Why Are People Angry With Protesters?

Over the weekend I got into a conversation about the 99% label that has been going around FB and the protesters. My friend was upset with the ones protesting because in her words (roughly), "they are blaming others for their financial problems and if they just invested or saved their money, they could be like the 1% too."

Honestly, I don't see that being the case at all. Granted, I am sure that some people do like to over-spend and rather than take responsibility for it, would rather blame someone else. I get that... But most people I know do not live that way. Most, in fact, live quite humble.

As far as the protesters and the 99% percent go, I have this to say. Remember, these are just my opinions, but I am trying to keep an open mind, so if you want to give me your opinion, I would be happy to hear you out. :-) I keep hearing things about how people are claiming they are not the 99%, but to this day, I have yet to find one of you who it part of the elite. Here are my thoughts...

If you are not the 1% elite, then you ARE the 99%. That does not mean you agree with all of the protests going on, but it does mean you are part of that group.

People are protesting way more than just the international banks on Wall Street. The protests are against some of the bills trying to be passed by our government, like controlling the Internet. Others are protesting for local causes, and are still calling themselves the 99%. Some protests are for health care, and our soldiers returning home to no paid medical coverage... There are reasons longer than I could list in one night on why people are protesting, and the only reason that many of the protesters are using the 99% label is to show that it is the 1% making these laws, and the majority of us want change. This does NOT mean that all these people blame the banks for the state of our nation. We are at fault for the state of our nation by not protesting sooner, before things got so out of control.

As far as those protesting the banks go, I do agree that if we bail out banks, that the citizens should have the same opportunities. If all student loan debt was forgiven, if we didn't have to pay for health care (which I might add costs my family $850.00 a month), then bailing out banks for their misconducts at least seems a bit more fair. But as it stands, the reason so many people are withdrawing money from 'international' banks is because they commit fraud and get away with it. How many people lost everything they invested into their homes because the banks committed real estate fraud and used dishonest practices to get people into crazy balloon payments? It is outrageous what these bankers have gotten away with. If they were held accountable, and all those men and women who got wealthy over the fraud had to pay it back to the citizens and do jail time for their crimes, then I would actually trust our countries banking system.

It is my opinion that the problem is not that most people blow their money, it is fraud on the part of corporations and bank institutions. The workers of Enron that literally lost everything were not blowing their money. They were investing into retirement, saving, and had faith in their company. They lost everything because they trusted our way of doing things. They believed that if they put money into retirement, they'd actually get it back... So as far as the notion that 'if we all invested, and just saved our money, then we could be the 1% too', I don't buy it for one second. If we invest money, and we use a mutual fund through a company that has a great reputation, just to have them steal our money, that is not us being irresponsible, not in the least. If we have a savings account, or retirement, and the company or bank files bankruptcy, that is not us as citizens being irresponsible with the way we manage our money. Point blank, we can not travel from the poorest of poor to the top elite just by saving $50 a month. The 1% are not millionaires, they are not even billionaires, they have trillions. Maybe not in the bank, but in net worth. So no, I do not feel that is possible no matter what we do. Unless of course we come up with a way to steal the shirts off the 1%'s backs, and also everything else they own, then we might make that 1% group. :-)

Bottom line, I am proud of the protesters. Even though some are leaving messes and using it to excuse their own ill judgement, most of the people are out there every day trying to make a difference. They are getting pepper sprayed, hit, arrested, shot at with bean guns, and for what??? Because they are peacefully demonstrating for change? I don't find an ounce of anger with them, even if the protesting is costing the cities for clean up. What I do find I hold in great depths is appreciation and thanks. They are out rain or shine, freezing or heat, in the line of fire to help all of us that are part of the 99%. No matter what their individual causes are. So to all of you who complain about this, I will still hear your opinions, but to those of you who are out there doing all the dirty work to make change happen, THANK YOU! Because there have already been several changes made throughout different states.

To my friend that sparked this blog, I do not mean this as a personal attack on you. :-) I know you are an intelligent and open-minded person. What you said though has mirrored things I have heard elsewhere, and I just wanted to share my thoughts.

Never Park in a NO PARKING Zone! :-)

This is kind of a funny story I heard this morning. Since it did not happen to me, I will not name names. Thankfully, no one ended up getting in trouble. :-)

So, Joe headed to a government building in the city yesterday to work on some locks for the building. Parking was completely full, and Joe didn't know what to do, so he talked to security of the building. They told him to park out front.

Joe's response was, "But the sign says no parking."

Security guy. "That's okay... You can park there, just not random visitors. It is reserved."

Joe looks curiously at the guard, but needs to get his work done and obliges. After several hours of installing locks, Joe heads back out to his non-marked white van in the no parking zone. As he is walking up to the van, two federal labeled vehicles pull up and rush toward him demanding answers.

Joe stops dead in his tracks and looks to the federal agents for understanding, but they do not tell him anything. Instead, they demand to know why he has parked his white van in the no parking zone.

Poor Joe replies, "the head of security told me too..."

The agents do not believe Joe and press him further. They want to know who he is, what he is doing in the building, and demand answers.

