The Online Reflector

The Occupy Wall Street movement is nearing the two-month mark of its defined protests against corporate greed and has expanded nationwide.

Violence at protests in Oakland, Calif., has received significant media coverage, and numerous celebrities and academics have voiced support and taken part in the original protests.

“It’s popular dissent against an unresponsive government,” said Milind Thakar, associate professor of history and political science. “The Occupy Movement is more against corporate greed, and they view the government as a co-conspirator or, at best, as an unhelpful participant in what’s going on.”

The movement has spilled into Indiana, with branches in Indianapolis, Bloomington, Lafayette, Muncie, Fort Wayne and other cities.

Adam Henze, former assistant director of forensics for the University of Indianapolis, attended an Occupy Wall Street protest in New York City on Oct. 22.

“My experience was very moving,” Henze said. “The diversity and strength of the protesters left me in awe.”

Henze also noted the presence of workshops and informational booths to help educate protesters, a food line for those taking part and materials for participants to make signs.

“They were peaceful,” Henze said. “While some used fiery rhetoric, the only aggression that I saw was from the police.”

Also of note was the diverse background of participants. According to Henze, people of all social, ethnic and political backgrounds were present.

“While many news reports claim that the movement consists of poor anarchists, communists and socialists …a large number of these protesters are simply capitalists demanding economic reform,” he said.

While the Occupy Wall Street movement continues, the Oakland and Seattle counterparts have captured the attention of U.S.  media. The Indiana branch has been active as well.

Caleb Mosier, a Ball State University senior philosophy major, has helped to mobilize the Occupy Indy branch of the movement.

“While in Chicago for a class trip, I met a number of members of Occupy Chicago, and I was drawn in by the quality of those involved,” Mosier said.  “It was a new experience to be able to have my political voice heard without an automatic cultural stigma attached and to witness how every idea was considered.  After seeing this, Kai [Bennett] and I wanted to bring this movement to Indiana.”

Mosier found and contacted a group with similar interests, which led to the formation of Occupy Indy.

The organization is based upon the structure of Occupy Wall Street, with various working groups such as Direct Action, Media, Comfort and others. The structure is similar but varies depending on existing needs from city-to-city, according to Mosier.

An issue with which the media have struggled, according to Mosier, Henze and Thakar, is clearly defining the Occupy movement.

“The broad area of corporate greed is being addressed by raising awareness about it,” Thakar said. “I’m kind of confounded by the fact that they haven’t gone into more detail about it. For example, the exorbitant salaries, which corporate CEOs draw.”

According to a 2011 survey by the Institute for Policy Studies, the average ratio of CEO compensation to worker pay stood at 325 to 1 in 2010. This is an increase from the ratio of 263-1 from 2009, despite the continuing economic downturn.

Mosier found that while these overarching messages do apply to the movement, the ideology is still finding itself.

“The messages [the media] demand from us are for parties working within our current political system, which we are transcending, as it has failed the people time and time again,” Mosier said. “We are not striving for a singular political goal. We simply desire to live in a world where each of us, as individuals, has a say in the way we are governed.  Our ‘message’ will come after we all have this individual freedom again.”