I went to St. Vincent de Paul’s last Friday to serve dinner those in need. It was a great experience and this was opportunity to gain insight from those working and from those receiving the food (which in many cases were the same people). I had a chance to speak to cooks, volunteers, and some homeless who were receiving the food. One of the men in particular has been in the United States for about 10 years now. Prior to working at St. Vincent de Paul, he found it difficult to obtain a job. He now attends the local community college and works at the same time. He loves being in America but finds that people complain too much. He was born and lived most of his adult life in Africa, where people literally have nothing and still are not complaining because they are alive. He claims that people here have a lot but because they want more they complain and are greedy. It was even evident that when serving food people wanted more than the servings that were given to them. He came to America for a new/better opportunity, which he finds hard to come by.
I thought it was interesting how some of the people who were served food were able to come back as many times as they wanted and others were not. It was good to see the relationships that all of these people have with each other. They knew each other on first name basis and treated each other with much respect. The servers and cooks even knew the people who were vegetarians and let us know beforehand so we could serve that individual accordingly.
Some individuals are at St. Vincent de Paul because of the economy and the effects of losing a job and currently have no job or have taken the job that pays less. Other individuals are at St. Vincent de Paul’s because they have been previously released from jail/prison and need help readjusting to life outside of cell walls and barbed wired. These individuals also come to St. Vincent's to keep themselves clean and away from alcohol and/or drug use.
St. Vincent de Paul is a great place but the downfall is there are so many people and a lot of the time not that much room. People get put on the waiting list for weeks and sometimes months before they even here a response. One gentleman said that he was on the waiting list for 4 weeks after being released from prison. He was able to receive food but couldn't do much helping and couldn't stay in the facility until being cleared. He says he couldn't really complain because he is in, and feels bad for those who aren't as lucky as he is.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
10 Ways the Occupy Movement Changes Everything (from Occupy San Diego website)
I was looking at the Occupy San Diego website and found this information that gives some insight into the movement. Some of us have talked about this "What is the occupy movement?" This has helped me understand, more or less, the position of those who have joined the movement. And no...I have not gone to Occuppy SD yet, only to Occuppy LA.
1. It names the source of the crisis.
Political insiders have avoided this simple reality: The problems of the 99% are caused in large part by Wall Street greed, perverse financial incentives, and a corporate takeover of the political system. Now that this is understood, the genie is out of the bottle and it can’t be put back in.
2. It provides a clear vision of the world we want.
We can create a world that works for everyone, not just the wealthiest 1%. And we, the 99%, are using the spaces opened up by the Occupy movement to conduct a dialogue about the world we want.
3. It sets a new standard for public debate.
Those advocating policies and proposals must now demonstrate that their ideas will benefit the 99%. Serving only the 1% will not suffice, nor will claims that the subsidies and policies that benefit the 1% will eventually “trickle down.”
4. It presents a new narrative.
The solution is not to starve government or impose harsh austerity measures that further harm middle-class and poor people already reeling from a bad economy. Instead, the solution is to free society and government from corporate dominance. A functioning democracy is our best shot at addressing critical social, environmental, and economic crises.
5. It creates a big tent.
We, the 99%, are people of all ages, races, occupations, and political beliefs. We will resist being divided or marginalized. We are learning to work together with respect.
6. It offers everyone a chance to create change.
No one is in charge; no organization or political party calls the shots. Anyone can get involved, offer proposals, support the occupations, and build the movement. Because leadership is everywhere and new supporters keep turning up, there is a flowering of creativity and a resilience that makes the movement nearly impossible to shut down.
7. It is a movement, not a list of demands.
The call for deep change—not temporary fixes and single-issue reforms—is the movement’s sustaining power. The movement is sometimes criticized for failing to issue a list of demands, but doing so could keep it tied to status quo power relationships and policy options. The occupiers and their supporters will not be boxed in.
8. It combines the local and the global.
People in cities and towns around the world are setting their own local agendas, tactics, and aims. What they share in common is a critique of corporate power and an identification with the 99%, creating an extraordinary wave of global solidarity.
9. It offers an ethic and practice of deep democracy and community.
Slow, patient decision-making in which every voice is heard translates into wisdom, common commitment, and power. Occupy sites are set up as communities in which anyone can discuss grievances, hopes, and dreams, and where all can experiment with living in a space built around mutual support.
