Politics & Government

Occupy Alameda: One Participant Explains Why She Came to 'Occupy'

The protesters met on the steps of City Hall Tuesday at 5 p.m, where several people spoke before they took the rally on the road down Santa Clara Avenue to the Bank of America on Park Street.

Teasha Gable, 35, a single mother of two girls, read a poem to the 100 or so people gathered in front of City Hall. 

"I wrote it this week after being inspired by this whole movement," Gable said. "I'm happy that people woke up."

Occupy for me! Because I am 1 of the 99 percent working hard for my 1 percent of the American Dream

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Occupy for me because when I’ve put in 80-plus hours and I see my paycheck come and go, I’m ready to scream

Occupy for me because I am in debt to my neck with medical bills that I will never be able to pay

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Occupy for me because I am just a single mother trying to provide a tomorrow for my kids today

Occupy for me because one late payment sets off consequential reactions

Occupy for me because I can’t afford anymore $32 dollar bank transactions

I don’t need a handout,

a giveaway,

or a discount on something I’m paying double for already

I am simply asking people to be human in nature and know that our responsibility to one another is not petty

Understand that there is no proven success of the so called “trickledown” effect

And I am not asking anyone to share their wealth to pay my debt

Occupy for me until lawmakers start to do their jobs and create laws that real people can endorse

Occupy for the uneducated who don’t understand the President’s job is not to create policies, but to enforce

Occupy for those who don’t understand that creating laws takes skill and ability

Occupy for those who know that lawmaking takes more than drinking that silly cup of tea

Occupy for the people who know that change takes action in mass

Occupy for history that proves that no country has survived without a middle class

Occupy for this movement because “We the People” can get any train moving with our and collective steam

Occupy for the 1 percent who want to pay their fair share for their American Dream

Occupy for me because I’m here with you, and I see what we all have at stake

Occupy for America, because cheating and greed are wrong, and for that there should be no debate


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