for The Post.
Email her at yy822809@ohiou.edu.
