WE ARE THE 98 PERCENT

This morning I came across a story written by Licia Corbella, in the Calgary Herald.   At first her story made me smile – then it made me laugh – but then to tell you the truth, it annoyed the heck out of me.  If you haven’t seen or read this, why not take a moment to do so?

The contrast couldn’t be more stark between the Famous 5 celebrants and Occupy Calgary protesters meeting just steps apart Tuesday.

At around noon, about 40 women in hats gathered at the Famous 5 statue at Olympic Plaza to celebrate the 82nd anniversary of women being declared “persons” in Canada, on Oct. 18, 1929. Those five women are proof of the incredible power a few determined, focused people can make when they have a clear plan to achieve a clear goal.

Just steps away, 18 Occupy Calgary protesters are gathering for their daily meeting at noon, called by Sheehan Herlein, next to the pretty pond the City of Calgary’s taxpayers pay for in the square, along with the clean and functioning washroom facilities and pretty flowers.

“The first thing we want to bring up is . . . we need to get something concrete. It’s time to take action on that concrete something so hopefully we can get a big turnout,” says Herlein in apparent seriousness.   (Keep reading if you want a good giggle.)

If you decided not to read the whole thing, her comments end with the following:

" ... there is no agenda, no plan, no solutions. Just a lot of bellyaching about the rich not paying enough taxes. One woman complained that she would like to work five hours a week, instead of five days a week. Who doesn’t? I ask. But this is what they’re “fighting for.” They want the fictional one per cent to pay for their laziness. The problem is that no one at Occupy Calgary can articulate much at all. Their inarticulateness is spectacular, shocking and, frankly, sad ..."

This story captures a lot of what I have thought all along --- a vast coming together of a lot of ideas (many a little on the wacky side) --- with no hope of every coming into being.   

Guess what??  These people are in fact their own 1%!!   

And all of us with jobs (and paying taxes so that they have services, and for some what used to be called a welfare cheque) are supporting many of them so that they can protest and live in tent cities in places like Calgary ... and Vancouver ... and Kamloops.  

I am working today so that I have the necessities of life --- and a little extra so that our family can enjoy a bit of leisure and relaxation.   I know I am definitely not one of EITHER of the 1% … so I guess I am part of the 98 percent.

These protesters DO NOT represent me, or I believe the vast majority of Canadians; they in fact are as I have said … their own 1%.  

They are the 1% and we should be protesting them, except we are busy working and raising families, or keeping busy and or enjoying other things.

I’m Alan Forseth in Kamloops … with the thoughts of one conservative on this round ball we call planet earth.