Occupy Oklahoma City protesters gather at state Capitol
The first Occupy protest may have started in New York, but now the movement has spread throughout the country. NewsOK Reporter Matt Patterson went down to the state Capitol Saturday to speak with protesters about Occupy Oklahoma City and what it means to them.
Grant Swofford, 27, drove to the Capitol from Shawnee along with his friend Melissa Hibben, 29.
Swofford is a cook at Chili’s. Like most of the protesters, he is motivated by what he views as a transfer of wealth away from the poor and middle class.
“The richest one percent controls 45 to 50 percent of this country’s wealth,” he said. “We’re not asking for other people’s money. What we want is fairness.”
In some states people have been arrested for staying out past city-imposed curfews for participating in the protests. A reporter in Nashville, Tenn. was even arrested for interviewing people on the grounds of the Legislative Plaza. See the video here.
Betsy Randolph, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper, said the agency knew protesters were going to show up at the Oklahoma Capitol. OHP Capt. Pete Norwood had this to say about the protests:
We always have Troopers on Duty at the Capitol, prepared to respond to any situation in the State Park. Weekend Demonstrations are no different and usually require less intrusive security measures,” Norwood said.
Randolph said she hasn’t been made aware of any problems with protesters. She said any acts of violence or vandalism will be handled according to state law, whether that means issuing citations or placing people under arrest.
We were no more concerned than we usually are when we have any other peaceful assembly on the Capitol grounds,” she said.
So what do you think about the Occupy Movement? Have these protests lost all meaning or are they making a mark in history?
Photo by Doug Hoke: Groups of people march with Occupy Oklahoma at the State Capitol in Oklahoma City Saturday, October 29, 2011.
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Comments
Wealth is not always measured in monetary means. Things such as love, family, truth, wisdom, salvation, and belief in God mean much more than wealth in money or gold. That person that is buried in that gold plated coffin is just as dead as that person that is buried in that pine box. I never knew anyone that took any worldly possessions to the grave. If you need more money, work harder and/or (work overtime or work a second job), and live within your means. Remember: 1. “The poor will be with us always.” thus saith the Lord. 2. “Verily I say unto you; It is harder for the rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven than it is for a camel to go through the eye of a needle!” thus saith the Lord. 3. “Lest a man work, nor shall he eat.” thus saith the Lord. Hey, protesters! What are you protesting for? If you do not like Capitalism, move to China! They will give you a sign of Mao to carry around!
You people do know this is your country…not these creepy polititians. TAKE IT BACK!!! The truth is, we don’t like any of them! They are all big fat liars!!! They have the public face (sweet & we like it), and the private face (they make deals that make them money, they allow child abusers to go free, they make taxes that we don’t think is right or called for, they work for the corporations). This is supposed to be a country for the people and by the people (not buy the people). Let’s bring back the draft…draft WE THE PEOPLE for congress and the supreme court (why should we keep these people for life…NO NO…NO..). REAL HONEST REFORM!!!
I am a retired electrician. I worked for mine. Why can’t these people mind their own business and stay at home. To me, these are just no good, no life people that are sticking their noses into something they don’t even understand. :I’ll bet if you asked them, over 50% of them don’t even know what they are protesting for.