I just got back from protesting on my neighborhood corner for the last 4 hours. It started out with just me but before I was done, I had 2 other young men join me with hastily made signs.
I had made the signs for the the last 2 days and had fliers printed today. I chickened out yesterday but somehow forced myself out on to that corner today. I live in a very conservative state, but a moderately Democratic neighborhood. So I was hoping no one would run me down or do something nasty. Most reactions I got were of surprise. There were plenty of people trying to ignore me, but I did have people reading my signs. And when Cole with his Faust mask and Dave showed up, people started paying attention.
We had one woman shout at us that the poor don't hire people, but that was the worst, so I'm not complaining. We did have some support towards the end of today's stint so the movement is not completely unknown here. Just mostly unknown. I'm hoping the movement will catch on with the university students and we can start an OccupyBoise chapter.
So moral of the story, if a plain-looking older reserved(shy too) woman can force herself out to express her voice in a world where her vote doesn't count and she has no money, other people can do it too. I was shaking like a leaf, but I told myself, if I don't stand up for this movement that I have been waiting for my whole life, then I don't deserve a better life for myself.
The wonderful thing about these people is their commitment to peace and civility but also rights for all people. Just watch the General Assemblies on the livestream and you will see true democracy in action. Its not easy, its frustrating and slow, but it works. It depends on the whole group working together instead of the holy grail of competition that the private sector pushes so hard. They give me hope for the future.