I really don’t get why the Occupy movement seems so scary to some on the left. Perhaps it is just that they see the status quo as move safe than seeking real change. Perhaps they truly believe that the efforts they are currently involved with will create justice, fairness, and change. Or perhaps, they seem some movement where the folks already in power keep as much of it as they have. But for whatever reason, it is true that the Occupy movement is scarry to people, even some who see themselves as progressives or activists.

When you get right down to it, the Occupy movement is nothing new. It was a bunch of people who banded together to create a visibility and with that visibility, start a dialogue about fairness and equity. Dialogue and fairness are very traditional American values. Nothing really scarry there. The Occupy movement is about being engaged in the process of government and social action. That isn’t new either. Occupy is about being truthful, and calling broken, the systems which are really broken. That’s fairly traditional too.

In the old days….

before the Occupy movement, we might talk about Getting out the vote (GOTV) or we might talk about a rally. We might talk about going to meet with your legislator. These are all “occupy” type actions, without that sexy, trendy title of “Occupy.”

In the LGBT movement, the parallel for Occupy is coming out and being visible. Being a part of the dialogue rather than living a double standard or a lie. That isn’t too hard to compehend, is it?

What do you think about the Occupy movement and is it scary to to you? How has it impacted you or prompted you to be engaged? Leave a comment and let me know.

Photo by Stephen Downes