Letters to the editor, October 22 What democracy looks like

Letters to the editor, October 22

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What democracy looks like

Like many Americans, I am fascinated by the scale and scope of the Occupy Wall Street movement. Earlier this month, I had an opportunity to spend time at Zuccotti Park in New York, the very catalyst for the 99 percent movement now sweeping the world.

Occupy Wall Street is an unaffiliated group of concerned citizens who united around the principle that they would not remain passive as the elite (1 percent monopoly capitalists) continue to run amok, tampering with money and lives. The group consists of individuals, organized labor, student groups, social justice organizations and organizations from a wide political spectrum. In their Principles of Solidarity, they explain that they came from all across the country to protest the blatant injustices of our times perpetuated by the economic and political elites.

These 1 percent elites brought the entire country to the brink of bankruptcy and plunged us all into a recession from which we may not recover for many years. Yet, instead of jail, these lords of finance were bailed out with taxpayer's dollars. Major corporations have outsourced and off-shored jobs while receiving tax incentives, leaving millions of Americans without jobs, wages and benefits. Millions have been forced into poverty.

The 99 percent of the people want what everybody wants: the ability to have a home, to make a livelihood, to have a family, to live free. They are protesting for the most basic rights as citizens: to convene, to express themselves and to be heard. They want jobs. They want retirement security. All working Americans want the $2.6 trillion Social Security surplus fund to be used as intended. Seniors and the disabled want no cuts to Medicare or Medicaid.

Organized labor, always in the forefront of the struggle for jobs and economic justice, has endorsed the occupation of Wall Street and promise continued support and backing of the movement of the 99 percent. Seniors and retirees across the country are playing key roles as well. To those brave men and women at Zuccotti Park and around the world, you are what democracy looks like!

Earline Jones • Bridgeton

Retired CWA, Missouri Alliance for Retired Americans, Education Fund

Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/news/opinion/mailbag/article_5ed00588-b594-5ece-805f-a85440c9a94f.html#ixzz1bc7jhICB