Occupy Wall Street (OWS) is trying to occupy the world. The movement wants to address an unfair global economy, and how the one percent of the world’s population, the rich, is shaping and writing the rules of the global economy. Hence the popular slogan, “We are the 99 percent.”
According to the website occupywallst.org, the initiative has spread to over 100 cities in the United States and has seen actions in over 1,500 cities worldwide. While the movement is amiable, in many cases, it becomes a show, and as the Mayor of New York puts it, “it does not help.”
While the general concept of the movement has merit, the actions or means do not; the goal of any government is to reduce income inequality, but the government cannot redistribute income if someone justly earns it—that is communism. Moreover, simply standing outside a building does not reduce anything, but the commerce in a city.
Business operations are hampered, and most of the time, for no just cause because many protesters just want to protest, get free food and get their 15 minutes of fame.
Over a thousand prominent figures have endorsed the movement. Councilors, mayors, and some politicians are riding with the rest of the movement to gain public approval. Even street vendors and military veteran groups are also joining the OWS movement, making the movement lose its direction. the movement needs a clear goal and a feasible means to achieve it.
Many small OWS movements have also started in the most remote places around the world. Some have already started in Asia.Occupy Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, Taipei, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Mumbai, and even Manila movements have started, and should have ended a long time ago.
Though many countries have income inequality, especially Asian countries, third world countries, where the rich control most of the resources, protesters cannot just demand money to be redistributed. Instead, the OWS movement should ask for something more feasible and relevant.
In the case of the Philippines, where two of the world’s most corrupt heads of state of all time came from, inequality is a fact. According to a new study by research and advisory firm, Stratbase Research Institute, the Philippines has the biggest income inequality in Asia.
Occupy Manila, however, should not happen if without proper motives, ideas and intentions because most likely, politicians, artists, and other personalities, with their selfish ambitions, will take over the whole movement.
Moreover, the protesters should have at least the slightest idea of what OWS is all about. The 99 percent slogan will catch on, but the message and the underlying principle will not.
The OWS movement for the most part is a sham; it has produced protests with no results. The movement, however, brought many individuals to take a second look at the people protesting.
In the US, many are starting to give food, and many are giving back to the community by installing public urinals, cleaning up the parks and the like.
For the Philippines, the best alternative for Occupy Manila is to do what most Filipinos have not been doing—thinking of a better solution and helping out the community.
