The Move Your Money protest in Claremont, Ca. was a surprisingly successful demonstration. Held on Bank Transfer Day, Saturday Nov. 5, 2011 on the corners where Bank of America, Chase and Wells Fargo all hold sway. The crowd of approximately 75 was well behaved and monitored by two very polite policewoman. Signs had been prepared by a group of MoveOn.org organizers and every participant proudly chanted for reform.
What struck me as an opportunity to participate locally in an Occupy Movement protest, turned into a reaffirmation of my belief in humanity and our nation. The vast majority of the participants were older citizens who were once again making their voices heard. As a 52 year old man, I was clearly one of the younger members of the group, which framed my experience. I looked around at the people who had paid their dues, taxes and were very disappointed with the shape our country finds itself in. Even with the most draconian cuts being promised by the right, this group probably wouldn't suffer a negative affect to their Social Security and Medicare safety nets. Listening to them speak of their opposition to the bank monopoly that had formed and nearly drove the US into an economic Depression; I knew these were very sharp and committed people. I feel certain that the majority were involved with the renowned Claremont Colleges, either as administrators (a former college President spoke) or professors. The first protest I've ever attended was a shared experience with a whole lot of dedicated people, who choose to educate our young as a career. Forsaking the large payoff private enterprise offers our biggest thinkers, many had committed their professional lives to improving and preparing the next generations big thinkers (for a modest income).
I struggled to figure out why these people were standing on the corners of a quaint and historic college town, when they could have been sleeping in. With their own futures all but assured, they choose to make their complaints about our country's future heard in public. The few that spoke struggled to be heard by everyone, even while using a megaphone. But their messages were very simple....the banks are too concentrated, they have not been conservative enough with their investments and they have let the country down by trading in failed financial instruments and causing an economic meltdown. They expressed concerns that the banks and Wall Street have not changed at all since they were bailed out by the US government; not realizing so many citizens don't want the thirst for more profits tanking their economy again. They spoke of the unfairness of banks who received taxpayer money to save them from bankruptcy, continuing to repossess the houses of record numbers of citizens.
While very few faced foreclosure, one spoke of a local cabinet maker who was nearing retirement, but whose business has failed due to the recession. The man had refinanced his house in 2001 to buy new tools and a truck for his business and to take advantage of a lower interest rate. With business steady the man was meeting his obligations and was not living beyond his means. When the financial crisis struck in the fall of 2008 his business began falling significantly and two years later he began to miss his house payment. As a small business owner he did not qualify for any of the government sponsored mortgage assistance programs and the bank began the foreclosure process. Today he is about to lose his primary residence and source of wealth, a house he worked hard for his entire adult life. The speaker's summary was this craftsman was losing his house to a bank, who's misbehavior had caused the economy to severely contract. A bank that received a bail out because it is too big to fail, but can't wait to repossess this small businessman's house. The government that was supposed to protect this citizen from ruin, through no fault of his own, can only apologize for his misfortune. Finally, he questioned the crowd, "Are we going to sit back and let this happen to this man? Is our government going to allow the very business practices that crushed our economy or regulate the financial industry (and other industries) so this doesn't happen again? What is more important to us, citizen's whose lives have been ruined or corporate profits?"
This wonderful country was built by people like this speaker. If a family member, friend or neighbor needed some help, all they had to do was ask. When one suffered an injustice, others took up for the innocent. Our country was formed by the people and for the people. The Constitution was designed to protect the rights of us all collectively and individually. The concept of a modern day corporation did not even exist when our country was founded. Since the Supreme Court has decided that corporations have the same rights as citizen's, we are experiencing the corruption of individual rights and protections. I felt protected by my fellow citizens who were neither dirty, shiftless or communists. These were real people with legitimate concerns, and a lifetime of service to the youth of this country. When I left after the end of the protest I looked up at the Bank of America branch, where I have banked since 1985, and I felt threatened by their newly acquired rights; but mostly afraid of the money they can spend drowning out our small voices.