1 – There is the need to immediately do something to help the homeless NOW (an important and immediate concern many of us share, Occupiers or not). That may mean feeding people, temp housing, raising money, volunteer work, etc. Individual people have been doing that for ages – we’re affixing band aids – super sized important ones, but band aids – to a deeper problem.

2 – the deeper problem is the need to fix a system that is making homelessness a situation for more and more people, as homes are foreclosed on and the “trickle down effect” means rents go up and the poorer are pushed down and out.

To me, that’s what the Occupy movements are doing. Raising attention, shining lights, screaming if need be to get all of us up and out there doing something BIG to let politicians and those money makers who are putting profit over people know that we are going to find a way to make them stop. And we’re working together on figuring out how to make those powerful people stop. That’s why we need more people to help us do that – we operate as a direct democracy which means people who work together to suggest new ideas because the old ones (letter writing, voting for the ‘right’ politician, etc.) don’t seem to be working.

One thing doesn’t override the other but Occupy as a movement is here to make some noise and shake things up.

I am afraid there will always be the homeless but we claim to be the greatest country on earth – we should as a country be able to really make some powerful changes so that people aren’t living under bridges and families are living in cars.

People tell us to “get a job” or “take a bath” – when most of us have the former and do the latter – I wonder if the same people shout that at the homeless, and I wonder how they think they can do that with the economy so bad, employment so good, mental health not available to all, housing prices going up, etc.

In short (I don’t do short well), we can help the homeless a lot by demanding changes in who our politicians and governments are working for – the mighty dollar or all citizens of the United States of America (bring me your tired, your poor.. etc.)

as for OCCUPY, come down sometime and talk to me in person and we will see if you truly want to attempt to understand what and why we do what we do. i know and have had many conversations with opposing points of views. i understand them and debate them, and will continue to do so. that is what this country is about. oh and by the way i would brush up on your facts cause i have successfully trashed most facts misrepresented to me. there are not too many that hold water. if you dont see this country needs drastic and fundamental change, then perhaps, you didnt pay attention to all the sacrifices for our freedoms that were made in the history of this country. it was stated by one of our founding fathers that upholding them is the task of each generation that comes after. we have let enough privacy slip away. we have let inequality in many aspects flourish in our society. enough is enough. the revolution will take place with you or without.

Again, I remain amazed at the lack of knowledge some people exhibit with regard to the Occupy Movement. Lets take your statements one by one. First, we are not squatting. Squatting implies we are trying to acquire the property, we are not. Second, No permit is required. Third, The camp is one of our public faces and it has brought hoards of people to our cause. Fourth, We are not “whining and complaining”, we are attempting to fix what is wrong with our (and the worlds)economic system. Fifth, We are, in fact, engaged in multiple activities aside from Occupy which benefit our local community. Have you even heard of the Sustainable Community Project? Have you heard about our donations to local groups? Have you heard about all the things individual Occupy members are doing in their community? Sixth, It is YOUR opinion that we aren’t accomplishing anything. Unfortunately, that opinion is shaped by YOUR lack of knowledge, YOUR lack of due diligence, by the media YOU chose to watch/read and YOUR preconceived notions about what the movement is all about. The truth is I pity you and your stated ignorance. As for the Dayton PD, again, you have NO IDEA of what you are talking about. We support the DPD and they support us. We have worked since day one to build the relationship. We have posted signs showing our support, we were heavily involved in issue 2 and we have made friends with several officers. Wake up Maria, the Matrix has you!

I cannot express how grateful and proud I am to be a part of something so infinitely special.

With love and solidarity,
Stacey – the 99%