Scores of demands embedded in the nationwide movement, Occupy Wall Street, were brought to attention in Lansing.
Early Saturday, locals and visitors — totaling nearly 300 according to one estimate — assembled on the steps and lawn of the state capital to represent personal causes for not only supporting, but contributing to the series of demonstrations that have captivated the nation.
The overall message was clear: Government should discontinue any such behavior of capitalism and corporate greed so democracy will rise but social and economic inequality will discontinue. In that way, the Lansing demonstration fit the mold of last month’s original gatherings.
Inevitably, said Matthew Solo, a Michigan State University student majoring in political theory, said everyone’s personal reason for protesting differed from his or her neighbor’s.
“I think there’s a wide range of why people are here today,” Solo said. “I think it goes anywhere from opposition of capitalism as a system, to opposition of laissez-faire policy. I’m not sure whether people think they can stop human greed but I do think there’s such a thing as effective government legislation to keep it in check.”
Solo shared his thoughts on what specifically unsettled him.
“The concept of corporate personhood basically allowing an unlimited indisposed amount of money to go under the radar to political parties really concerns me,” Solo said. “Our vote is supposed to be the most important. There are too many examples of conflicts of interest and most of them relate back to money.”
Protesting against these actions, the “have-nots” referred to themselves as “the 99 percent.” They state they suffer the consequences of government lopsidedness. Solo, who wore a sticker promoting the
website oneofthe99.org explained this concept.
“The one percent is a very few group of people who don’t feel the recession, and that’s because of the tax system the way it is,” Solo said. “The idea is our income is remaining the same whereas the 1 percent has gone up over 230 percent over the last 30 years despite the recession.”
Eastern Michigan University students Nathan Mentley and Cat Schlenker traveled from Ypsilanti because they saw a significant meaning in representing their part of the 99 percent.
“One of the biggest things about the Occupy Wall Street is a lot of the hash tags you’ll see are “Occupy Together” or around the world protests for positive change,” Schlenker said. “I think it’s important to reflect where you’re from so people can see that you obviously care enough to travel other places to show you care about it. One of the main points is that we’re supposed to be standing together.”
Several other EMU students including junior Michael Reynolds, a communications major, who spoke to the crowd from the steps of the capital, joined them.
Joe Stiles, a Lansing resident, said because he is employed, he couldn’t be lumped in with the 99 percentile.
“I work for what I get,” Stiles said. “Capitalism is what made America and it’s what’s going to keep America strong. Let the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer. Life is what you put into it, totally. I understand the right to protest… but they’re protesting against the wrong people.”
Instead, Stiles, who observed the protestors politically marching downtown while on a smoke break outside a local bar, offered an alternative strategy.
“Get a job,” Stiles said. “Work a little bit harder. Don’t just expect the rest of us working
Americans to pay what you think you should have. Don’t think that just because you’re poor, the rich are going to share with you.”
The people who represented the vast majority at the capital claimed to be mostly concerned with the fate of small businesses or government funded programs like Medicare and Medicaid, while “occupying” head to toe in normal gear — picket signs, posters, megaphones and handouts.
One of those protestors was Oregon resident Louie Kohler, who painted the words: “WALL STREET OWNS U.S. GOV’T, GIVE IT BACK” on the back of his acoustic guitar. Partly as a tribute to the Canadians who originally lit the Occupy fire, Kohler played a song by Canadian musician Lynyrd Cohen at Lansing’s encampment.
It was the support of Mayor Virg Bernero to the city that made Kohler feel safe about participating.
“That’s what we need,” said Kohler, who hadn’t participated in a protest in 42 years. “We don’t need people getting tear-gassed. I was in one demonstration in D.C. against the Vietnam War and I got tear-gassed. And the reason I got tear-gassed was the cop standing next to me—in street clothes—threw bottles at the cops in uniforms just to get them to tear gas the crowd.
According to First Lieutenant Chris Kelenske, various meetings occur at the capital, which is state property, daily. When the protestors marched downtown, they were then in the hands of the Lansing Police Department.
“We’re here to make sure that their constitutional rights are protected and that the environment is safe for everybody because there are there are counter demonstrators here too,” Kelenske said. “Not everyone has the same beliefs as most people here.”
A rambunctious crowd, he explained, is always a possibility, given with the nature of the subject. Knowing that, Kelenske prepared but reiterated to officers to resist using unruly behavior.
“I made it very clear to all my personnel this is an event not meant to be an adversarial relationship; even though some want to make it that way with the police, that’s not going to happen with us,” Kelenske said. “We’re just here to guarantee safety.”
Throughout the day, the disputes did not exceed a verbal level. Medicare and Medicaid, for example, turned out to be hot topics of discussion. Solo offered his opinion on the policy changes.
“They’re talking about reforming these programs and for social security to be already paid into,” Solo said. “That is supposed to be an entitlement for us that, apparently, they don’t even have anymore. As far as I’m concerned, that’s money we pay into and we’re supposed to be taking back that’s just gone. There’s got to be a better way than that.”
Smoking football fan Stiles sarcastically apologized for the unfortunate situation.
“Sorry, I was recently unemployed in June, and it took me three days to find a job — with benefits,” said Styles, who earlier admitted to negotiating employment at a family owned business. “A little bit of motivation can take you a long ways in this world.”
One of the major criticisms against the Occupy Wall Street protests is it lacks a concise, easily digestible goal and mission statement. Zak Winchester, 23, was satisfied merely with the idea of a movement starting in Lansing and in his hometown, Detroit.
“Actually changing laws, we did nothing today, but we have started,” Winchester said. Some people get epithetic when they see how much work there needs to be done and don’t even want to try. But we have to start.
“We’re stroking flames of a bigger fire — I know I’m not going to stop. We all have to implement what we’re trying to espouse here in our personal lives. It’s not only when we’re occupying, we’ve got to go out there and recruit.”