10. We have reclaimed our power.
Instead of looking to politicians and leaders to bring about change, we can see now that the power rests with us. Instead of being victims to the forces upending our lives, we are claiming our sovereign right to remake the world.
http://occupysandiego.org/
1. It names the source of the crisis.
Political insiders have avoided this simple reality: The problems of the 99% are caused in large part by Wall Street greed, perverse financial incentives, and a corporate takeover of the political system. Now that this is understood, the genie is out of the bottle and it can’t be put back in.
2. It provides a clear vision of the world we want.
We can create a world that works for everyone, not just the wealthiest 1%. And we, the 99%, are using the spaces opened up by the Occupy movement to conduct a dialogue about the world we want.
3. It sets a new standard for public debate.
Those advocating policies and proposals must now demonstrate that their ideas will benefit the 99%. Serving only the 1% will not suffice, nor will claims that the subsidies and policies that benefit the 1% will eventually “trickle down.”
4. It presents a new narrative.
The solution is not to starve government or impose harsh austerity measures that further harm middle-class and poor people already reeling from a bad economy. Instead, the solution is to free society and government from corporate dominance. A functioning democracy is our best shot at addressing critical social, environmental, and economic crises.
5. It creates a big tent.
We, the 99%, are people of all ages, races, occupations, and political beliefs. We will resist being divided or marginalized. We are learning to work together with respect.
6. It offers everyone a chance to create change.
No one is in charge; no organization or political party calls the shots. Anyone can get involved, offer proposals, support the occupations, and build the movement. Because leadership is everywhere and new supporters keep turning up, there is a flowering of creativity and a resilience that makes the movement nearly impossible to shut down.
7. It is a movement, not a list of demands.
The call for deep change—not temporary fixes and single-issue reforms—is the movement’s sustaining power. The movement is sometimes criticized for failing to issue a list of demands, but doing so could keep it tied to status quo power relationships and policy options. The occupiers and their supporters will not be boxed in.
8. It combines the local and the global.
People in cities and towns around the world are setting their own local agendas, tactics, and aims. What they share in common is a critique of corporate power and an identification with the 99%, creating an extraordinary wave of global solidarity.
9. It offers an ethic and practice of deep democracy and community.
Slow, patient decision-making in which every voice is heard translates into wisdom, common commitment, and power. Occupy sites are set up as communities in which anyone can discuss grievances, hopes, and dreams, and where all can experiment with living in a space built around mutual support.
10. We have reclaimed our power.
Instead of looking to politicians and leaders to bring about change, we can see now that the power rests with us. Instead of being victims to the forces upending our lives, we are claiming our sovereign right to remake the world.
http://occupysandiego.org/
Monday, November 21, 2011
Occupy San Diego
I visited Occupy SD and when I first arrived I thought it looked like a place where the homeless were hanging out and I was confused about being at the right place or not. I did see a few people with signs next to them or attached to them, so I realized I was in the right place. When I walked up there were a small number of people scattered around sitting or laying on stairs or standing, eating or smoking. They did not seem like an organized group of protestors, nor did they seem violent or of any danger to anything or anyone. The first man I spoke to was a vet and basically he just kept saying that he was part of the 99% and he talked about how badly the government treated people in the military. It was hard to talk to just one person at a time because it seemed like they all just wanted to be heard once they noticed a new face. Another young man spoke to me for quite a bit of time about all the hardships he had endured as a massage therapist business owner and how by being taxed so much he was run out of business. He talked about always joining any social justice group that exisited in San Diego and how so many other countries care more about their people than the U.S. does. He told me that when Occupy San Diego was originally set up they had 24 hour medical care available, booths with donations, information and awareness and that it was all peaceful. He said that the police in one night tore it all down and caused a huge riot when ripping things down aggressively and maced and elbowed people in the face and arrested people for no reason. He said that the police would also just arrest people for holding signs or take their stuff if they left it out for a second and throw it away and that they would do many other things that I was disgusted to imagine. That was sad to hear that our own police force who should probably be included in this protest, since they are not among the 1% of wealthy Americans in this country that are being criticized for their corruption and greed. I noticed that there were more police officers stationed around the whole area than it seemed demonstrators. I also talked to this young woman who asked if I would sign a petition to help have the charges dropped for those that were arrested for no reason. She told me that they had lawyers working with them to help protect their rights. During my time there a small group of people did a walk down the street to demonstrate and show their signs. I was also told that if I came by on a Sunday I would get to see more activity because some professors would come to talk and present throughout the day and more students would be there as well. Visiting this protest was an eye opener for me because I went there thinking I was going to see a lot of rioting and maybe some violence as I had originally thought that was what protests were all about, but when I went there and saw that everyone was calm and just wanted to talk and seemed harmless I was deeply saddened to hear that the police had to tear them down at any chance they could get. I think that more people should get involved and at least stop by to see what is really going on down there at some point as it affects so many of us more than we may know.
