The very exclusive 1 percent that Occupy Wall Street attacks became that 1 percent because it worked hard. And thus, I have not so endearingly nicknamed the protesters the "Wall Street Whiners." As the protest enters its fourth week, still without a cohesive aim, the movement has positioned itself as the 99 percent that is unhappy with America's top 1 percent, its money and influence.
The majority of these protesters are depicted as the young and unemployed, infuriated with the broken promises they have been fed. These promises apparently guarantee that a college degree leads to a job, an affluent standard of living and a life happily ever after.
While such promises may have held true for our grandparents, a degree is now a dime a dozen. Times are changing, and it is our job to keep up. Hoping to attain the same economic status as our parents for the same amount of work is naive. Whether it is pursuing further education or obtaining impeccable grades, college is no longer a bonus in the professional world but a necessity. And to be a competitive job applicant, you have to have that certain "je ne sais quoi" nobody else has – a college degree is not enough. A CNN photo of the protests shows a sign reading, "Dear 1%, we fell asleep for a while. Just woke up. Sincerely, the 99%." While the 99 percent was enjoying sleep and leisure time, the 1 percent was working for its money and opportunities.
For example, investment banking, the heart of Wall Street, is notorious for its grueling hours, a fact I experienced while working at an investment banking internship this summer. And with an in- vestment banker in the family, I can personally attest that for people in the financial industry, all-nighters and weekends spent in the office are common.
But rather than complaining about their working conditions – conditions the entitled protesters would probably find inhumane – bankers work for their living. They are wealthy because they pay their dues, and they should not be blamed for their success. America does not owe these protesters socioeconomic equality. That is socialism.
If the movement wants to rid itself of the whiny persona it has created, it should find a coherent aim. Rather than generally attacking the rich, the protests should hold specific individuals responsible and targeting specific instances of unethical behavior on Wall Street.
For all of my irritations with Occupy Wall Street, I am not immune to the very real possibility of unemployment after graduation. So while I do understand the pro- testers' frustration, their refusal
is a member of the 
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Here's what I am upset about...
Large corporations using public space to ship their goods while trying to get out of paying taxes, using unfair labor practices in other countries because they can't get away with it here, corporate lobbyists having a say in laws by using their donations in exchange for government alliances (if this weren't true there would be no high paid corporate lobbyists) while the people do not have the representation that they need, an unsustainable economy that bases it's idea of economic health on growth rather than stability and more evenly distributed wealth. Yes, if these businesses failed a lot of people would loose a lot of money due to peoples pensions, 401ks, and savings being invested in the stock market . I consider that very unfortunate and know that these people were told that it would be sound investment, but I do not support the bail outs. That is the risk of a free market.
The stock market puts distance between the owner of a company and the company's practices creating a company who's only goals are to make money without any moral code. All that the owners see are numbers, not the faces of people being abused by this corrupt system. Why would it be in our best interest to support a company who's only financial ties with our country are through high level management and investors? Why is it the American trend to cut out all labor from our own country? I realize that ill informed and desperate consumers are a big part of the problem. I also see this as a downward spiral. The less jobs in the U.S. the more desperate the consumers, the more Walmart sells (for example). Yes, these products that you buy for a ridiculously low amount of money give money straight to a company that doesn't support jobs in the U.S. and supports unfair labor practices elsewhere. Why would they if their only goal is to make money? They find the cheapest labor possible both over seas and in their retail stores. They've even come up with a way to use one cashier for four registers (i.e. self check out). This is exactly why those prices are low.
The purpose of a democratic government is to give everyone an equal voice and to create laws and legislation that supports the majority of Americans. The majority of Americans are not CEOs, they are the ones who lost their jobs because the CEOs decided that it was in their company's best financial interest to send work over seas and pay well under minimum wage for labor. My thought... Why do we sell anything in this country that harms the bulk of our population not to mention the population over seas and the environment?
I'm not angry because some people are rich. I am angry because some of the richest people in this country got there through the abuse of other people and that my neighbor can work three times harder than any CEO and always live from pay check to pay check. I am angry that most of the Americans in jail are in there for drugs that are no worse than alcohol and are from low income families, that Americans from wealthy families can afford better representation in our court systems and get charges dropped more often, that in order to make money one must have money, that only the wealthy can afford a good education, good food, and good healthcare. I am angry that there is so much pollution in this world because of large companies shipping products overseas, producing products in countries that don't have strict environmental laws, and using insane amounts of inexpensive petroleum based packaging just because it is cheaper for them. I am angry that the government is not only allowing these unjust labor practices, but also supporting them though legislation such as free trade, implementing laws that make it unprofitable to have a small, sustainable business, and granting large companies patents on our food supplies which they did not invent. I am angry that corporations control our scientific studies, education, healthcare, and the media by contributing money to them. Why should we only learn what a corporation thinks it best for us to know. Pharmaceutical companies should not be able to control what our doctors prescribe to us while other studies are being ignored because they don't support profit for these companies. I am angry that conservatives have brainwashed Christians to think that they are the moral ones when they support all of this and that news doesn't have to be factual.
I want this country to live up to it's potential because I love this country.
I am a hard working farmer and educator. I am happy with the amount of money that I make though most people would consider me to be poor. I see plenty of corruption in this country that needs to be addressed and I believe that the Occupy movement is bringing these issues to light.