PEORIA -- The Occupy movement finally is coming to Peoria. A coalition of groups is planning a rally and march for Sat., Oct. 15 from noon to about 3 p.m. Here are some details:
Occupy Peoria March & Rally
Bradley University- Main and University Corner
Saturday, 15 Oct 2011, 12:00 PM
"If you know something is not right in this country.. If you want more from your country- If you are tired of the injustices happening in this country- If you hate politics- If you hate the decisions the politicians are making- If you feel your voice is not being heard- Then join us for our solidarity event with Wall Street. We're all fighting for different things, but in reality it is all the same. We are all fighting for a better life, and a better future for our kids. We know that the root of the cause is failure by our government, the corruption, and the money involved with politics. We will gather at the corner of University and Main.. Get what students we can together.. and March down to the Federal Building (Schock's office)..
"Message from host: If you don't want to or are unable to walk. then meet us at the federal building (about 1 p.m.) I want this to be a big event with multiple groups. Unions and every other organization that wants change in this country and wants to fight for the rights of us, the people. If you have a better idea of a public space of which we can walk to. Feel free to email me suggestions."
I have a small quarrel with the message: I don't hate politics. That's stupid. It's the only sane way to change anything in the USA -- by voting out the idiots.
I will bring candidate petitions and voter registrars to the event. There are important elections coming up -- if the tea party/right wingers could be tossed out, this nation might actually get universal health care, regulations on banks, economy that hires people instead of laying them off, clean energy/environment, and everything else the Occupy groups want.
-- Elaine Hopkins
Update 10/12/11: Here's a terrific analysis of the OWS movement, the best I've seen.
10/4/11: Here's a comment via email from Ed Dentino:
I agree with your point about politics. It seems to me that so many that believe they are being politically astute, are not connecting the cause and effect of economics and politics. They have missed it that the transfer of corporate resources overseas has been the Perot described 'great sucking sound'. Combine that having occurred over the past 30-40 years with the Bush tax cuts and expensive conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan - not hard to understand why the elements of the the U.S. economy are stressed and failing.
I could add that the elements that are failing go beyond corporate and banking to local, state, and national government. Some corporations are thriving, but that trickle down just is going to the top tier. -30-
Elaine -- The City is getting ready to lay off over 50 employees and cut services to thousands of taxpayers. That means there will be less maintenance of our infrastructure, less code enforcement, fewer snow routes, longer response times -- all things that we, the 99%, pay taxes for.
Yet, while our taxes continue to go up for fewer services, the City is also planning to give a millionaire developer and a small group of wealthy investors $37 million of our tax money to build a hotel downtown that we don't need and can't afford. They're also contemplating loaning this group another $7 million from the City's pension fund to close his private funding gap.
The fat cats get fatter, and the average citizens get the shaft. We get to take on all the risk for this boondoggle, but the private investors get all the reward. Gary Matthews gets a $9 million developers fee.
The citizens of Peoria should be outraged. I believe we should take this Occupy movement local. We should Occupy City Hall and call for an end to this kind of immoral redistribution of wealth from the 99% to the 1% right here in our own City.
Posted by: C. J. Summers | October 13, 2011 at 01:29 PM