Occupy Movement Reaches Roseburg
In the spirit of Occupy Wallstreet, some 50 Douglas County residents protested Saturday, Nov. 5 near Bank of America, Chase and Wells Fargo branches off Garden Valley Boulevard.
The group endured the cold, drizzly day to support “Bank Transfer Day,” a national movement to shift monies from big banks into credit unions, stirred by the rising fees, alleged predatory lending practices and whirlwind of foreclosures sweeping the nation.
“I am so proud and appreciative of the OWS movement,” said Jeri Benedetto, an Occupy supporter from Oakland; “I feel this country has been co-opted by big money and our government is broken. It is no longer by, of and for the people. Too many of us are hurting -- badly. Enough is enough, and we're sick of it.”
Protesters, who marched up and down Garden Valley Boulevard, held handmade signs that showed frustration with big banks and the current state of the economy. Protesters also supported Bank Transfer Day by camping overnight on the Bureau of Land Management’s lawn.
Some credit unions supported the day by extending their business hours. Others encouraged new accounts through Occupy-related advertisements. The marquee outside Roseburg’s Northwest Credit Union read, “Tell your big bank, fee ya later.”
To Gary Harris II and Lyn Pepler, both Douglas County residents, the Occupy movement is about reconnecting with humanity. “Not only am I in the bottom 1% of the 99% and in so much debt to hospitals and school that I can't see straight, but this feels like freedom to me. Above all else the OWS movement is about people for people and reconnecting with our humanity,” said Harris.
While the “Bank Transfer Day” idea has been embraced by members of Occupy Wallstreet, the inspiration for it didn’t come from the movement. It came from Facebook.
In fact, the Bank Transfer Day Facebook page says, "While the Bank Transfer Day movement acknowledges the enthusiasm from Occupy Wall Street, the Bank Transfer Day movement was neither inspired by, derived from nor organized by the Occupy Wall Street movement, and the Bank Transfer Day movement does not endorse any activities conducted by Occupy Wall Street."
Kristen Christian, a 27-year-old art gallery owner from Los Angeles, is credited with the idea.
She is quoted on the Facebook page; "I started this because I felt like many of you do. I was tired -- tired of the fee increases, tired of not being able to access my money when I need to, tired of them using what little money I have to oppress my brothers and sisters. So I stood up. I've been shocked at how many people have stood alongside me. With each person who RSVPs to this event, my heart swells. Me closing my account all on my lonesome wouldn't have made a difference to these fat cats. But each of you standing up with me . . . they can't drown out the noise we'll make."
While no official results are available yet of the financial impact of “Bank Transfer Day” on big banks, the impact on credit unions has been immense. According to the Credit Union National Association, 40,000 new members joined credit unions, adding 80 million dollars in new savings account funds on “Bank Transfer Day.”
"This nation needs more economic activity to get back on its feet; credit unions are ready and willing to help gets things moving. Perhaps credit unions and their new members got things started on Nov. 5,” as Bill Cheney, CUNA president and CEO was quoted as saying on the CUNA website.
“I believe the Bank Transfer Day was more a strong voice from frustrated Americans rather than an economic impact incident,” said Gary Gray, UCC Business instructor. “From a financial perspective it would take a massive amount of people transferring their money to actual impact the stability of a major national bank.”
Now in day 53, the Occupy movement hasn’t lost steam; in fact, it continues to grow, sprouting up in small cities across America and encompassing the globe with supporters at the far reaches of the world, even a few on the barren tundra of Antarctica.
Occupy Wallstreet movement marches to Washington D.C.
Occupy Wallstreet advocates in New York, the original Occupy city, are currently involved in a two-week march from New York city’s Zucotti Park (now being called “Liberty Square” by movement members) to Washington D.C. The march was organized to oppose the extension of the Bush tax cuts which only benefit the richest 1 percent of Americans.
The Congressional Deficit Reduction Super-Committee will meet on November 23 to decide whether or not to keep the tax cut extension.
According to occupywallst.org, protesters hope to rally outside the Whitehouse to show the committee what the 99 percent think about keeping the cuts. The other goal of the march is to encourage more people from rural communities to get involved. Protesters plan to camp at many cities along the way holding a general assembly every evening at 7 p.m.in these communities to promote and encourage economic and social equality.
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