Why I joined OWS.

[white_wolf]

Some people I know have asked me why I joined OWS since my family does better than a lot of people, not great, but decent. They make enough to help me go to college without student loans as long as I have scholarships. There are a few reasons for this. The first is the simple fact that it is the right thing to do. The second reason is I do know what it's like to be very poor. I grew up poor, my dad used to be a salesman for some textile company and was on the road for 2 weeks at a time at least once a month. My mom used to dread getting bills so much that when my brother accidentally brought the mail home she started screaming, simply because she was so sick of seeing bills. As a final example, the van my dad drove on those sales trips was so bad that when he was driving up mountains he would have to stop at creeks and put water in the radiator just to make the car keep going. My parents are better off now, but still not great, my dad is 71 and still working. This is just my story, I hope it puts some things into perspective.

[Generic Other]

1. Thanks for sharing your story -- I will share mine if I may

I am a college professor. I have a dozen former students occupying my city. They are unemployed, homeless, struggling. Many have bright degrees in their pockets. Other occupiers are unemployed workers. Even union men and women. Really a sad mix of people impacted by this economy. They have talents, skills, dreams. They are losing hope.

I was raised in a working class family. I know what it is to have been poor. To pay cash or go without. To value good people not fancy things. I have known what it is to go hungry. To be without hope. I do not forget where I came from.