I’m sure glad I didn’t have to drive through Seattle last night to get home from work. If I had, I would have been caught in the traffic mess caused by the Occupy Seattle protesters who shut down the bridge at the University of Washington. They received a good amount of media coverage for the demonstration and their message was clear. “Jobs Not Cuts”.
After over a month of ridicule from those who oppose the Occupy Wall Street movement,criticizing it for lacking a clear message, you can imagine my relief when the message was proclaimed with crystal clarity for all the world to hear. “Jobs Not Cuts”.
Wait a second. “Jobs Not Cuts”. That’s the message? That’s why Jerry couldn’t get to his kid’s dance recital last night? That’s why Karen wasted twenty dollars worth of gas getting home? That’s why the taxpayers had to fork out more money for extra police? Because this message is too important to be missed. “Jobs Not Cuts”. You’ve got to be ^#*$&*ing kidding me! Well, there’s a message that will surely get us back on track. Of course we want more jobs and don’t want cuts Captain Obvious! Do you really think you are the first people to ever think that up?.
That’s right. The corporate fat cats and politicians that you despise are sitting in an office right now trying to make your life miserable. They’re saying, “Even though we have plenty of money to hire people and don’t need to cut any services, let’s do it anyway simply because we can.” Is that really how you think the world works? What are you expecting to happen as a result of shutting down the bridge and chanting, “Jobs Not Cuts”? Are you expecting corporate leaders and politicians to see your display and suddenly be jolted back to reality. “Jobs Not Cuts”. “Boy, those protesters have a wonderful point. I had been thinking that cuts to services was the answer to the fact that we have no revenue coming in, but after listening to these articulate young people shutting down roadways, I must reconsider. Perhaps they are correct that having more jobs for people is a better idea. Thanks protesters. You’re swell.”
99.9% of us understand that the economic calamity that we find ourselves in is more complex than jobs not cuts. We all agree that more jobs for people is good and cutting services to those in need is bad. 99.9% of us, however, are trying to do what we can to fix the problem by working hard to get and create jobs, which creates revenue that can ultimately eliminate cuts to services that many of you will likely need. You will need these services because you will continue to believe the solution to the problem is to simply state the problem louder and louder over and over again. While you are verbalizing it and shutting down streets, there are many other responsible people trying to solve it.
I can not be a part of the Occupy movement. I was raised in a home where I was taught that hard work is the answer to economic struggle. When my dad was laid off in the 80s, from his union railroad job, he didn’t get his buddies together and shut down streets screaming, “Jobs Not Cuts”. He got up early and hustled a buck because he had two kids who needed to be fed and cared for. Don’t complain that you don’t have a job. Beat the pavement and convince the employers that they need to you succeed. If I tried to Occupy Seattle, my dad would occupy by butt with his foot!
I agree. “Jobs Not Cuts”. The problem with your message is that you have not stated a course of action, but rather an agreed upon truth. It’s like saying, “Love not War”, “Nice People not Mean People”, “Clean Air not Polluted Air”. We know the problem. Now get off the bridge so we can get to work and find a solution.