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Yilan, Taiwan
I just returned back to the States after 11 years in Taiwan with my daughter. Taiwan is an excellent base for us explore Asia, while living in relative (gun free) safety, while benefiting from a cheap and efficient national health care system. The people are amazing too. I have Taiwanese friendships that are 20 years old and I'm always making new ones! My coworker here in CO is from Taiwan.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Protesting the Protesters

I noticed there is this undercurrent of critical animosity against the Wall St protesters coming from the co called ”Free Thinkers.” Its good to question the arguments and facts, long may the truth have a voice and prevail. But I cant help but be disturbed. The tea party backlash is to be expected, but some of my colleagues/peers/friends who in their own way delegitimize the Wall St protesters or confuse the message, I cant help but feel disturbed. Amazing what shit rises to the top once the pot starts being stirred.

Going around Facebook were various wall posting being shared, one that said the picture of the protesters was highly doctored and falsely portraying the sheer number of protesters. The other was of a male protesters texting a suggestive Twit, with the caption being something akin to “corporate greed made it possible to Tweet your protest you stupid protester.” I liked it because its true to an extent and I shared it myself, but felt guilty that I was perpetrating the confusion of the protest movement’s message.

So I ask myself, why the backlash? And who are these “free thinkers”? Of my peers, they all happen to be male and white. I think they must be closet Republicans (elitists in their chrysalis morphing into their true nature, due to emerge ugly classist moths) or they on some level are being confronted with their own privilege and either freaking about it or are too coward to acknowledge their privilege and why their lives are still so shitty. That sounds too harsh, perhaps its how they deal with the let down of the so-called American Dream. There are a lot of great reading out there on the subject and I came across this article “Panic of the Plutocrats” on the plane back from Tokyo (sounds so cool to say just let me have this one) and thought it eloquently stated my thoughts exactly.

The most recent FB post (from another white male again) was in support of the 1%! He said somethine like, Quit bitching about the 1%! They went to work today. They didn't sit around in a park smoking refer, banging on drums, bitching about student loans that they themselves signed for, or defecating on police cars. I want to join the 1%!" Shocking. I didnt know how to respond but I couldnt let it go and for lack of words posted something about Vets in support of the protesters (he's ex-Marine).

Interesting times! Support Democracy and Curb Capitalism.

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