“He felt you shouldn’t wait until something is affecting you to get out and do something about it.”

[kpete]

Scott Olsen, the Iraq veteran injured by police during protests in Oakland, wasn’t protesting out of his own economic need. Instead, he joined the 99 Percent Movement because he had strong feelings about income inequality that has gripped the nation he fought for. Said one friend: “He felt you shouldn’t wait until something is affecting you to get out and do something about it.”
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/10/28/355708/morning-briefing-october-28-2011/



Injured vet spent day at work, nights at protest

...............

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Iraq War veteran injured during a clash between police and anti-Wall Street protesters this week wasn't taking part in the demonstrations out of economic need.

The 24-year-old Scott Olsen makes a good living as a network engineer and has a nice apartment overlooking San Francisco Bay. And yet, his friends say, he felt so strongly about economic inequality in the United States that he fought for overseas that he slept at a protest camp after work.

"He felt you shouldn't wait until something is affecting you to get out and do something about it," said friend and roommate Keith Shannon, who served with Olsen in Iraq.

............

Olsen was awarded seven medals while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, which he left as a lance corporal in November 2009 after serving for four years. One of them was the Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal.

MUCH MORE:
http://hosted2.ap.org/ARLID/a5050f4ad4f44dafab85bb41a15281cf/Article_2011-10-27-Wall%20Street%20Protests/id-74f9c5e7dd724ef29f4cd953bc65cdd5



In this undated photo provided by Keith Shannon, Scott Olsen is shown at a protest. Olsen, 24, who apparently suffered a fractured skull in clashes between police and anti-Wall Street protesters felt so strongly about economic inequality that he left his apartment each night to sleep alongside the demonstrators, his roommate said Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011. (AP photo/Keith Shannon)

By Thursday afternoon, Harken says, the 24-year-old Olsen was interacting with his parents, who flew in from Wisconsin in the morning, doing math equations and otherwise showing signs of "high-level cognitive functioning." The doctor said he may require surgery, but that's unlikely.
http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2011/10/iraq_war_vet_injured_during_oc.html

[woo me with science]

1. K&R

[raccoon]

2. He is so right!

Unfortunately, a great many people aren't concerned about anything until
it's THEIR ox that's being gored. Or their butt that's about to go into the fire.
Or choose your own figure of speech.