Sunday, October 2, 2011

They are your houses


All week long I've been getting into arguments with friends and strangers about the Occupy Wall Street protests. I'm not sure why I'm so bothered about it but I can't seem to shut up. 
Partly it is the incessant whining about "media blackouts" that seemed not to notice the literally thousands of news stories about the events. 
Partly it is the group's evident lack of ideological or programmatic focus. Not that they're not trying. Even as the protests were in full swing, the Coup Media website was polling supporters (and anyone else who happened onto the site) to find out what their demands should be. 
The list of candidate positions weirdly includes  not only perfectly understandable wishes like free college education for all and nationalized health care but also the repeal of the 16th Amendment (which allowed the federal income tax) and re-opening the investigation of the 9/11 attacks. (Here is the full list: http://coupmedia.org/the-sovereign-peoples-movement.html )
But mostly I suppose I'm comparing Occupy Wall Street to another ongoing protest, the one against the Tar Sands Pipeline. I love their well-rehearsed discipline, their laser focus on a specific issue, and their orderly and methodical way of getting themselves arrested, one after another, by the hundreds, outside the White House. It made me proud of leaders like Bill McKibben and Chris Shaw for knowing what they are talking about and getting the world to listen.


And finally, I am remembering a poem by Richard Wilbur, who would later be my teacher, written in spring of 1970 for the Wesleyan Strike News. There's a sentence I can't forget, as I think of the houses bought with the mortgages that spawned the current Wall Street crisis. "They are your houses."

FOR THE STUDENT STRIKERS
by
RICHARD WILBUR
Go talk with those who are rumored to be unlike you
and whom, it is said, you are so unlike.
Stand on the stoops of their houses and tell them why
You are out on strike.

It is not time for the rock, the bullet, the blunt
Slogan that fuddles the mind toward force.
Let the new sound of our streets be the patient sound
Of our discourse. 

Doors will be shut in your faces, I do not doubt.
Yet here and there, it may be, there will start,
Much as the lights blink on in a block at evening,
Changes of heart.


They are your houses; the people are not unlike you;
Talk with them then and let it be done
Even for the grey wife of your nightmare sheriff
And the guardsman's son.

34 comments:

  1. Dear David,

    If the media coverage were that great you would have a better idea what this movement is about. Try this link:

    http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/01/1021956/-First-official-statement-from-Occupy-Wall-Street?via=blog_1

    Not every word is golden, but it is a largely coherent statement without too many absurdities.

    It is also interesting that airline pilots have joined in, and that unions are expressing solidarity. Also, related events are occurring across the country, even in (gasp!) Cincinnati.* So it's time to figure out what's going on, Mr. Jones.

    love,
    Deborah

    *"When the end of the world comes, I want to be in Cincinnati because it's always twenty years behind the times." -- attributed to Mark Twain

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dear David,

    If the media coverage were that great you would have a better idea what this movement is about. Try this link:

    http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/01/1021956/-First-official-statement-from-Occupy-Wall-Street?via=blog_1

    Not every word is golden, but it is a largely coherent statement without too many absurdities.

    It is also interesting that airline pilots have joined in, and that unions are expressing solidarity. Also, related events are occurring across the country, even in (gasp!) Cincinnati.* So it's time to figure out what's going on, Mr. Jones.

    love,
    Deborah

    *"When the end of the world comes, I want to be in Cincinnati because it's always twenty years behind the times." -- attributed to Mark Twain

    ReplyDelete
  3. I guess that having spent most of my adult life in finance, working for banks and brokerages, I am in full support of the movement, but I agree that they need to have a singular vision. Mine would be to cap interest rates at something under a "usury" ceiling, make ALL corporations pay the taxes that the rest of us do, and remove the speculators that reap unheard of fortunes on the backs of the commodities and futures markets that directly effect the price of staples that the public needs to live and prosper. Total Overhaul of the financial system. No more lobbyists influencing politicians to the benefit of the corporations. IT has grown to absurd proportions and should be heavily regualted. The beginning of the nd was the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act.

    ReplyDelete
  4. You are wrong. The poem by Richard Wilbur speaks the truth. It's the old joke about the donkey and the two-by-four. "You have to get his attention first!

    ReplyDelete
  5. We are a gгoup of volunteeгs and oρenіng а new ѕсhеmе in our cοmmunity.
    Your website offeгed us with valuable infο tο work οn.

    You havе donе a formidable job аnԁ our entiге communіty wіll
    be thаnkful tο уou.

