Liberal protest creates traffic jam, not change

Editor,

I can’t say I was surprised that the “Occupy Albuquerque” protest was the cover story a few days ago. In fact, I’m glad you guys covered this because it gave me a few reasons to write this letter.

I would consider myself to be a very outspoken, liberal person. I agree with most of the issues being protested and think it’s important that we all do our part to create change.

However, promoting liberal ideas in the most liberal part of town does not create change. It creates a traffic jam. Sure, call me selfish for driving my corporate car filled with poisonous gas, complaining about these “damn hippies” making me late for work.

But it’s the hypocrisy and irony of the whole situation that really gets me going.

I watch as these people camp out in front of a majorly liberal college campus, with their peace flags and cardboard signs asking for cars to “Honk for Freedom.”

The ground is strewn with 40 packs of plastic Arrowhead water bottles and WalMart purchased poster boards hang from the trees and railings. It seems to me that the purchase of all that paper and plastic contributed a lot more to corporate control than the honking of a horn can do to stop it.

In all the hours spent lying around in the grass wishing for a better democracy they could have been volunteering at a homeless shelter or helping people who have actually been screwed by the government. Or protesting outside of the Tanoan Community where some of the richest, most powerful people in Albuquerque live.

There’s more to creating change than simply asking for it. At what point does this “protest” become a parade?

Olivia Gatwood
UNM student