The OWS Movement Against Foreclosure

The Occupy Wall Street movement against foreclosure related crisis is one of the biggest expressions of public rage in USA since the Civil War and anti-Vietnam protests. Currently after nearly fifty years a major section of the people are voicing their anger with the falling socio-economic conditions of the nation; the focus is mainly on the mismanagement of the economy by the government and the latter’s tackling of foreign affairs.

Since the 60’s the citizens have never been seen to be so united and collective in their actions on such a mega scale. The OWS is part of a worldwide unrest but there are doubts if in USA it will be sustained and continue for long.

This remark is not meant to run down the movement in which many the youth of exemplary character have joined. History has taught that for any mass movement to keep up its vigour and to become acceptable with the public majority there are three factors that have to be present.

The media should be in favour with it, the movement should be fed by intellectual guidance and the support should be mass based. If these three work in tandem then the force becomes formidable.

In the case of OWS there has been very little media coverage or support. In The Bottom Line it was noted “Massive Wall Street protests receive little media attention”. This is not surprising since the media (mainstream) can be taken to be handmaidens of the investors of Wall Street.

Of greater conce
is the fact that OWS has not been able to involve professors and other prominent section of academics. This has led to the image of the movement being negatively impacted upon.

Generally a mass movement bursts into a flame when an increasing number of disgruntled members of the society get together to voice their grievances. When this takes place the media jumps in – sometimes with genuine sympathy but more often because they need drama to feed their coverage.

When the media focuses on the movement then the intellectuals take note and reach out to the protestors. Their involvement leads to proper articulation and guidance. The protestors take the intellectuals to be their mentors and spokespersons.

Due to the lack of support from the academia many remarks like “Tent Monsters”, “Dirty flea-infested hippies needing to go home to take bath” remain in circulation without being challenged.