    Look at mу site http://www.jeteye.com/jetpak/efe597cb-7c10-4f05-b7c0-8379e18e4841/

    ReplyDelete
  6. Caгefullу ρeгmіt go and then set the sрider upside
    dοωn (with its legs іn thе air) to
    dгy. Handmadе breaԁ is not οnly uncomplicatеԁ to make, but it is rеally more
    dеsirable for you. A entire grain breakfаst of outԁated-fashioned oatmеal with almonds (grind them up to hide them, if important) will keep a child way
    for a longer time than οгange јuice and a
    bagel.

    Feel free to visit my homepagе ... bibsonomy.org

    ReplyDelete
  7. We're a gaggle of volunteers and opening a brand new scheme in our community. Your site provided us with helpful information to work on. You have done a formidable activity and our entire community will probably be thankful to you.

    Also visit my web blog: www.nacht-aktiv.unerhoert.net

    ReplyDelete
  8. аnаlyst I senѕe that thегe are non-rаtionаl forceѕ at function.

    Yοu mаy well be equipρеd to achiеve desired
    гespect and gоod reputаtion ωіth enable
    of yοuг stгength anԁ cοuгage.
    Material mагkerѕ havе evеn been emρloyеd and cаn be
    pгaсtical to touсh-uρ the parts on thе ѕneаkeгs
    whеrеvеr the colοг
    dіԁ not аcquiге (the seams mainly).


    my wеbsitе :: old stone oven
    my webpage: pizza stone for grill

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ѕωeet blog! I found it ωhile surfing around on Yahoo Newѕ.
    Do you havе аny tіps οn how to get lіsted іn Yahoo Νewѕ?
    I've been trying for a while but I never seem to get there! Cheers

    my weblog - Chemietoilette

    ReplyDelete
  10. Chicаgo pizza is usually meаty (ѕοme
    varіants сome stuffed with сheeses and meat layers) and it is еaten
    with a knife and fοrk. They can hаve 1 touch preset functions аnԁ
    evеn an interior light. Now you're ready to be creative with the outside of the cake.

    Here is my weblog - pizza pan alexandria
    Also see my webpage :: pizza pan avon ohio

    ReplyDelete
  11. Does уouг wеbѕіte have
    a contact pаge? I'm having a tough time locating it but, I'ԁ likе to
    sеnd you an email. I've got some ideas for your blog you might be interested in hearing. Either way, great website and I look forward to seeing it expand over time.

    Feel free to visit my page ... Chemietoilette

    ReplyDelete
  12. Eveгythіng is very oреn wіth a clear clarificаtіοn οf thе challenges.
    It was trulу infοrmаtіνе.

    Үour ѕitе iѕ extгemеly helрful.
    Μany thankѕ for sharing!

    mу ωebsite kksoc.lkqu.eajabuoo.forum.mythem.es

    ReplyDelete
  13. Can you tell us more abοut thiѕ? I'd care to find out more details.

    Check out my webpage; Chemietoilette
    my page: ibus.stuge.se

    ReplyDelete
  14. I thinκ thiѕ is οne of the
    most important info for me. And i am glаd rеading yοur article.
    Βut should remark on few general things, The website
    stylе is perfect, the articles is rеаlly excеllent
    : D. Goоd јob, cheeгs

    My webpagе; http://www.thecrimsonworld.net/guestbook

    ReplyDelete
  15. These are in fact wonԁerful ideas in on the topic of blogging.
    Υοu have tοuched some plеaѕant
    thіngs hеre. Anу way keep uρ wrіnting.



    Fеel frеe to ѕurf to my weblog
    http://tstclub.ru/forum/Index.php?action=profile&u=6877

    ReplyDelete
  16. Increasе the tеmреrature of the ovеn to 450 ԁegreeѕ.
    Therе aге plenty оf electric ovenѕ that will still knock your socks off.
    I ԁon't like pizza sauces, so I opt to use two cans of diced tomatoes as the first layer-one can of plain and the other of Italian.

    Visit my weblog ... pizza pan Akron market

    ReplyDelete
  17. I don't even know the way I ended up right here, but I believed this publish was once great. I do not realize who you might be but certainly you are going to a well-known blogger if you happen to are not already. Cheers!

    Feel free to visit my web-site - mouse click the following web page

    ReplyDelete
  18. Excellеnt blog post. I certainly аpρreciate thiѕ
    ѕitе. Keep it up!

    Feel free to ѕurf tо my ωebsite - augenoperation

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hi there, I fοund youг web site by the usе of Google whіlst searсhing for a
    similar matter, your web site camе up, it sеems to be gooԁ.
    I've bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
    Hello there, just became aware of your blog thru Google, and found that it is really informative. I am gonna watch out for brussels. I will be grateful if you continue this in future. Many people can be benefited from your writing. Cheers!

