To The Occupiers

I applaud your efforts.  It is past the time when concerned citizens should step up and make their views know.  However, there is a difference between a symbolic action and an action that will actually precipitate change.  The Occupy Movement may own today’s headlines, but headlines did not put Alexander, Corker, Black, Fincher, or Blackburn into office.  It was voters that made it possible for these representatives and others like them, with their total disregard for a majority of Tennesseans interests and needs, to put into place policies and programs that created the disparities between the Occupiers and those in the upper 2% of income.  Ironically, while the aforementioned politicians won a majority of votes at recent elections, they were elected with less than 20% of eligible voters.  The situation that has resulted in the need for the Occupy Movement exists because less than half of those eligible took the time and made the effort to vote.  Many who did manage to vote did not bother to find out if the person for whom they voted would actually represent their best interests.

Here is a challenge for all Occupiers.  Rather than spend time and energy in tents in various places within the State of Tennessee, go out into the streets.  Knock on doors.  Register voters.  Help registered voters deal with the recent voter suppression legislation.  And, most important, help educate voters and make them aware of what happens when they fail to put into office people who are willing and competent with the desire to represent their best interests.  Throw the bums out is not a viable solution as we have seen with the results of the 2010 Congressional elections.  Bums were evicted from office but replaced with even bigger bums who had no interest in working for those in the Occupy Movement.  Your efforts to help change politics is needed but that effort cannot be confined to tents on a plaza or tents in a park.  The effort that will bring about change has to be spent on the street, knocking on doors, registering voters, and educating voters of the benefits of policies that best represent their interests and needs and the perils of policies that threaten those interests and needs.

Thank you for your efforts.  I hope the energy can be put to use in a way that will guarantee not only your voices being heard, but your interests, needs, and beliefs being met. Again, thank you