Occupy Wall Street (OWS) is an ongoing series of demonstrations in New York City based in Zuccotti Park in the Wall Street financial district. [Wikipedia]. Since then we have seen Occupy protests pop up everywhere including small towns and Europe. The protesters who consider themselves the 99%, being not of the top 1% of income earners in the United States. It has come to be understand that they are frustrated with:

• The way the current system works
• Their inability to be able to succeed in the current system
• The widening gap between the rich and the poor
• Corporate Finance of Political Campaigns

Now do not get me wrong, I agree we have issues and the need for reform. I personally am frustrated with

• The amount of land that is owned by Banks (I read an article last year that I think said 70%, but I am not sure and I can’t find it)
• The waist-full spending done in charities for unnecessary “administrative” and “legal” work. [ Susan G. Komen Foundation suing other charities]
• The waist-full spending in government.
• T.S.A.( See Lady Liberty post)
• [more to be listed later]

The difference between me and the protesters, which is also the difference between me and those who stand on the sidewalk at the University of Texas at Austin preaching we are all going to hell if we do not repent, is the method. Do I think that setting up a camp in the middle of a city is going to do anything but annoy the other members of the 99% group that you claim to be fighting for? No. Do I know what is a good method? No. You can sum up my frustration with occupy movements with the following quote:

“I walked in supportive and left unsupportive,” said 69-year-old Mary Ann, who declined to provide her last name. “I’m turned off by the negative shouts, repetition, and all I can think about is a cult. And I believe in every one of their damn principles.” [http://s.rj9.us/jiqqs]

What I do know is that when Occupy Oakland, a group that has been plagued with violent encounters with law enforcement, takes their money and opens a Wells Fargo bank account, they really do not seem to have the commitment, or the priorities straight, to affect change.

So I have asked myself, since people in our society need motivation to change, what would motivate the “Top 1%” to join the rest of us? A threat to their way of life. I have realized that all great revolutions have been violent. I have been praying every time I see a news piece about “Occupy [LOCATION],” I pray that a violent revolution doesn’t come. I do fear that unless there is an effort buy the general population to demand that the government bureaucracy is changed, we may have an ugly 2012 on our hands.