I went to Occupy San Diego Wednesday 11/9 in the early afternoon with a classmate and there was a whole of picketing or protesting going on. We were able to talk to a few protesters immediately who were more than happy to fill us in on their reason for being there. The first three men we ran into discussed how doing things that matter such as social work, does pay much, yet we need it as a society. I was surprised by this man’s comment because we had not told him what we were studying, they were under the impression of us being some sort of media outlet, which we corrected but they did not seem to acknowledge it. One man went into a whole story on how we are told to go to college, but we cannot afford college loans, and thus we are indebted to these corporations and must work it off through our lifetime like a form of slavery.
At this point, a police officer told me to step aside. I was really scared that I had done something wrong, but my classmate did not get told to walk away with him. Luckily, he just wanted to tell me that he had gone to the same college as me (I was wearing my college tee). After we talked a little about the new football stadium and our life histories, I began to ask him what his thoughts were on Occupy San Diego. He believed that having 40 protesters camping out daily did very little, but they should wait out for a big group to make a real statement. He did not believe what they were doing was very effective.
After talking to a few more people, I realized the main concern for many was the young people and education. A lot of people said they were doing this for their children and for the future of America. However, when I asked them specifically what they wanted out of this movement, no one was able to give me a specific answer or goal. They just said they were doing it for the greater good of America, which I thought was useless.
On our way out, one of the protesters came back from the Civic Center with some police applications that were fresh off the press. The group of young men were reading it intensely after they saw the $4000/month salary and only requirement was a GED. I half jokingly said, “are you going to switch sides?” and no one responded, and kept reading the application.
Many of the people we talked to were Caucasian and ranged from their early twenties to their fifties. They definitely targeted the corporations as being the elite group and felt helpless and isolated in their own economic situations. They felt the government taking the side of the corporations and that the masses were being ignored. There was a consensus on wanting to change things for the young people of America, but there were no set goals and none of them were able to discuss what they wanted to happen from this movement.
Jessica Mew
I agree with your comment that it seemed like the protesters were a little confused as to what their ultimate goal is. There was no consensus. When I went, they were more concerned with being able to put up their tents because of the rain and instigating arguments with the police that were there. I wondered what the expectations for change were that would satisfy protesters.
ReplyDeleteWhen you saw protesters looking at applications to become police officers I thought that this was interesting. In some ways this highlights why people are protesting. Most want to better their lives, they just need to be given the opportunities to do so. Maybe Occupy protesters are looking for government or corporations to offer well paying opportunities that are not normally afforded to the general public. Although I am not sure that this will happen, offering high-end employment or loan forgiveness for those that owe "unheard" of amounts might be the beginning of a change the Occupiers are looking for.... Who knows?!
Christine Guerrero
I think that your observations are very interesting and they provided me with an idea of what the reality of occupy San Diego is like since I have not been there. The lack of a clear message and goal seems to lead to more conflict than if there was a more organized message to convey. It seems that since these individuals do not have the basic resources needed to establish stable living conditions, it is even more difficult for them to have their vioce heard. If people from different socioeconomic standings were to work together in a more cohesive way then maybe there would be less conflict with authority and clear message could be conveyed.
ReplyDeleteIt would be interesting for me to go back and see the protesting during the day like you did. I went at night and I think my experience was a little bit different. People were not open at all to talk about what they were doing there or what they were protesting about. It was just a big fight between the police officers and protesters.
ReplyDeleteI found it very interesting that protesters were looking at job applications to be a police officer. It goes back to the idea that people don't really know what they are protesting about and there is no absolute goal in mind. It seems like the protest has just become a way for people to vent.
and raising the question Is it okay to just vent? I have to agree with one of my interviewees that there is something to be said for bringing dissatisfaction to light, even when those participating might not be taking the most effective path. Although this sort of movement may give a bad taste to the cause, many people have no other way to be seen or heard. According to the Blackboard research article by Lord and Hutchison on the process of empowerment, a feeling of powerlessness may come from social isolation, unresponsive services and systems, poverty and abuse. Could it be that the eclectic group gathering at Occupy movements throughout the country are a mix of people that are feeling powerless for a variety of reasons, and that their involvement is their engagement into what Keifer (1984) called the entry stage of empowerment (from the four stages of entry, advancement, incorporation, and commitment.) Although Occupy tactics may not be the most beneficial, we all know people have to start where they are.
ReplyDelete