I visited Occupy San Diego recently and I was surprised by what I found. There were far less people than I had expected and it seemed as though there were almost more police officers than occupiers. I spoke with several people there including a man who said he has been unemployed for about the past year and that he was there to show his support for the 99%. He explained to me how he was concerned about the direction the country was going in and how the middle class was disappearing while the corporations are getting bailouts and more tax breaks. He also explained how it seemed as though the people at the top were working to support each other and ensuring their interests were protected while the majority of people were struggling to survive. Another person I spoke with explained how he felt this was just the beginning and that he believed people would continue to rise up and protest against the system, which supports those with wealth and power.
The viewpoints I heard from some of the Occupy protestors seemed to align somewhat with the conflict theory perspective on societal stratification and how the people with power and prestige, essentially operate to ensure their privileges are maintained, at the cost of the rest of society. This helped me understand conflict theory better, hearing the protestors comment on why they were there and how the system seems to discount there influence since they are not part of the elite and in order to make a change they felt this was a way to get their voices heard. Although it did appear like some of the protesters were there for other reasons, the ones I spoke with seemed to know why they were there, and what they wanted to achieve by protesting. Issues such unemployment and class are on a lot of people’s minds given the current state of the economy and so many people being unemployed or finding it more difficult to remain in the middle class, and conflict theory is an interesting theory to use when thinking about such issues.
The viewpoints I heard from some of the Occupy protestors seemed to align somewhat with the conflict theory perspective on societal stratification and how the people with power and prestige, essentially operate to ensure their privileges are maintained, at the cost of the rest of society. This helped me understand conflict theory better, hearing the protestors comment on why they were there and how the system seems to discount there influence since they are not part of the elite and in order to make a change they felt this was a way to get their voices heard. Although it did appear like some of the protesters were there for other reasons, the ones I spoke with seemed to know why they were there, and what they wanted to achieve by protesting. Issues such unemployment and class are on a lot of people’s minds given the current state of the economy and so many people being unemployed or finding it more difficult to remain in the middle class, and conflict theory is an interesting theory to use when thinking about such issues.
For this assignment I talked to some of the parents who are in the parenting support group I help with at my internship. Several of them use the food and clothes pantry we have at work in order to feed their children and supply them with new clothing as they grow. One of them has recently experienced homelessness. With talking to her I've learned that a lot of it had to do with her relationship ending as she had not been employed at the time of the break up. And given the current economy she has struggled with finding a job, she also mentioned that she thinks the fact she only has a GED also stops her from getting hired. Her and her daughter are currently living in a homeless shelter and while she says the people there are very nice she also feels like it is overcrowded. Other parents are currently utilizing our food cabinet every week and one of these parents also volunteers a large amount of her time at the elementary school. It really amazes me that even though she has so much to worry about with regards to herself she still finds the time to volunteer. It really hit home for me just how bad things in the economy are, I've seen people struggle but not to the extent that these families are.
The fact that these individuals struggle to find employment but yet try to give their kids everything really highlighted the issue of class and the haves/have nots that we talked about the other week. They want their kids to feel like they belong in the haves and fit in with their peers yet at the same time they are aware of their status as have nots. I've always taken for granted that fact that I've been able to have things and find summer jobs as an undergrad and this semester at my internship has really taught me not to take those things for granted anymore.
The fact that these individuals struggle to find employment but yet try to give their kids everything really highlighted the issue of class and the haves/have nots that we talked about the other week. They want their kids to feel like they belong in the haves and fit in with their peers yet at the same time they are aware of their status as have nots. I've always taken for granted that fact that I've been able to have things and find summer jobs as an undergrad and this semester at my internship has really taught me not to take those things for granted anymore.
