Occupy Tulsa 10/15/11

It's been a long time since I took to the streets in protest. The previous first, last, and in between times, were against the war in Vietnam. I have protested many more events since then, but I'm not brave enough to lead a one-woman parade against the war in Iraq, the war in Afghanistan, the global war against women and children, and the insidious war against the working class that has finally driven us out of our homes. Lately, even more than war, I despise complacence.

For years we have passively accepted our the lack of job security, access to health care, and mental health care, in Oklahoma. Teachers have taught in nightmare conditions, as long as they have jobs. They pay too much for insurance and their salaries aren't enough to support a family. In fact, with the exception of a few, very wealthy people in certain sectors, most Oklahomans don't make enough income to support a family. Enough!

No more "been down so long it looks like up to me". Occupy Tulsa on October 15th was the signal that in North Eastern Oklahoma, while we are not reactionary, we are resolute.

It was a good day. I'm not good at estimating head counts, but there was a respectable showing at the start and it appears we picked up quite a few along the walk. Add to the marchers, the solidarity of folks honking as they drove by.

The solidarity was strong, which was interesting, considering the diversity. Every shade of the rainbow, every age, from toddlers to elderly in wheelchairs, marched. The themes were simple, solid, and heart felt. Everyone present was fed up with the financial industry , who took the money, our money, gave themselves millions of dollars in bonuses, and laid off workers, foreclosed with no mercy, refused loans to small businesses, and got richer, while we got poorer.

Poor people live in poor states. So many of our young men and women have gone to war, over and over, to wars that don't even make since to our national security, nor to any other countries'. But we can't give them jobs when they return, can't pay them wages to rebuild our crumbling infrastructures....well, this has all been said. And on Saturday, October 15th, we said it together.

Perhaps the hope will spread here, as it has around the world. I am an American, a Patriot; fourth generation Oklahoma. My hope and prayer is that more of us will make the decision that it is time for peaceful insistence:

• that our tax money is spent to our benefit
• that wealthy corporations pay their share of the taxes
• that Oklahomans have the right to work and be payed a decent wage ,
• have good retirement options
• have good health care. that we have access to good, quality education and vocational training
• that we have a right to live in peace, with the rest of the world, with each other, and with the Earth.