Hey, Wall Street protesters … get a job, already!
By Lynn R. Mitchell | Wednesday, October 5th, 2011 | Culture, Economics, PoliticsDavid Freddoso, the Washington Examiner’s online opinion editor, has written an open letter to the protesters currently causing chaos in New York City as they protest Wall Street and the fact that, you know, people and corporations actually make money to keep this country going.
When interviewed by a reporter, one youthful protester was asked if she would take a job if a CEO walked up at that moment and offered it. “No way!” she disdainfully retorted.
And, therein, is the crux of the problem.
Freddoso’s letter, that has generated over 150 comments so far, begins:
You are not 99 percent of America. I don’t mean that in the obvious numerical sense. If 99 percent of Americans had actually joined your march, Manhattan would have flipped over by now.
What I mean is that if 99 percent of Americans actually sympathized with your cause, the entire nation’s economy would have collapsed long ago — apparently to the delight of the organizers of this current protest.
What I mean to say is, you have a marketing problem.
When you decided to sit in traffic and block the Brooklyn Bridge a few days ago, with that blazing pink “SMASH PATRIARCHY-SMASH CAPITALISM” sign in hand, you probably didn’t see the regular people you stranded in traffic.
You know, the ones with real-world concerns, business to attend to, families to go home to, et cetera. You may have read about such people during college in a book called “The Petit Bourgeoisie,” or something like that. Many of us grew up calling them “the middle class.”
Whatever you call them, they are hurting badly in this economy, probably more than you are. (I’m just judging by that sweet digital video camera I see you holding out in front of the cops, in hopes of provoking them into a viral-video police brutality incident.)
Those people you left stuck in traffic have a hard time paying their bills and rents and health insurance and mortgages. They worry about things like finding decent schools for their children to attend and making sure they don’t get fired at work, and fixing leaking roofs and chimneys.
You know what they don’t worry about, ever? Smashing patriarchy and capitalism.
You have to read the rest of his letter … he nails it.
Shaun Kenney, Bearing Drift contributor and Fluvanna County supervisor, came up with a list of thirteen counter-demands that he calls the “Restore America Movement.” Included are such radical — gasp! — suggestions as restoration of the free market, tort reform, and personal responsibility.
While the protesters proclaim themselves “the 99 percent,” Redstate’s Erick Erickson responds, “If you want to see how foolish these people are, consider their demands, which range from nuts to pure insanity.” His accompanying photo, mimicking the protesters, notes, “I am the 53% subsidizing you so you can hang out on Wall Street and complain.”
With unemployment over 9%, many are concerned that America is not creating jobs and that subsidies are growing by leaps and bounds on the backs of hard-working Americans who were raised to work hard, pay their bills on time, buy a house, raise their families, and help their neighbors. Why aren’t there more jobs in our country at this time?
A clue may be found in the current leadership at the White House. “You don’t have some inherent right just to– you know, get a certain amount of profit,” is what President Barack Obama told George Stephanoupolos in a recent interview. Indeed, one of the protester demands is $20-an-hour minimum wage for everyone, whether working or unemployed. No problem worrying about a profit with that kind of mismanagement.
So the New York protests continue for a third week. How many people with a mortgage hanging over their heads can afford to take three weeks out of their lives to hang out on the street and hold a protest sign? How many people even have three weeks of vacation to frivolously fritter away? How many people would want to fritter away their vacation in such squalor instead of heading for the mountains or the beach?
As a matter of fact, how many of those hard-working Americans are even paying attention to this kindergarten charade? The ones stuck in already-horrific New York City traffic are ticked off at youthful shenanigans that block the streets and bridges, and the rest of America is going about the business of earning a living.
Hey, Wall Street protesters, get a job, already!
Cross-posted at LynnRMitchell.com
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About the author
As SWAC Girl (an acronym for Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County), Lynn has been writing in the Virginia political blogosphere since 2006. Active in area politics, she has coordinated campaigns and served in leadership for the past decade. The Shenandoah Valley of Virginia is one of the most beautiful places to call home ... the Republican Party carries her beliefs.
Comments
16 Responses to "Hey, Wall Street protesters … get a job, already!"
Spoiled hipsters who wouldn’t know how to provide for themselves if they were throw into the world’s most prosperous city and… oh… wait…
Here comes Generation Y, in all it’s entitled, self-esteem centric, trophy kid glory…
These are Obama’s “Ditch Diggers”. Obama claims he pulled us out of the drainage “ditch” on the right side of the road where he said Bush drove us. He has recklessly careened “off the bridge” into the sewage ditch on the left side of the road and is sinking fast with us in the back seat. His “Ditch Diggers” are busy enlarging and deepening his sewage ditch so that eventually we all drown together with our collective faces pressed up against the window of the constitution and screaming in agony.
Tim J,
By any chance was it a dark and stormy night when we went careening off the bridge?
The obvious rejoinder is that they are unemployable and if they make themselves employable then Obama and the Dems will make them wait their turn for a green job
HR, just recalling another Democrat who had a similar incident only not in a sewage ditch and with an entire country in the back seat.
These people are not worthy of being called ditch diggers. Ditch diggers earn their pay.
Shaun, I was thinking to myself what generation Y is.. Is generation Y the “why didn’t I pull out sooner generation”?
If these losers represent any generation, it’s not Gen Y. It’s the Baby Boomers.
JZ, it depends on who’s paying you and what your shoveling.
Generational warfare is as bad as class warfare. The kind of leftwing nonsense we see at Wall St etc has been around for centuries. Under certain circumstances it might be justified, ie when 10 families control the entire wealth of a country. The US has a more progressive system than Europe. It is just power hungry corrupt politicians and their water carriers who are obscuring the basic health of the US system for their own nasty reasons. Lets not forget that chasing after their useful idiots.
The hopey, changy, class warfare Obama started is in full swing. Remember this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUvwKVvp3-o
I don’t think it’s so much a generational warfare as a character decline. Who owes who? I thought we were supposed to do our best and give to those that can’t. By that I mean truly handicapped, mentally or physically. The rest work and contribute. Not one person I see in all the news of this Occupy Wall Street are handicapped except intellectually. Were they all accidentally dropped down the stairs by their moms at an early age?
Sorry, however I will disagree here.
When in doubt, sit back, do nothing and see what happens. Lets see how this plays out.
These people seem to be protesting against Barry and his “wall street democrats”. What might happen when they realise that. When they realise that Barry is not their best friend. How much money does Barry receive from “wall street democrats” ???
Have seen pictures of signs that say “end the fed”. Shades of Ron Paul!!!!!!!!!!
Kathy Mateer nails it!
http://www.zerohedge.com/contributed/update-wall-street-protests
Next Saturday will be a good day to stay home and hide your car: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyziG5bUuBE&feature=youtu.be
This monday will be a good day to visit the clerk of the court and get a concealed carry permit. Gun sales are off the chart the past month and ammo sales are not lagging.
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