St. Vincent de Paul
I had the opportunity to visit St. Vincent de Paul last week. It was early in the morning and there were many people hanging around the entrance of the facility as well as behind the gate in the quad area. While I was at St. Vincent de Paul, I was able to take a tour of the facility. The living quarters comprise of an open room with multiple cot beds lined up one after another. There is no privacy for the residents that stay there. The dining hall is set up with various tables lined in rows. There was a computer lab and other offices where clients were able to utilize the resources that are available. After interviewing one of the case management supervisors, he informed me that the state of the recent economic changes has made it very difficult for the facility to provide all of the resources that are needed for their clients. As with many social service agencies, there are a vast amount of budget cuts.
Finding employment is hard enough when a person has a degree and skills to offer, but when a person has other life challenges such as not having a residence to reside in; it makes it much more difficult. This is where Conflict Theory comes in. Conflict Theory proposes that social life creates exclusion of a particular population which in turn causes conflict. It is the simple idea of the “haves” and “have nots”. People who are homeless in our society are viewed as lower class. There are many different stories as to how people have lost their jobs and/or homes. Now they are just trying to survive.
Finding employment is hard enough when a person has a degree and skills to offer, but when a person has other life challenges such as not having a residence to reside in; it makes it much more difficult. This is where Conflict Theory comes in. Conflict Theory proposes that social life creates exclusion of a particular population which in turn causes conflict. It is the simple idea of the “haves” and “have nots”. People who are homeless in our society are viewed as lower class. There are many different stories as to how people have lost their jobs and/or homes. Now they are just trying to survive.
Occupy San Diego
I was glad to have this assignment as an excuse to visit the Occupy San Diego site because I wanted to learn more about the movement. I was struck by the fact that there were only about 30 people at the Civic Center participating in the Occupy movement, and even more struck by the relative lack of organization. Apparently a police raid from a couple days prior had caused the drop in numbers. There were a couple of people that seemed to be leaders who were conducting a sort of “open mic” forum during my visit. People were able to share their stories of why they were there and how they thought the country should be changed. There were also a few committees, such as the Art Committee and the Technology Committee, which had different roles within the group. However, there did not seem to be any cohesive plan of action besides being present at the site to show solidarity. One man explained his fear for the future “if we continue to bow down to corporate greed,” but I never got a clear idea of what the objectives of the Occupy movement were.
There were a few police officers monitoring the area, and when my classmates and I exited, one of the officers said to my classmate, “You didn’t share anything,” to which I jokingly replied, “You didn’t share anything either.” He said, “You don’t want to hear what we have to say.” Although some consider police officers to be part of the 99% that are not receiving fair wages for the work that they do, it seems that the police have a generally negative view of the movement, or at least the participants. Some of the “Occupiers” were dancing and singing around the officers, mocking them.
During my visit to Occupy San Diego last week, I witnessed conflict theory at work. Conflict can often be a catalyst for social change as long as there are clear goals and objectives in place. It is clear that the Occupy San Diego participants want changes to the way that employees are paid at different levels. They feel it is unfair that the top corporate executives earn a disproportionate amount of income relative to the wages of the lower classes. However, the specific tasks which will help accomplish this goal are not apparent, and the mutual disrespect between “Occupiers” and police officers undermines the movement’s solidarity. If the “Occupiers” are able to set out clear objectives and work to improve their relationship with law enforcement, social change may be more attainable.
There were a few police officers monitoring the area, and when my classmates and I exited, one of the officers said to my classmate, “You didn’t share anything,” to which I jokingly replied, “You didn’t share anything either.” He said, “You don’t want to hear what we have to say.” Although some consider police officers to be part of the 99% that are not receiving fair wages for the work that they do, it seems that the police have a generally negative view of the movement, or at least the participants. Some of the “Occupiers” were dancing and singing around the officers, mocking them.
During my visit to Occupy San Diego last week, I witnessed conflict theory at work. Conflict can often be a catalyst for social change as long as there are clear goals and objectives in place. It is clear that the Occupy San Diego participants want changes to the way that employees are paid at different levels. They feel it is unfair that the top corporate executives earn a disproportionate amount of income relative to the wages of the lower classes. However, the specific tasks which will help accomplish this goal are not apparent, and the mutual disrespect between “Occupiers” and police officers undermines the movement’s solidarity. If the “Occupiers” are able to set out clear objectives and work to improve their relationship with law enforcement, social change may be more attainable.
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