Occupy Bmore: Your Story

Buy less. Buy local. Stop Feeding that which afflicts us!

I’m one of those 99% that has no significant assets. When I move my account from PNC to MECU next week it’ll be with $100 in deposits, and I have no means for paying the $300 in bills that have are coming due in the next week, as I just lost my job with a nonprofit for people with disabilities because of federal budget shortfalls.

What little I do have will be spent as much as reasonably possible with local businesses. I will buy second hand, trade with friends, and generally consume less. I will Reduce, Reuse, Rethink, and Recycle.

We do not need to beg (or fight) our government or corporations to give us what we want. We simply have to stop giving them the resources they use to club us over the head, and instead use them collaboratively to rebuild society as we see fit. 

I’m from Chicago, but I live here now.  This movement is bigger than this city, but believe me- I’m appalled that a city so small has so much wrong with it.  I’m at Occupy Baltimore because 8 close friends and family across the country have lost career-type jobs in the last few years because of the recession.  Some, including my mom, had been out of work for over a year.  My mom was a good worker but got too old and her job let her go.  She is in poverty, 63 and has no retirement money saved.  She had no rights because the hospital had no union to protect them.  I can go on about the stress we are under, but all I want to say is that I’m sick of being smashed down and kicked aside.  As part of the lower/dying middle class, if we’re the lucky ones who have jobs-we’re all working to be stuck in endless debt and have our security taken away from us.  We are told that we have to sacrifice now even more, while the people with the most money post record profits.  With all of this, it’s easy to get depressed and self medicate, but the best medicine is the strength you feel from being in the street, holding a sign, and making a friend who you know is in the same situation.  It’s that survivor bond- we’re in this together.  Whether or not you’re a “well read person”, seasoned activist, or this is your first time- it’s important to come out because if you have a story or are upset, this is about you.  The quiet hum of the computer is not going to solve anything.  Being present and being counted will.     No one is looking out for us, and no one ever has.  All we had believed we were entitled to was due to the work of our parents and grandparents who fought just like we are being called to do now and now we need to make them proud.

I can’t afford to live anymore, it’s too expensive.

I abide by the rules, go to work on time, do the best job I can do, provide shelter and food for my family but it’s not enough… I’m always having to overdraft from my bank every pay period just to get by… Between the high BG&E costs, gas, rising food costs, rent, school supplies, school clothes, insurance, and I am so glad that I don’t have cable or Internet in my house because I probably would have gone off the deep end!!! It seems like I am just working to pay bills to corporations or companies that have no real consideration for me, the little guy… I’m not a must have spender, I don’t wear expensive suits and buy clothing depending on the season, I keep all of my clothes and seek salvation army or thrift stores to help me get on in life… I did not want to go into these countries and occupy a race of people that were defenseless against are big expensive bombs that could have been used to build schools or churches instead of killing I don’t know howany innocents in foreign countries! This is ludicrous and insane and we need to get to the bottom of this economic abuse on behalf of Wall street, the back door deals with bought politicians, and the regulators that are in bed with the international banks, the regulators, and the worse violators of these disasters in my opinion… THE FEDERAL RESERVE!!! Which mind you, is neither federal nor does it have any reserves. I’ve said my peace but we all need to realize that 99% is us and we need to have better opportunities and a better future for ourselves and our children. Thanks!

My Name Is Brandon Nuckols, and I’m A Hard Worker.

My name is Brandon Nuckols, I am a Project Coordinator for one of the best Network Infrastructure, A/V, Security Solutions Provider in the Nation. I am 24 years old and have worked hard my entire life, a principle instilled in me by the hardest working man I know, my grandfather. For years I, and others have been told that we only have two choices for the direction. For years we’ve been told we can either choose between a corrupt, spendthrift extreme left party constantly implying that they are in tune with the civil liberties and common sense demands called for by the majority of the American people while still refusing to do anything about it , or a corrupt propaganda spewing  Republican party pushing calling for smaller government while hypocritically pushing their social conservative values and religion onto the unwilling. For years we’ve been told “There’s no use in voting for anyone else.” For years we’ve had moderates lambasted and mocked by our political system and media. For years the American people have been coddled and sheltered from the truth for nothing more than the political gain of a few, even if it meant destroying our image in other countries and our countries history of exceptionalism.

I am protesting because I have had enough.

The left is correct, we need to regulate corporations.We need to assure employees are being payed above minimum wage if their CEO can afford to grant himself/herself hundreds of thousands of dollars a year and donate thousands to causes of his or hers choosing.

The right is correct, we need to regulate government. We need to keep them in check and remind them that they work for the people. We need to remind them they are here to protect and serve ALL OF US, and that in no way shape or form should we ever have to trade our privacy for security. We need to remind them that laws and legislation should not be means of taking in revenue and only for whats necessary to make America and its people a more industrious, intelligent, and profitable country.  We need to remind them $100,000 =/= 1000 Votes. We need to remind them that $16 Muffins and wasting billions on out of control unsupervised wars and government contracts is STEALING from the American people.

And most of all that the people are correct. That a society will crumble if those in the government and at the head of corporations are “above the law.” We must hold these individuals to the highest of standards most of all. Together as a people we can save America.

Regulate the Government!

Regulate the Corporations!

Build A Better Capitalism!

Free The People!