The Story To Tell
Why is the tale behind this photograph so hard to pin down? Why was this the one that needed so much time this week; the one that required so much thought?
It seems simple enough. Descent is on the rise. Discontentment stands at alarmingly high rates. Some would say that 99% of the populace deserves to feel the disfranchisement that is closing in around them, boarding up the doors to their childhood homes. So, people react. They react peacefully. They react with the message of togetherness. The movement is growing. Is that the story?
The young men and women in blue sit in solidarity, with their arms intertwined, ready to take the punishment for disobedience. They’re proud to take the hit, to make the point. They don’t smile or giggle. They chant without the passions of anger or joy, making the point that they are determined. They will stay peaceful, but they will stay. Is that the story?
Too many people, up to their lungs in crushing debt let the air squeeze out in the form of a cry, a cry for justice, a cry for peace. Is it a gathering of people who are well versed in Buddhist philosphy, who have read Eckhart Tolle, who have missed the point? Is it a confused movement filled with those who have experienced satori at some point and call this peace because they forgot what it felt like. Is that what this is?
Is it an odd little dance? One where police officers arrest people for sitting on a bridge that they heard you on to like cattle. Is it about the way one Chicago police officer said, “Let em have the f**ing bridge.” Is it a joke? Is that what this is?
When I first heard about the 99% I thought that was a great number. “Get everyone involved,” I thought. But it seems like we might be missing someone. I could be wrong, maybe the right attitude is that of “f*** those guys” and “it’s all their fault.” But something inside that day made me feel that that wasn’t working.
What do you think the story is?
-Corinne
It seems simple enough. Descent is on the rise. Discontentment stands at alarmingly high rates. Some would say that 99% of the populace deserves to feel the disfranchisement that is closing in around them, boarding up the doors to their childhood homes. So, people react. They react peacefully. They react with the message of togetherness. The movement is growing. Is that the story?
The young men and women in blue sit in solidarity, with their arms intertwined, ready to take the punishment for disobedience. They’re proud to take the hit, to make the point. They don’t smile or giggle. They chant without the passions of anger or joy, making the point that they are determined. They will stay peaceful, but they will stay. Is that the story?
Too many people, up to their lungs in crushing debt let the air squeeze out in the form of a cry, a cry for justice, a cry for peace. Is it a gathering of people who are well versed in Buddhist philosphy, who have read Eckhart Tolle, who have missed the point? Is it a confused movement filled with those who have experienced satori at some point and call this peace because they forgot what it felt like. Is that what this is?
Is it an odd little dance? One where police officers arrest people for sitting on a bridge that they heard you on to like cattle. Is it about the way one Chicago police officer said, “Let em have the f**ing bridge.” Is it a joke? Is that what this is?
When I first heard about the 99% I thought that was a great number. “Get everyone involved,” I thought. But it seems like we might be missing someone. I could be wrong, maybe the right attitude is that of “f*** those guys” and “it’s all their fault.” But something inside that day made me feel that that wasn’t working.
What do you think the story is?
-Corinne