We Are the 99 Percent

'We are the 99%,' L.A. marchers chant at protest

I was very interested in some of the slogans as the Occupy Wall Street movement moved worldwide yesterday. Though I was sad to see the protests become violent in Rome so soon. I have no illusions that this movement if not taken seriously by all governments will soon start to bring down recalcitrant governments worldwide.

begin quote from "99% article button above:

By Martha Groves, Los Angeles Times

October 16, 2011, 7:51 p.m.

As protesters around the world marked a "global day of action," crowds took to the streets of downtown Los Angeles on Saturday to vent frustration over dismal job prospects and the failure of government to get the economy back on track.

"I'm one of the 99%," said Walt Metivier of Torrance, referring to the preponderance of Americans who are not among the nation's wealthiest. "I work for a large oil company, and I'm fortunate. But I want to see a future for my grandchildren." And right now, he said, he doesn't.

Marchers carried signs reading "Corporations are not people" and "Trickledown made us pee-ons." Some protesters railed against war, but what emerged as a unifying sentiment was that middle-class and poor Americans are being hurt at the hands of greedy corporate profiteers and politicians.

FULL COVERAGE: 'Occupy' protests

"Banks are sitting on money, and my house is under water," said Sharon Stewart, 65, a retired USC worker who lives part time in Phoenix. "I'm frightened about Medicare and Social Security. Children and grandchildren are being negatively impacted by the economic crisis."

Marchers were exuberant but peaceful as they moved en masse from Pershing Square to the tent camp that has occupied the grounds outside City Hall the last two weeks.

The protesters' call-and-response chants echoed off the walls of high-rises and overpasses. "This is what democracy looks like." "Whose streets? Our streets." "We got sold out. Banks got bailed out." "We are the 99%!" end quote from "99%" article button above.


I wonder lately if we are not in the beginnings of an "Easter Island" scenario worldwide? Democracy, order and the relatively (historically speaking) good times the world enjoyed from 1950 to 2001 likely were a fluke caused by good governing combined with almost infinite natural resources. However, in 1950 we had only 2.5 Billion people and literally natural resources were booming worldwide with enough land to till and farm machines and water to easily feed twice that many people. However, here we are in 2011 now with almost 7 billion people with about 75 million new mouths to feed each year or more, compared to only 37 million new mouths to feed each year in 1950. So, times have changed.

If you haven't understood my "Easter Island" reference, Easter Island is a place where the population grew until they had cut down every tree on the island because of uncontrolled population growth on the island and this caused humans on the island to go extinct. So when I say we might be in an "Easter Island" scenario when you combine population growth and Global Climate change I'm not joking. This might be what we are beginning to look at worldwide. There may be no return to normalcy because normalcy wasn't really normal. It might just have been a fluke in world history. A true Golden Age!

It is my hope that enough people will see what has actually changed regarding population and natural resources combined with Global Climate change. In the end "necessity is the mother of invention". Like Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry said, "A man's got to know his limitations". In other words "if you don't know what isn't possible you often die." So one of the first things that has to happen worldwide is for more people to become realistic about what is now possible. I don't think we are going to see anything like the 1950s to the 1990s ever again. Something else good might be possible, however.

Democracies are now held captive by special interest lobbyists worldwide. However, special interests only exist with the permission of the people worldwide. So, obviously things are going to change worldwide because if you don't let people work or give them a job they are left with few alternatives. they can either demonstrate or starve. When people are left with no alternative to demonstrating or starving people will demonstrate. And special interests cannot exist except by tacit approval of the people. Even property ownership will become meaningless unless people are fed and clothed worldwide by whatever means is found available. So, likely this means power needs to go back to the people. Unfortunately, in these times this might also mean some violence even though I hope it is not necessary. We definitely live in paradoxically strange times.