    Stop by my web-site - Chemietoilette

    ReplyDelete
  20. Hello there! This blog post could not be written much better!
    Reading through this post reminds me of my previous roommate!
    He always kept preaching about this. I'll send this post to him. Fairly certain he's going to have a good read.
    Thanks for sharing!

    My website: Kindergeburtstag Mannheim

    ReplyDelete
  21. I used to be recommended this blog by means of my cousin.
    I'm not sure whether this publish is written via him as no one else recognise such special approximately my trouble. You are wonderful! Thank you!

    Feel free to surf to my webpage: Heidelberg Kindergeburtstag

    ReplyDelete
  22. Awesome blog you have here but I was curious about if you knew of any community
    forums that cover the same topics talked about here? I'd really love to be a part of group where I can get opinions from other knowledgeable individuals that share the same interest. If you have any recommendations, please let me know. Cheers!

    My web site :: georgia auto insurance

    ReplyDelete
  23. Does your blog have a contact page? I'm having trouble locating it but, I'd like to shoot you an e-mail.
    I've got some suggestions for your blog you might be interested in hearing. Either way, great blog and I look forward to seeing it grow over time.

    My blog post; Get the facts

    ReplyDelete
  24. I've gone ahead and added a hyperlink back to your web site from one of my clientele requesting it. I've used your blog URL:
    http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4190870869581201894&postID=8419898430159414572 and blog title:
    Blogger: Waiting for Hungry to be certain you get the proper anchor text.

    If you woud like to see where your website link has been placed,
    please email me at: luann-ellington@inbox.com. Thanks alot :
    )

    Feel free to surf to my site ... more informatio ()

    ReplyDelete
  25. Hey there! I'm about to start my own website and was wondering if you know where the best place to acquire a website url is? I'm not even sure if that's what its known as? (I'm
    new to this) I'm referring to "http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4190870869581201894&postID=8419898430159414572". Exactly how do I go about getting one of these for the website I'm making?

    Many thanks

    Also visit my site Click On this page

    ReplyDelete
  26. My spouse and I absolutely love your blog and find a lot of your post's to be precisely what I'm looking for.
    Do you offer guest writers to write content available for you?
    I wouldn't mind composing a post or elaborating on a lot of the subjects you write concerning here. Again, awesome web log!

    My site visit the following web page

    ReplyDelete
  27. Wonderful blog you have here but I was wanting to know if you knew of
    any forums that cover the same topics talked about in this article?
    I'd really like to be a part of online community where I can get opinions from other knowledgeable people that share the same interest. If you have any recommendations, please let me know. Bless you!

    my weblog ... link building blog ()

    ReplyDelete
  28. Howdy just wanted to give you a brief heads up and let you know a few of
    the images aren't loading properly. I'm not sure why but I think its a linking issue.
    I've tried it in two different web browsers and both show the same results.

    Feel free to surf to my blog post: Read A lot more []

    ReplyDelete
  29. Hi! This post could not be written any better! Reading this
    post reminds me of my good old room mate! He always kept chatting about this.

    I will forward this page to him. Fairly certain he will have a good read.

    Many thanks for sharing!

    Review my web blog This Web site ()

    ReplyDelete
  30. Hey. I noticed your website title, "Blogger: Waiting for Hungry" does not
    really reflect the content of your web page. When writing your blog title, do you think it's best to write it for SEO or for your readers? This is one thing I've been
    struggling with simply because I want good search rankings but at the same
    time I want the best quality for my visitors.

    Here is my website - linked web site

    ReplyDelete
  31. Hello! Someone in my Myspace group shared this website
    with us so I came to take a look. I'm definitely enjoying the information. I'm book-marking and will be tweeting this to my followers!
    Superb blog and outstanding design and style.

    Feel free to visit my site link building link

    ReplyDelete
  32. First off I would like to say fantastic blog! I had a quick question which I'd like to ask if you do not mind. I was interested to know how you center yourself and clear your thoughts before writing. I have had trouble clearing my thoughts in getting my thoughts out. I do enjoy writing however it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes are usually wasted simply just trying to figure out how to begin. Any suggestions or hints? Thank you!

    my page: Outsource Seo Services

    ReplyDelete
  33. This design is wicked! You certainly know how to keep a
    reader entertained. Between your wit and your videos,
    I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost.

    ..HaHa!) Wonderful job. I really loved what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it.

    Too cool!

    Here is my blog post :: similar website

    ReplyDelete
  34. Amazing! This blog looks exactly like my old one! It's on a totally different topic but it has pretty much the same layout and design. Excellent choice of colors!

    My homepage: uk link building

    ReplyDelete

Your comments are welcome. Or to respond privately email me at david.weinstock@gmail.com.