The human rights violations motivating the "occupy" movement
Published on November 2, 2011 by Elliot D. Cohen, Ph.D. in What Would Aristotle Do?
The American people are fed up with watching passively as their homes are foreclosed; their jobs outsourced; and wars are waged for billions of dollars that could have been used to build our infrastructure at home, create new jobs, and improve our educational system. Many are beginning to see the hypocrisy of politicians who embrace a "culture of life" while supporting pointless, bloody wars; and of politicians who claim to be for human rights while at the same time abridging our rights to privacy, equal protection, due process, and other basic human rights enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. Many Americans are fed up with a government that lies to them; and they are distrustful of the mainstream media to expose those lies.
As a result, thousands are taking to the streets of cities throughout the nation and the world in peaceful protest. At last, the 99 percent is standing up to the 1 percent; and it is reasonable to expect that the latter will eventually have little choice but to take seriously the concerns of the former, if only because politicians need votes and big business needs customers.
As a philosopher, I have written extensively about the human rights concerns that are driving the "occupy" movement. But this time, I have attempted to capture the gravity of several of these concerns in a video production. In creating the background music, I have tried to recreate the tone of the protest songs of the 1960s. The music of those days not only mirrored social attitudes but also helped to shape them.
It is often said that a picture is worth a thousand words. My intention is that this presentation speak volumes about the iniquities that presently dampen the social, economic, and political landscape in America.
The video is entitled "Republican Woman (Can't Take Any More)," however the term "Republican" has symbolic import; and the message transcends partisan politics.
Here is the link . Hoping you share with others.
