Occupy Eugene will have a protest and march Saturday at an undisclosed location to bring attention to the fact that big corporations are funding a large part of the federal government.
Sam Chapman, a University senior and political activist, has always been envious of his parents’ stories of protests and political activism.
So when he heard about the emergence of the Occupy Wall Street on Sept. 17, he decided to start a Facebook group to rally supporters in Eugene.
“This is our generation’s Vietnam,” Chapman said. “This is our chance to express opinions.”
Although there is no common goal for the group, Chapman explains the movement was started because 99 percent of the population do not hold the wealth and power in this country.
“The umbrella reason is that people are fed up with corporate greed,” Chapman said, explaining that people have joined for thousands of reasons.
Despite the fact that media outlets are criticizing the movement, some politicians are stepping out and endorsing it. One of those politicians is Oregon Rep. Phil Barnhart (D-Eugene).
“The backlash started slowly, but will grow and grow. Despite the best efforts of big media to ignore it,” Barnhart said. “The ‘Occupy’ movement is a sign that ordinary folks will insist on major positive change in a political system dominated by oligarchs bent on maintaining their own power at the expense of most Americans.”
The route of Saturday’s march and the locations for the protest have not been made available, because the group wants to make sure that there is a peaceful assembly of people. According to Chapman, the group has been in close contact with the Eugene Police Department to address any concerns they might have.
“We won’t announce the location until an hour before the event. A successful movement is a peaceful movement,” Chapman said. “We just wanted to let them know we’re not against them.”
Though the official occupation march and protest will take place on Saturday, several smaller groups have taken it upon themselves to protest at the Bank of America.
Barnhart attended one of those protests on Wednesday. He said that, although he goes to quite a few protests in general, he didn’t recognize many people, which he took to mean that the concern of big corporations having too much control of the government is affecting more people.
“Having a lot of people here who I don’t recognize is a really good thing,” he said.
Melinda McLaughlin, the director of public information for the Eugene Police Department, said there have been several meetings between the two parties and they’ve even offered to help them gain the permits for the march.
“We don’t expect there will be any trouble,” McLaughlin said.
Occupy Eugene negotiates with Eugene police to peacefully protest Saturday
Daily Emerald
October 12, 2011
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