Since October 15, the group called Occupy Richmond has been marching along sidewalks, holding up signs stating what they believe is wrong in America, and holding general assembly (GA) meetings to discuss ways to draw attention to their cause and get people to put pressure on our elected officials to fix the problems we face in America.
I went to Kanawha Plaza where they have a base camp set up. There were about 125 people at the plaza when I went down there on Sunday morning, as they were just finishing a GA meeting. I took some pictures, and talked to some people about why they were there.
John from Short Pump said, “I’m here because I feel the people of the United States do not run our government. It’s just a small number of people with the most money, who have the ability to influence what our government says and does who run it.” John told me, “After decades of deregulation and lobbying, our government is run by the needs of big business, banks, corporations and the Federal Reserve; leaving the average citizens of the United States with little or no say in what happens in our country.”
Saying he believes he can help the movement gain some ground, John wants to come up with tangible goals to help revolutionize how our government operates, and how corporations and banks are regulated. So, that in the future, they will not be allowed to engage in the fraudulent activities causing most of the problems we are having now.
The majority of people I talked to at Occupy Richmond believe that the most important way to fix our government is to take money out of politics. They say that donations and backroom deals are what have led to the political corruption that engulfs our country today.
Many people are concerned about the burden families face with the cost of healthcare. Some are saying that a good percent of the average income goes to pay for healthcare. Moreover, people who cannot afford healthcare are going bankrupt and losing their homes trying to pay hospital bills when a family member becomes sick or injured.
There are people who told me they are angry that the government is spending so much of our tax dollars on war and rebuilding other countries, while our infrastructure and education system continue to decline. People stress the fact that it is not the government’s money to play with; they get it from us. Without us, they would have no money, so we should have a say in what they do with it.
Contrary to popular belief, this is not a GOP bashing rally. Several people, including Sarah from Mechanicsville, told me that they believe President Obama’s corporate affiliations put him in the same category as everyone else in Washington.
Frank from Richmond said, “I’m tired of the president complaining that Congress refuses to work with him. If you remember, Obama had a Democratic majority Congress for two years, and he did nothing with it. I voted for him because of all the promises he made. He won’t fool me again, but the problem is that no one else running for president is any better.”
Occupy Richmond has been a peaceful demonstration and part of their daily calendar is cleaning the park. One of the speakers at the GA said they have been told that they may have to take down their tents because of a city ordinance, but so far, it has not been enforced. She also said they are committed to the cause and do not intend to go home when it gets cold.
