November 1,
2011
OCCUPY PROTESTERS SEEN AS MODERN-DAY FOOT SOLDIERS
By Brian Mezerski
NEW YORK, NY - Protesters living in Zuccotti Park have been demonstrating
for the past 47 days as part of the “Occupy Wall Street” movement.
Those involved in the movement are fighting against the destructive
power of major banks and multinational corporations. Many are upset with the role Wall Street has
played in creating an economic collapse that caused the biggest recession in
current times. Uprisings in Egypt and
Tunisia inspired this aim to expose how the richest 1% of people is controlling
the economy. There is a looming fear of
how the global economy is foreclosing on the future.
“Occupy Wall Street” is a people-initiated protest that
began September 17th in New York City’s financial center. The demonstrations have spread to over 100
cities in the United States and in over 1,500 cities globally.
Protesters of the “Occupy Wall Street” demonstration can be
seen as current-generation “foot soldiers” of the Civil Rights movement. Everyday people of the Civil Rights movement had
willingness to stand before water hoses, risk police batons, and march through
streets. These peaceful protests were
the forces that led to the movement’s success.
“Occupy” demonstrations around the world are likewise being
organized using the tool known as a “people’s assembly.” This method facilitates collective decision
making in an open, participating and non-binding manner. Just as those of the Civil Rights era united
in their beliefs for improving quality of life and equal justice, leaders of
the Occupy movements are raising the consciousness of the country on the
fundamental issues of poverty, income inequality, and economic justice.
Protesters from both groups – those in the Civil Rights
Movement and those in the Occupy Wall Street movement – rally for their
specific cause. Although both events are
seen as large-scale demonstrations, every person adds their individual voice to
the greater impact of the movement. If
protestors do not unite, then their ideas may never be heard.
Foot soldiers are known as those individuals who, despite
playing significant, powerful, and historic roles in any movement, remain
largely obscure. It is crucial to
recount the stories of these foot soldiers, for although their efforts have not
been well documented or widely publicized, their courage and contributions have
nevertheless transformed our nation.
Newspaper Assignment Explanation
When
visiting the Martin Luther King site, I was inspired by the Freedom Road
exhibit. This piece displayed statues of
ordinary people, walking together along the road towards their common
goal. I am interested in how and why
people managed to come together and rally for their cause.
When
choosing to write my article, I wanted to not only discuss something dealing
with the Civil Rights movement. For me,
I needed to make a connection to current events. I decided to parallel protesters of the
Occupy Wall Street movement, currently happening in New York City, with foot
soldiers of the Civil Rights movement.
This method gives a unique perspective when connecting to a past event.
Formatted
as a hard-news story, the article first gives the essential information about
the Occupy Wall Street movement.
Timeliness is key in the first part of my article because the event is
happening right now. Readers receive
their up-to-the-minute news about the Occupy situation. There is potential conflict related to the
story; many protesters are being mistreated while they are demonstrating their
side of an issue. Some may agree or
disagree with their methods and motivations.
My article touches slightly on each element of journalism. I wish to inform and educate my readers about
the situation happening in New York City and in other locations. Also, some elements of entertainment are
brought in when connecting the story to a previous event such as the Civil
Rights movement.
