Watching the Occupy College Hill movement, one cannot help but sympathize with the protesters' cause. Who doesn't want to support a group aimed at fighting for social justice, as the Occupy parent organization describes itself as doing on its website? Who doesn't wish that the lower 99 percent of America had more power?
The problem is that seven people canceling their accounts with Bank of America ("Occupy protesters close bank accounts," Oct. 18) will do absolutely nothing to change corporate America's stranglehold on our political system. Even the efforts of the 2,000 people who started the movement in lower Manhattan last month will be in vain. In the square where Occupy protesters march, Wall Street executives have responded by sipping champagne and watching the representatives of the 99 percent with amusement.
What is the solution? What should you do if you want to fight social injustice? Stop Occupying and give back to your community. Brown students' time would be far better spent volunteering at local free clinics and soup kitchens than waving signs at Kennedy Plaza. As economically advantaged members of society, we can make a direct impact on the disadvantaged by giving a little of ourselves to them.
While the progressive prep school graduates were huddled on the Main Green discussing inequality and injustice, many local organizations were looking desperately for volunteers. Rather than pursuing abstract ideals of social justice that will ultimately only be realized by people in positions of power, why not do a little good immediately?
As for ending corporate America's control of Washington, next November will be a far more opportune time than this October to settle that score. At the end of the day, Brown students will not be able to vote on financial reform legislation in Congress.
The 2012 elections are just around the corner, and every American student at the University will have the chance to vote against politicians owned by Wall Street. For many Brunonians, this may even mean voting for the dreaded Republicans. Wall Street owns Democrats, too. In fact, President Obama received far more money from Wall Street executives in 2008 than John McCain did.
There is also the much talked about relationship between Wall Street and the University. Our president is a former Goldman Sachs board member. The CEO of Bank of America is a graduate of Brown. And many Brown alums go on to work at financial institutions located on or near the hated street in New York.
Brown's connections to Wall Street are neither bad nor good, but they must be acknowledged. We cannot gripe and moan with integrity about the huge wealth present on Wall Street and corporate America when some of this University was built on that wealth. Much of Brown's endowment comes from rich alums who give back to their alma mater from their personal fortunes, which are made possible by our current system.
The point is that social justice will not be realized by 19-year-olds smoking cloves and yelling chants on Prospect Street. Bank of America's board members will not recoil in terror when they see — or rather, if they even notice — that seven Rhode Islanders are no longer their customers. The power of these protests is, sadly, limited.
In a perfect world, college students' yelling would evoke a prompt and effective response from our political leaders. But as the protesters know and despise, this world is far from perfect.
We were all taught growing up that actions speak louder than words. But, as is often the case in academia, obtuse ideals about social justice and society's responsibilities have caused us to lose track of our own hands-on abilities.
But you can just keep protesting. Keep up your yelling about the 99 percent versus the 1 percent, because divisive rhetoric is exactly what we need right now. Keep claiming that you have no power in this world, while in fact you have the power and the time to actually do good.
Rather than talking about the lives of poor people, go and make their lives better. Be a friendly face at a women's shelter. Donate your change to a halfway house. Read to the children at an emergency room. I promise you that they will appreciate those efforts much more than all the time you have spent shouting at stockbrokers.
Stop Occupying College Hill now. Go out and Occupy the lives of the people for whom you are marching.
Garret Johnson '14 is a biochemistry and molecular biology concentrator who enjoys Occupying Chipotle.
