Confronting the American Dream

October 8 2011 - 02:32

By Hiyam Noir

I felt that something important is happening, yesterday when I came home from the Occupy Wall Street downtown Manhattan entering its third week, since the protest began on Sept. 17th , when about 1,000 activists gathered in Lower Manhattan to Occupy the Wall Street. A protest organized against a political and a financial system which policy rewards the wealthiest 1 %, at the expense of 99 % of the population.

With the economic and social injustice pervasive in our world, the rise of a new large popular - political movement is growing in numbers for every day. It lead me to believe that the Occupy Wall Street - movement may be a turning point for America , and in genuine solidarity with the struggle for economic and social justice around the world. May it succeed or fail, one thing is for sure, we will no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the 1%.

Given the anger, as well as the impatience and grievances which is extending all through the country, I am surprised and confused that despite the alarming situation in the country, yesterday, three weeks after the outburst of popular anger, it turned out to be only about 100.000 people, in America ( population: 312,279,000 people ), that took part in the demonstrations to bear witness to the brutal breakdown of a society which is failing to function. It should have been millions of people out on the streets.

We need change in politics – we need it now and here. Question, has this movement a potential to reshape our common future? The events in down-town Manhattan is spreading across the country, reflecting the reality of the American political landscape. While the world of spectators is watching what is taking place here, they are becoming increasingly aware of, that the American Dream was as short-lived as it was meaningless - nothing to admire or long for. The question is lingering, will American people have the genuine courage - and the time, long enough to wake up, to be able reshape the common future?

In 2010, 48.9 million Americans lived in food insecure households, a hunger and food insecurity by 30 %, meaning they were hungry or faced food insecurity at some point during that year. In 2001 before the recession, 16.1 % of the U.S. population were hungry or faced hunger, according to the Hunger in America paper.(Donald S. Shepard, Elizabeth Setren, DonnaCooper October 5, 2011)

The .org, generationopportunity, one of the fastest growing and largest grassroots organizations in the nation, dedicated to organizing and mobilizing young adults through a strategy based on social media and ground operations said in a statement the following: "The September unemployment- numbers are a reminder of how an entire generation of young Americans have experienced years of concern over jobs and delayed dreams. Through no fault of their own, they have become the nation's true independent experts on the bad economy.”….

The unemployment rate remains at 9.1%, according to today's report from the U.S. Department of Labor. Almost 4.5 million Americans have been out of work for over a year. Full time jobs have been replaced with part time jobs given the economic downturn and unemployment benefits are running out.

Not long time after the big financial bubble burst 2007-2008, the bankers were bailed out by the taxpayers - with no strings attached, while the struggling people continued to suffer from the consequences of the big bank malfeasance, that led to the great recession. Almost $20 trillion in wealth was destroyed in the great recession, and the total of family wealth is still down $12.8 trillion , in 2011 $ currency, from June 2007 — its last peak. Think Progress - economy.

In 1974 the top 1 % of the wealthiest American families enjoyed 2.7 % of all income earned in the country. By 2007, the same privileged 1% of the population had increased its retention to 12.3 % — which is roughly five times more than it had enjoyed three decades earlier. By the end of 2010, corporate profits rose by fully 15 % — their largest stake of the economy since such statistic data became available nearly 70 ago.

Predatory American corporations are spending billions of $$$$’s to attack political candidates they support - or opposes. The American social-economical system rewards profiteering at the cost of human suffering. The American – Dream - culture has taught to equate wealth with virtue. Greed and corruption, lust and pride and rapaciousness have become national pastimes, addicted to entertainment, to pleasure, to food, and to debt - taught to hate those that look different, disparage of other cultures.

An increasing number of Americans have lost faith in the system, looking for an outlet for their individual indignation. Not based on group-unity, nor formed in an expression of solidarity for a common cause, the Occupy Wall Street movement is a spark that has triggered the touch off for a momentous decision. Today there is no political strategy - how to handle the situation? As the breakdown in the American society unfolds, haplessly and jumbled, most Americans have never been taught to think critical, or to live after principles of collectivism, in a society combining the ideal political system, a social & democratic collective.

Today the American Dream has become a nightmare, yet the American people refuse to admit to complaisance – they refuse to recognize the underlying attribution of guilt.

Poverty facts in our neightborhoods.

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