Why 99% Spring? {not Occupy}

[xchrom]

http://www.alternet.org/story/154909/why_99_spring/

There are moments in civic life when our political system completely fails to address extreme moral crises. And within these instants generations of warriors for justice have been called to take action that involved risk and ridicule.

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We are in one of those moments right now. And while engaging in the most basic form of democratic practice, voting, is essential, it is clearly not enough to address the steady and strong attack on poor and middle class families in this country.

That is why this spring, during the week of April 9-15, 100,000 people will train to engage in non-violent direct action in the name of a new economic vision. This will be learning for action: an opportunity to grasp what’s at the heart of our economic crisis, crossed with the lessons learned across centuries of movements that came before us. It will be a training that names names, and calls on the trainees to take action to expose those who created and perpetuate the extreme poverty and injustice that so many Americans are experiencing.

We live in an America where more than 46 million Americans live below the poverty level. This is the highest poverty rate since the Census Bureau began publishing such figures. Nearly 15 million children in the United States – 21 percent of all children – live in families with incomes below the federal poverty level– an average of $22,050 a year for a family of four. To make matters worse, six million families have already lost their homes, and 11 million homeowners have mortgages that cost more than the home is worth.

The numbers are so staggering that they can lose meaning. But behind each number is a child wondering if there will be enough food today; a young person with incredible debt and limited opportunities; a neighbor being evicted from their home; a widowed grandmother struggling to make ends meet.

[Jefferson23]

1. K&R. n/t

[Joseph8th]

2. I say "GOOD" on ...

... MoveOn, Unions, Van Jones picking up the pieces of the Occupy movement, which has turned into the very thing its detractors accused it of being (when it wasn't that).

As far as my experience with my local Occupy movement goes -- especially the GAs which I can't STAND and will never go to again -- this can only be a good thing. I'll join in this 99% Spring movement, and help get out the vote and stand up for the poor instead of standing around listening to the anti-intellectual crowd at OWS -- where loudest mouths with the most free time win.