Joe repeats the same thing,"the parking lot was full and the security needed the locks done right away. Call inside, they will tell you."

All this time Joe is assuming that the agents out front, who introduced themselves as federal security, are agents that work in the building. He can't understand why they are making such a big deal about it and why they don't just ask their boss since he was the one who told him to park there. But the agents tick away with more questions instead.

Finally, the agents ask Joe for some ID. To which he hands them his business card, still not realizing just how serious the situation is.

The agents eye one another as if Joe is trying to hide something, and proceed to step forward and demand his driver's license.

At this point, Joe is finally catching on that there is more going on than just some building security and hands over his license. He had just been about to crack a joke when that happened about how he really didn't have manure in the back of his van and he wasn't really going to blow the place up... Thank goodness he didn't tell the joke, because that is EXACTLY what the agents thought he was doing.

The federal agents called in Joe's information and found out that yes, he did work for a construction company, no he had no warrants for his arrest, and he was supposed to be working in the building. Then, and only then, did the agents relax. But they warned him that he was going to get a ticket for parking in front of a government building in a no parking zone.

Joe of course does not want a ticket. He was told to park there and doesn't feel it is fair that he get the ticket and have his insurance raised when security told him to do it. But Joe also realizes now that the federal agents are not working for building security, they are with NATIONAL SECURITY. And poor Joe does not want to cause anymore trouble. He accepts his fate and agrees to the ticket.

The agents then question the building security and find out that they did tell him to park there, not realizing it would be a problem since they needed the locks done asap. Finally, the agents realized Joe was not going to harm anyone and was simply doing his job, so they let him go without a ticket. But Joe leaned a serious lesson, NEVER EVER PARK IN A NO PARKING ZONE IN FRONT OF A GOVERNMENT BUILDING! :-)

Opinions Shminions

Over the weekend I went to my monthly writer's critique and since then, I have not been able to stop thinking about the way we let others opinions affect us.

This question goes far into the depths of who we are as a species, because as much as we want to write off what others say, that doesn't mean we always should. If a friend tells me I'm a jerk, what kind of friend would I be to dismiss that?

If, on the other hand, someone makes a comment to me that feels unfair, I probably should dismiss it.

Here are a couple things that I realized pondering all this...

Is what the person said accurate?

Were they making assumptions based on incomplete information?

Was the person speaking from a loving perspective?

Or did the person sharing their opinion literally throw up everything nasty they could think of right on your lap?

The fact is, those around us do often have good and accurate views to share. I know I have grown from things others have told me, even sometimes when they were negative. Afterall, somebody has to teach us how to give the finger... :)

Really though, I think what bothers us the most is when someone has put us down and our fear kicks in. 'Could he/she be right?' That is the hardest of all. But we shouldn't let our fear keep us from facing the truth, whatever that truth is. Without hearing hard things, we never get the chance to grow. Which is something I hope to never stop doing. :)

So for now, I will let my mind rest with the knowledge that for every bad opinion, there is also a good one just waiting to burst forth!

Self-Publishing

Lately I have been toying with the idea of self-publishing. I have a family member who is going that route, and now know miss Katie Cord, who is going that route, and I am just unsure of which way to get my work out.

If I self-publish, I can get my novel series out very soon. Waiting to find a publishing house that wants to put my work out could take a lot longer, but has other benefits. So which is best?

Either way, I have learned from an editor at Tor that new authors mostly promote their own work. At least in the beginning. No matter which way I go, I will be promoting my own novel. So does it really matter if I choose to self-publish, or go to a known publishing house?

I am really battling what to do right now. I would love to have the agent/publisher scenario. Not because I need that per say, but because if I go through others than I am adding to the economy by helping to pay their salary. That is something I feel strongly about.

If, however, it will take several years for me to find an agent and for that agent to find a publisher, then maybe that is not the best route...

Seriously all, I need some input! Please. :-)

My Advice To New Writers...

Since I really didn't know anyone in the industry when I began writing, I pretty much was doing all the typical new writer 'no-no's'. I began my novel with a dream, and though my main character is a prophetic dreamer, to begin the novel that way screams newbie! I also used a reflection to describe an appearance, another newbie mistake... And lets not forget my over 'telling' and under 'showing'.

After meeting with other writers and critiquing each other's work, my writing skills have grown significantly. I am writing like crazy... competing in contests for short stories, I've written most of my second novel in the Ewlishash series, and I also am about 50,000 words into a new series. Going back and looking at the way I first wrote, well... Let's just say the improvement is very noticeable!

For any of you who are new to writing and might want to publish one day, I offer this advice... Join a writing group! Also attend any conventions where you can ask questions to other authors, agents, or publishers. It makes a huge difference. Even if you are just writing for yourself and have no intent to publish, it is still very fun and helpful to get other's feedback.

One thing I kept hearing, and still hear, is concern that someone will give negative feedback. But truly, none of it is negative. Unless you view improving something as bad... Getting critiqued really offers the chance to express yourself more effectively.

So please, to all of you who have expressed concern over the critique process, know that it will only help you improve and everyone, even published authors of many years, get edited...  Plus, you get to feel good about all the successful aspects of your novel!